Why I Bought a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country
Here's my story about why the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country won me over — and why it might be a great family SUV for you.
Full disclosure: Before we bought our Chevrolet Suburban, I actually didn’t really want one. I know — that seems to counter my pro-Suburban argument. But the truth is that I absolutely loved our 2022 Kia Telluride that we had when my kids were little, so the thought of giving that up made me cry. Literally. But my husband and I quickly learned that it didn’t take much for us to use up every inch of real estate inside our beloved Telluride, especially when we took our first Costco run as a family of five.
They say you never forget your first love — or, as an automotive writer, your first car review. My very first review, back in November 2022, was for the 2023 Chevrolet Suburban High Country when my kids were six and three. And honestly? It ruined me. It set the bar so high that no other SUV could quite compare.
Since then, my husband and I have reviewed hundreds of cars together, but few left as big an impression on me as that one Suburban. Which is exactly why, in March, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to buy one when I spotted a Sterling Gray Metallic model. Here’s what convinced me to say goodbye to Kia, and hello to Chevy.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
It All Started With a Costco Trip
I remember it vividly. With the baby and our 9-year-old in the Telluride’s captain’s chairs, we had moved our 6-year-old to the third row in her booster seat, but we couldn’t fit our Costco haul into the back without folding down part of the third row. And even then, it was a mess. Groceries were sliding everywhere, our 6-year-old couldn’t find her buckle, and my husband heaved a frustrated sigh and said, “That’s it. We can’t do this.” I did not argue.
So, our research began. We conducted some internet research and, paired with our own experiences and expertise as reviewers, within a couple of weeks, we took home a pre-owned 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country for close to $78,000.
READ MORE: 13 Reasons the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban Is a Family Favorite – And 5 Caveats to Consider
Why the High Country Trim?
The Suburban High Country is the top-of-the-line trim — and yes, the priciest. Technically, the “fiscally responsible” move would’ve been to go cheaper. But here’s the thing: once you’ve reviewed as many cars as we have, you turn into a bit of a car snob (and in case he’s reading this, I want my husband to know that this is entirely his fault).
For me, non-negotiables include advanced safety and driver-assistance tech, plus a few creature comforts (heated steering wheel, anyone?). The High Country checked all those boxes with:
- A surround-view camera system (essential when parking a beast this size)
- A rearview mirror camera, which comes in handy for towing, hauling, or when you can’t see out of the back due to stacked luggage
- A heads-up display for navigation directions, road sign reading, speedometer, and more
- A silky-smooth 3.0L turbodiesel inline-six with four-wheel drive
- Rear seat entertainment. It keeps my kids calm and cozy for those long, multi-state road trips
- Power-folding running boards. The little legs in my family needed and appreciated this.
- Magnetic Ride Control (or MagneRide). This adaptive suspension system makes the ride so smooth, you feel like you’re floating. Truly.
- Easy car seat installation. IYKYK.
- Heated and ventilated second-row seats. What can I say? My kids are spoiled and have come to expect this. But I also appreciate this feature on the rare occasion that I find myself in the second row.
- Roomy third row. I’ve only had to ride in the third row once since owning this Suburban, but I can tell you — it’s not a bad place to be as an adult. Plenty of head and leg room. Cupholders. Charging ports. You could do a lot worse.
- Overall looks inside and out. The silvery sheen? The brown leather interior? It was a pretty eye-pleasing combo without looking too fancy for a family with three young kids.
Worth every penny.
READ MORE: Driver Assist and Safety Features, or ADAS, Detailed By the Most Popular Car Brands
And Let’s Not Forget About SuperCruise!
After years of driving a Kia Telluride SX with Highway Driving Assist, I knew I needed some form of semi-autonomous driving. The Suburban High Country delivered with Super Cruise — a true hands-free system that can steer, brake, and even change lanes on compatible highways.
It doesn’t always kick in when I expect, but when it does? Game-changer. The first time I tried it, I was chauffeuring my in-laws, and though everyone gasped when I took my hands off the wheel, they were quickly impressed at how seamlessly the Suburban handled lane changes.
If you’re a commuter or road-tripper, this feature alone could make you fall in love. Especially with young kids who are always squealing about their dropped toy or fallen French fry.
READ MORE: Self-Driving Cars Are (Almost) Here: Hands-Free Systems Like Super Cruise, Blue Cruise Take the Wheel
The Chevrolet Suburban was Made for Long Drives
We are definitely a road-tripping family. It’s not unusual for us to load up just about everything we own and take the kids on a trip that requires 12 to 14 hours of driving. (We live in Utah, but California and the Pacific Northwest frequently call our name.)
This is where the Suburban High Country was a dream. Even with a baby in tow, we were able to pack that thing to the hilt and still have enough space for our 9-year-old to sit in the back with his sister if I ever had to move to the second row to help calm or feed our baby on the long drive.
While visiting the family cabin in Idaho this summer, my parents piled in the car with us while we drove up to West Yellowstone, and my mom made a very astute observation: “It’s like driving your living room around!” she said. Comfortable seats. Space for days. We even spoiled our kids by getting a model with the rear seat entertainment system, which allowed us to connect our Blu-ray player so they could contentedly watch Jurassic Park from the back seats.
And you remember the turbodiesel engine I mentioned earlier? The horsepower may be lower (277 compared to 355 with the V8), but I never once felt like our Suburban struggled to get up to speed or overtake slower-moving vehicles. Then there was the bonus of fuel economy — on road trips, we averaged nearly 30 mpg, which felt completely insane for an SUV of this size, loaded up as it was. A major bonus for sure.
READ MORE: These Parent-Approved Road Trip Playlists, Podcasts, and Audiobooks Make the Miles Fly By
Why I Picked the Suburban Over the Tahoe
A lot of people like to ask, “What made you choose the Suburban over the Tahoe?” The two are essentially the same vehicle, but the Tahoe has less cargo space and slightly less leg room. Well, like I said before, having the freedom to use the full back seat came in handy with the Suburban, so those extra 22 cubes of space really do make a difference.
Additionally, this is my personal opinion, but spending just about $3,000 more for the larger Suburban makes a lot more sense at this price point (around $78,000). And, look: I would never advocate that someone buy a car solely based on the convenience of purse storage, but I would consider this a major perk of the 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country, and honestly, one of my favorite features: the power-sliding center console.
I’ve never been in a car that offered better purse storage, and I don’t think I ever will be. With the push of an overhead button, you can slide the center console back to reveal a large compartment that is big enough to stow the little backpack I tote around. It also came in handy when I was transporting soups and other food dishes that I didn’t want to spill. Just slide it into this little secret room, and you don’t have to worry about it. Brilliant!
READ MORE: 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban: A Minor Makeover For an Even More Classic 8-Seater SUV
Of Course, No SUV is Perfect—There Are a Few Drawbacks
It wouldn’t be fair of me to at least acknowledge a couple of the things I don’t like about the Suburban, but the good news is that there truly are only a couple of things I don’t like. And they both start with “p”: price and parking.
When I told my friend recently how much we loved our Suburban, she smiled and nervously responded that she could never drive one herself because “they’re just too big.” But I love that my family feels completely protected inside it, and should the worst happen and we suddenly find ourselves without a home in an emergency, we could literally sleep inside the Suburban. Somehow, that’s an ultra-comforting thought.
Obviously, being as large as it is, the Suburban takes some getting used to when you’re trying to turn tight corners or squeeze into parking spots with very little room for error on either side. I’ll admit, it’s made me sweat a time or two in this regard. But that’s why I strongly suggest getting one with the surround-view camera system because that makes ALL the difference.
Do I wish we could get a fully-loaded Suburban for under 60k? Yes. But that’s just a pipe dream at this point. Unfortunately, the base $80k price will push this one out of reach for many buyers. We certainly had to do some dollar stretching to make it work, but in the end, we considered the sacrifice worth it. After all, it hauls my most precious cargo around.
READ MORE: Need A Big Car? Here Are Our Favorite 8-Passenger SUVs
Ultimately, I Think the Chevrolet Suburban Is the Best Family SUV Out There
Some may view this as a hot take, but when you look at the sales stats year over year, it’s really not: the Chevy Suburban is a clear favorite among families and individuals alike. It’s the classic American family hauler for a reason, and this nameplate will endure for decades — maybe centuries? — to come.
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