Short Take: 2004 Suburban

[Tave]

This weekend I attended a buyer's market with some friends who are starting a clothing line. Somehow, I got the honor of driving my ex-roomate's mother's Suburban, for about 50 miles or so around the city.

What impressed me most about the vehicle was its maneuverability. Granted, it's a big car that takes up a lot of room and requires well-planned lines, but the difference between it and, say, our 3/4 Dodge worktrucks or my roomate's Chevy 2500 is night and day. Turn in is crisp and the handling is appropriately weighted (gives decent feedback but is light enough to muscle the beast around). Suspension worked well, soaking up the bumps and potholes and road imperfections; but the body roll was excessive, even for a car of its size. I suspect the spring rates were adjusted for a pleasant ride. A Chevy pickup of that size would roll less but ride harsher.

Power was excellent, and I caught myself playing a little game of cat-and-mouse with my roomate. He said he looked in his rearview and saw me spitting dust from the back wheels. His girlfriend complained that I drive like a grandma.

I hadn't ridden in a Suburban for years. I've always prefered smaller SUVs and thought the Suburban was overkill. This ride definately had me rethinking that opinion. If I had a family of 4 and the means, it'd be on my short list of people-haulers. I bet you can find some great deals on them right now (they've always been so damned expensive).

[J86]

Suburban's are sweet.  Great regatta cars.

[ifcar]

Of course, a large car-based vehicle (SUV or van) would have as much interior space (more, in van) and offer better maneuverability and driving dynamics, plus a lower price and better mileage.

They're nice if you need the heavy-duty capability instead of just the size, though.

[S204STi]

Indeed, the Yukon/Tahoe/Suburban are amazingly agile vehicles for their size, and GM powertrains are some of the best in the business in terms of sheer hustle.

[GoCougs]

Suburbans will have distinct advantages: rear coil springs relative to the rear leafs on a GM 3/4-ton, IFS relative to the live axle on a Dodge 3/4-ton, and depending on the years of those trucks, rack-n-pinion steering.

[Tave]

I was just tossing those out as two examples. I have seat time in a lot of trucks and SUVs, and the Suburban just struck me as very nimble for how large it was.

[GoCougs]

I was just tossing those out as two examples. I have seat time in a lot of trucks and SUVs, and the Suburban just struck me as very nimble for how large it was.

It'll also have a stiffer chassis owing to a contiguous body the entire length of the frame, unlike a truck.

[J86]

I was just tossing those out as two examples. I have seat time in a lot of trucks and SUVs, and the Suburban just struck me as very nimble for how large it was.

Personally, I find the steering to actually be a bit too light...it doesn't convey the size of the vehicle!

[the Teuton]

I'm going to have to drive one to NY sometime soon.  It's good to know it's not a terrible drive.

[J86]

perfect highway cruiser.  I drove an 02 (or thereabouts) 6.5 hours back from VT coupla weekends ago.

[CJ]

I drove a similar one a few weeks ago.  Very nice truck.

[the Teuton]

I get to drive a pimptyte 2004 Yukon XL with TVs in it in a few weeks.

The person to whom it belong's dad owns a brand new Yukon Denali XL, and it's absolutely gorgeous.  Their family likes Yukaburbans and eccentric cars like Saabs and Subarus.