2024 Chevrolet Suburban: As big as ever, but slightly sippier

2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country: Large and in charge?

Price: $90,550 as tested. Advanced Technology Package added SuperCruise and more for $2,700; rear-seat media system added $1,995; retractable assist steps, $1,745; sunroof, $1,500; adaptive suspension, $1,000; adaptive cruise, $500.

Conventional wisdom: Edmunds likes that the “massive interior means lots of passenger and cargo space, available diesel engine significantly improves fuel economy,” and the “high towing capacity.” They didn’t like that the “large size restricts in-town maneuverability and parking,” “some safety features restricted to pricey trim levels, interior controls can be confusing to use or hard to reach.”

Marketer’s pitch: “Ready for the big time.”

Reality: One of three SUVs that can actually compete with minivan space — and one of those is its cousin.

What’s new: Last redesigned in 2021, one of the largest SUVs on the market seems pretty much the same as ever. Maybe that’s not so bad.

Competition: Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Ford Expedition, Nissan Armada, Toyota Sequoia.

Up to speed: The Duramax 3-liter turbodiesel inline six-cylinder engine does a good job of putting out the power needed to get this beast moving. It creates 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. This gets the vehicle to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, according to Motor Trend.

Despite that slowish time, I got it up to highway speeds in what felt like short order, so it doesn’t register as turtle-y. Probably thanks to all that diesel torque, the soothing tap-tap of particulates clogging up your lungs.

Shifty: The 10-speed automatic transmission operates smoothly and without complaint.

Gone is the gearshift in favor of a row of pull-tabs — picture them as buttons, except you pull instead of push (except for Park). I’m getting less annoyed by these, but I still prefer shifters.

On the road: You have to hand it Chevy here — they’ve managed to keep making this giant vehicle maneuver with ease. The Suburban gets around narrow roads and curves much better than you’d expect. I found myself adjusting to the big vehicle’s ways easily enough, and only in the tightest spots did I get nervous.

It’s a feat. Stellantis has done well with its Grand Wagoneer behemoth, making the other minivan-comparable SUV (space-wise). Kia has also scored with the Telluride. But the much smaller Kia Sorento remains a wanderer, as does the Hyundai Palisade.

I was proud of my ability to park the Suburban in our very stuffed garage for the duration as well. Side mirrors that fold in at the touch of a button make this proposition — as well as crossing narrow bridges — much easier.

The camera in the rearview mirror makes seeing in back a much easier proposition as well, because you don’t have to squint through three rows of dark space or everyone’s heads.

Driver’s Seat: The leather seats are super comfortable, providing plenty of support and a nice feel as well. For the money, I expected they’d offer massage, but no such luck.

Among the Things That I Really Expect for 90 Grand would be massage seats.

Friends and stuff: All seating positions provide plenty of space for a 5-foot-10 adult like Mr. Driver’s Seat. The middle row captain’s chairs move forward and backward, but even with the middle row in the rearmost position, the rear row is roomy.

The rear seat is a bench and not as comfortable as the others.

The rear two rows fold flat to make a nice long cargo space. Buttons by the rear door raise and lower them easily. The cargo space totals 144.7 cubic feet with the seats all folded and 93.8 behind the second row. The 41.5 cubic feet in the way, way back equals the folded-seat space of some small crossovers.

Only the Grand Wagoneer L can almost match that space, but it is still 10% smaller.

Towing: The Suburban tows up to 8,100 pounds with the turbodiesel, another hundred more with the 6.2-liter V-8, and yet another hundred with the 5.3-liter. (Interesting that the smaller gasoline-powered engine can tow the most.)

Play some tunes: Chevrolet has installed a 10.2-inch touchscreen for the Suburban, which sounds small, but it’s easy to follow. Dials control volume and tuning, and there are four buttons, but everything else happens via pixels.

Sound from the 10-speaker Bose audio system could be better, treading right in between B+ or an A-.

Keeping warm and cool: Dials control the temperature, and buttons handle everything else, and there certainly is a lot of everything else, judging by all the buttons.

Fuel economy: The turbodiesel didn’t exactly turn the Suburban into a gas-sipper, but at almost 19 mpg, it was fairly economical for a vehicle of its heft. And it was 7 mpg better than the Grand Wagoneer, although you have to spring for diesel.

Where it’s built: Arlington, Texas.

How it’s built: Consumer Reports gives the Suburban a 2 out of 5 for reliability.

In the end: Chevrolet is advertising a redo for 2025, with a focus on a more powerful diesel engine. (I was really hoping for hybrid or plug-in here, but I imagine the extra weight kills the fuel savings.) If you want a real diesel-sipper, the 2024 might be the last chance.

And it’s still the biggest kid on the block. And even though the Grand Wagoneer has gone to all turbo sixes, I’m confident saying this turbodiesel will save the most fuel.