This might be the ultimate family bubble.
Less than 24 hours. That’s how long I got to spend with the 2021 Chevy Suburban before it was picked up and taken to another writer. The times we live in have changed everything for new vehicle launches, but I kind of like this model… I had the vehicle to myself for almost a full day. No sharing this beauty with other drivers at a big media event. I could go where I wanted to and take my kids along. And that’s just what we did.
Once work and school were done for the day, the kids and I packed up and headed to town. These days, that counts as an adventure. Getting their favorite Blizzards at Dairy Queen? Major mom-points. But I think what was most exciting for them was getting to play with and experience all the new technology in the 2021 Chevy Suburban.
The 2021 Chevy Suburban has a Total of Five Full-Color Touch Screens
How about a 15-inch heads-up display for the driver, plus an 8-inch instrument panel screen, and a 10-inch infotainment and nav screen? Note that the 10-inch infotainment/nav screen is standard on all models. All the others are optional add-ons.
I love that you can customize your view on the instrument panel, and the number of apps available in the infotainment system was really impressive. Beyond Apple Car Play and Android Auto, you could use things like Spotify, The Weather Channel, news and more!
Then you have the dual 12.6-inch screens on the backs of the driver and passenger headrests so that the second-row passengers have entertainment at their fingertips.
That’s five, right?
But I think someone forgot…
The Rear View Camera Mirror
This is a new technology that we got to experience on the Corvette earlier this year. Basically, there is a camera on the back of the vehicle and the rearview camera becomes a screen that displays the whole picture. This gets rid of any blind spots created by the car’s rear seats and frame. My husband loves this. I’m a little weirded out by it. I’m sure with a little more time I’d adjust, but it just feels weird to me to see a video up there. Fortunately, this feature can be turned off or on, so those of us who like the good ol’ fashion mirror can still use it.
Related Reading: The Ultimate Car Seat Challenge: 3-Row SUVs
Connected Maps for the Second Row, On 12.6″ Touch Screens
My geography obsessed 9 year old couldn’t get enough of the navigation-equipped screens in the back seat of the 2021 Chevy Suburban. He is always sitting in the middle seat and asking me to turn on the navigation up front, so he can watch the map while we drive. This time he was able to have the map right in front of him and manipulate it himself without interfering with the screen up front! He could search for places to eat, zoom in and out, see all the bodies of water around us, and use the search bar to find the places we were going. I let him search for Dairy Queen then send the suggestion to the front where I could accept it and immediately have driving directions ready to go. This reminded me of helping my dad navigate on road trips when he would hand me the atlas and let me map a route, then we’d go over it together.
These screens can also play music, video and more. With unique HDMI and USB ports for each screen, your second-row passengers can each enjoy their own content (yay for headphones!) or share and watch the same thing! Parents can control the screens from up front too, which could be really handy if the kids are too little to reach or to work them themselves.
3.5″ Added Legroom and Cargo Space Thanks to a Lowered Cargo Floor
Have you ever been in the third row of an SUV and felt like you were sitting on the floor? Knees-to-chest is not just a workout routine, am I right? Chevy took a big step and lowered that rear cargo floor a full 3.5″ for the 2021 Chevy Suburban. Now, the seats can sit higher, giving the passenger a much more ergonomic seating position, as well as increasing the cargo space when the seats are folded flat.
Adjustable Second Row Seats with 5″ of Slide
Another win for the legroom column! The second-row seats in the 2021 Chevy Suburban can now slide forward or backward five inches to allow more legroom for the second or third row, depending on where it is needed. This slide also allows the second-row seats, which flip forward, to slide all the way up against the front seats for a massive entryway to the third row. No more climbing over or around seats. Just step right in!
Three Engine Options for the 2021 Chevy Suburban and a Push-button Transmission
Chevy is now offering an all-new 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine for the 2021 Suburban. This engine delivers refinement, performance and efficiency for long road trips.
They’ve also updated the V-8 engine options with dynamic fuel management. The 5.3L V-8 rated at 355 horsepower (265 kilowatts) is standard on LS, LT, Z71, RST, and Premier models. The 6.2L V-8 rated at 420 horsepower (313 kW) is standard on High Country like the one we drove.
The 10-speed automatic transmission with push-button electronic shift is a nice touch. Normally, I’m not a fan of dials or buttons instead of gear shifts, but this one is laid out well and really does free up space!
Better Suspension and a Longer Wheelbase Give the 2021 Suburban a Smoother Ride
This SUV offers both magnetic ride control and air ride adaptive suspension. This is the first large SUV to have this feature. That means the vehicle auto-levels while you’re on the road. This is especially nice when you’re trailering and your vehicle is bearing more weight in the back. This auto-adjustment also means the Suburban can level out for a smoother ride and get better fuel economy. The air ride adaptive suspension technology also allows for a 4-inch ride height adjustment. It will automatically lower on the highway for better aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, or you can raise it for better ground clearance on rough terrain.
Related Reading: SUVs vs Minivans: Which is right for you?
The 2021 Chevy Suburban Scored Some Major Mom Points
I love that the Suburban automatically lowers 4-inches when the vehicle is in Park. This makes entry and exit so much easier, especially for a mama trying to load a heavy infant seat and baby into the second row! Having just driven another full-size SUV and a couple of trucks where I had to climb up, not only onto the running board but also into the vehicle, while holding the car seat with the baby in it (scary!), I was relieved to be able to just set her seat in the second row without any climbing around! It felt much safer.
And, coming soon… a power sliding center console that will allow the console between the front seats to slide back, revealing a locking drawer underneath, and a space large enough for a handbag or small backpack. This will also make the cupholders for the second-row passengers much easier to reach.
What You Need to Know: A Quick Recap
- Increased cargo space and 3rd-row legroom thanks to a 3.5″ lowering of the cargo floor.
- Best-in-class cargo space.
- Longer wheelbase for a better ride, and an overall 1% increase in length.
- 5 full-color screens: 15″ HUD, 8″ driver’s instrument panel, 10″ infotainment and navigation in-dash, and dual 12.6″ entertainment screens in the backs of the front seat headrests.
- 5″ slide adjustable second-row seats
- 9 camera views including rear camera mirror
- Connected navigation for rear-seat entertainment screens
- 3 great engine choices including two V8s and a Duramax Diesel!
- Fuel economy: 15 mph city / 20 mpg highway
The 2021 Suburban starts at $56,500. The model we drove was the High Country edition and runs $75,300 thanks to several add-ons.
Disclosure: Chevrolet sent the 2021 Chevy Suburban High Country to me for a day as a part of their launch program. I was able to drive, experience and learn about this new vehicle, and all thoughts here are my own.
