2011 Chevy Suburban: 75 Years Of Suburbans

With either the 1/2- or the 3/4-ton though, you'll be driving one of the most handsome SUVs on the planet, but the good looks aren't just skin deep. The interior of the Suburban is also attractive and supremely comfortable for long trips. Our LTZ had front 12-way power seats with both heat and cooling, but even the second-row buckets were also heated and all three rows had climate controls. All sorts of electronic paraphernalia abounded, such as Bluetooth, USB ports, auxiliary audio jacks, and navigation. Even so, the kids in the second-row complained that our test truck didn't have a DVD screen/player. Man, kids are spoiled, video junkies these days!

We were generally impressed with the Suburban's interior, but one minor gripe was that the steering wheel wrap seemed too slippery. Maybe a little more texturing or some perforations would help with the grip. And please add a few more cubby holes to hold road trip trinkets.

Still, you and all your passengers will ride in luxury-even in the third row seat. The LTZ's second-row bucket seats make it super-easy for people to get to that third row. The Suburban may also be the only SUV with third-row seating that can still take a full load of passengers and fit all their luggage without having to fold or remove the third-row seat.

Off-road the large Sub may be better at delivering people and gear to a ski lift over an icy road or getting to the family cabin over a muddy route than traversing twisty trails (especially with a single-speed transfer case like our tester). The Sub's body hangs a bit low and doesn't have a great deal of ground clearance or approach and departure angles, but even with these limitations it performs better off-road than many new, large SUVs due to its solid rear axle (getting rare these days) and locking rear differential. The rear locker works well, but you must first spin the tires up to an uncomfortable speed before it engages. You'll cringe, but it does eventually lock with a bang and move the truck forward.

To help with sticky situations the Sub's outside power mirrors can be angled down to help the driver see what the rear tires are doing, or folded in to clear trail obstacles. With the good mileage and large fuel tank of the 1/2-ton you'll be amazed at the range these trucks offer. Even at the low end of the mileage rating (15 mpg) a tank of gasoline can carry you over 400 miles.

All in all, the Suburban is as fantastic at 75 as it has ever been (no Betty White jokes; besides, she's 88!). Great looks, a super-comfortable cabin, and cargo-hauling capabilities beyond any other SUV make this one desirable American icon. Choose carefully between the high-mileage cruiser or the heavy-towing model, add a trim level and options to taste, then take the whole family on an American adventure. And whatever it is you think you'll need, throw it in. You'll surely have the room.