General Motors has undoubtedly done well with their large body-on-frame SUVs as they continue to be a benchmark setter for such a segment. However, the lines between the three brands from Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac have somewhat been blurred, as I have found in my recent experience with the Chevrolet Suburban High Country, the latest top trim version of the large, long-wheelbase SUV. Those blurred lines may be cleared up by some who look at the finer details of such a vehicle in the luxury realm, but as many know, Chevrolet has never been so aggressive into the luxury side of things until now with the High Country trim in the refreshed Suburban (and shorter wheelbase Tahoe).
This week, driving the new Chevy Suburban High Country seemingly impressed me with how far one of the vehicles that started the large SUV segment has come. There’s a lot to digest as it should be in such a large vehicle – but a lot of the meal consists of a rather large course that’s caulk full of desirable items that some aren’t willing to pay a premium for when they can get them in the Suburban. What I am getting at is that there are a lot of the same fundamentals that are equipped on the Suburban High Country trim that you would otherwise pay a premium for in either the GMC Yukon XL Denali or Cadillac Escalade. Again, the lines have been blurred until you start to look at the inner details of the interior materials, which some can easily overlook. Essentially, the function is nearly the same, but the form becomes the main underlying difference between the three large GM SUVs – which then contributes to a pricing difference therein.
Performance and Driving Character
Refreshed for the 2025 model year, the Chevrolet Suburban continues to offer the same powertrains, but the diesel option now has a bit more power. For the Suburban High Country test vehicle this week, I get to enjoy the prided 6.2-liter V8 engine still producing 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, which remains plenty of power for the large Suburban.
With the proven 6.2-liter V8 over the base 5.3-liter V8, there’s an appreciated level of power that doesn’t come with any unwanted surprises. The V8 just does as intended time after time and is mated to the latest 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive with an automatic setting; there’s a welcomed appreciation for the respected power that’s able to get the large Suburban up to 60 mph in about 6.7 seconds. Also, the braking on the Suburban feels substantial and assured, more so than I remember with previous generations.
Another characteristic of the new Suburban’s performance is a slightly improved balance of the vehicle that’s somewhat attributed to the latest height-adjustable air suspension setup, which is aided by its Magnetic Ride Control adaptive shocks. Such a setup is necessary for the best ride quality that’s constantly adapted in milliseconds to road conditions, keeping the large body of the Suburban in check and never sloppily lofting around. Moreover, there’s a welcomed smoothness to the ride quality, even with the new Suburban High Country having some of the largest wheels you can get on a production vehicle – massive 24-inch alloys wrapped with quiet and surprisingly grippy all-season Bridgestone Alenza tires. The large 24-inch wheels actually look good and seemly do well to not worsen the ride quality. In all, the newly refreshed Suburban High Country looks good and not too blingy in my opinion, especially with its attractive Lakeshore Blue Metallic paint.
Even though there’s no getting around the massive size of the Suburban, it does drive well and avoid intimidating you as the driver, as you don’t have as hard of a time piloting such a vehicle. Chevrolet does all it can to make things simple enough with the many active safety aids (lane departure warning/lane keep assist, blind spot monitors, forward collision warning/emergency braking, rear cross-path detection/emergency braking, etc.), which include a necessary 360-degree camera system and a new digital rearview mirror that mitigates rear seats and occupants from blocking your view out the rearview mirror by using a camera system and a high-resolution and high-refresh-rate mirror display screen.
Fuel Economy
As you can imagine, the fuel consumption on such a large SUV can be somewhat of a sore spot, but Chevrolet seems to at least keep things consistent where you can easily match the EPA estimates of 14 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined in the real world. In fact, I often bested the estimates on the highway, coming away with nearly 19 mpg on average during a 115-mile highway drive, mostly traveling slightly below 70 mph. While the estimates are not all that great on paper, the Suburban High Country, with its 6.2-liter V8, still does well to muster out consistent figures on the highway. That’s also partly thanks to its dynamic fuel management system that deactivates four cylinders when there’s not much of a load demand, which takes place seamlessly in the background. Filling up the large 28-gallon tank with oddly required premium unleaded fuel will get you a highway cruising range of just over 500 miles.
Interior and Technology
Apart from the drivetrain, the major differences in the large GM family of SUVs remain to be the interior appointments. While a lot of the equipment is virtually the same among the large SUVs, the way you interact with the equipment is the underlying difference. However, with the 2025 refresh of all of the large GM SUVs, there’s a lot to appreciate that’s been upgraded, with the Suburban High Country getting a new 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen and an updated 11-inch digital driver’s gauge cluster. The system works well and is simple to use, with quick responses to most interactions. There’s an appreciated method of how the system allows you to display primary functions but fumbles slightly in my view by burring features like bringing up the trip computer, which can be conveniently moved to display in the digital gauge cluster. Overall, there’s a good use of the larger screen real-estate for split screen setups and such. The integration of wireless and USB-connected Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remains, as does a convenient, actively-cooled, wireless charging pad.
Most of what you find for the instrumentation mimics the new Chevrolet Blazer EV (and its closely related platform-sharing EV sibling – the Equinox EV). There’s a select number of physical controls below the large touchscreen reserved for quick access to the automatic climate controls. Other welcomed amenities include a large head-up display, integrated Google Maps and Google Assistant functionality, and the availability of GM’s semi-autonomous driving feature – SuperCruise.
The cabin of the Suburban is vast as it remains one of the largest SUVs you can buy. Seating positions are accommodating for most, as they have been in the past, with ample adjustability, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row captain’s chairs. The third-row seats keep with a tradition of allowing an accommodating space for three adults, which can be power-folded down to open up the 41.5-cubic feet behind the seats in place to a vast 93.8 cubic feet and an astonishing 144.7 cubic feet by power-folding the second-row seats, all accessed by a smart-opening power tailgate.
Pricing
Reiterating the blurred lines once again, the Chevrolet Suburban High Country doesn’t come cheap, as my test vehicle prices out at $95,000. However, the Suburban continues to be a good value for lower trims, with a starting price for the base LS trim at $59,200, giving you a V8-powered, long-wheeled, large SUV. Still, at the higher end of things, you have to wonder if the Suburban High Country is the right choice considering its pricing that nearly merges with its GM counterparts, the GMC Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade ESV, which also have higher pricing points for their 2025 model year refresh. A comparable 2025 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4WD comes to a price of $100,170, while a comparable Cadillac Escalade ESV Premium Luxury 4WD will set you back about $117,000, leaving you to closely critique the finer ‘luxury’ details, servicing options, and brand cachet that make up the differences.
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