BRAND NEW: The 2015 Chevrolet Suburban showcases an all new design.

 

By Umer Nangiana

 

Burly yet luxurious, sophistication with power, and better looking than ever before: Chevrolet Suburban along with its small sibling Tahoe have been completely redesigned for 2015 models, soon to hit the markets across Middle East.

The Suburban is easily the biggest SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) on the market. But I don’t mind the massive size of this brute, so long as it drives sturdy.

Having their signature capabilities of negotiating tricky, torturous tracks and towing heavy weights with ease, the new Suburban and Tahoe have been further enhanced to offer more cushion for both people and cargo. The mantra is more opulence and grandeur.

No matter how massive or daunting it looks from the outside, once behind the wheel, you are the boss. Out on the road, even the busiest ones, you are safer and at ease as the vehicle efficiently moves on. The vehicles’ boast improved and enhanced 360 degrees of safety features and contemporary designs, while being more interactive.

Chevrolet says the two popular SUVs have been redesigned from ground up.

“With new features and enhancements at its core, the all-new 2015 Tahoe and Suburban will continue to play a key role in the brand’s success while extending the legacy that Chevrolet has built in the region,” said Maurice Williams, President and Managing Director, GM Middle East Operations at the launch of the vehicles in Dubai last month.

Like their cousin Yukon from GMC, the two SUVs are also engineered to deliver a quieter, more-controlled ride and improved steering and braking feel. Comparatively smaller in size, the Tahoe in particular was more responsive under my right foot and more steady under my hands while test driving one of them in the city and on the highways in Dubai’s suburbs.

It all starts on a stronger, fully boxed, perimeter frame, which supports payload and trailering capability that body-frame-integral crossovers and SUVs can’t match, GM says.

Possessing new EcoTec3 under the hood, Tahoe and Suburban’s standard 5.3L V-8 features state-of-the-art technologies including direct injection, cylinder deactivation, continuously variable valve timing and an advanced combustion system, designed to make the most of power, torque and efficiency across a broad range of operating conditions.

Both SUVs boast 355 hp @ 5600 rpm horsepower and 518 Nm @ 4100 rpm torque, an 11% and 14% increase respectively from the 2014 models.

The engine is mated to a Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission, featuring TapShift control, tow/haul mode and Auto Grade Braking. Improved engine mounts, electronic throttle control, adaptive exhaust systems, improved aerodynamics and other technologies help the engines operate in four-cylinder mode more often with Active Fuel Management, further increasing efficiency.

New functionality and technology features found on both vehicles for 2015 include power fold-flat second and third-row seats for enhanced cargo convenience, approximately two inches greater legroom for second-row passengers, along with easier entry/exit.

Both offer an eight-inch colour touch screen radio with next-generation MyLink connectivity, up to six USB ports and six power outlets including a 230-volt three-prong outlet to support electronic devices of all kinds (up to 12 charging locations).

Also available are keyless entry and push-button start, Magnetic Ride Control, Advanced Crash Avoidance and driver assistance technologies, rear-seat entertainment system with dual screens (Suburban only) and Blu-ray DVD player.

In cargo room, Suburban delivers up to 3,429 litres behind the front seats and Tahoe delivers a maximum space of 2681 litres.

The all-new 2015 Tahoe and Suburban are likely to reach Middle East showrooms this month. They will be available in three trim levels, LS, LT and LTZ, with a choice of 2WD and 4WD.

The exterior designs of the 2015 Tahoe and Suburban are more refined and precisely sculpted. The manufacturer says that not a single exterior sheet metal panel or lighting element is shared with Chevrolet’s full-size pick-ups.

“The designs of the all-new Tahoe and Suburban reflect their greater functionality, technology and refinement, forging a new presence for Chevrolet SUVs that is conveyed with unmistakable brand heritage,” said Ken Parkinson, executive director of design.

In exterior design, these vehicles share the Yukon’s new inlaid doors that fit into the body side openings instead of over the top of the body. This significantly improves cabin quietness besides contributing to improved aerodynamics, helping these big machines slip through the air on the highway with less drag for greater efficiency. Efficiency is further enhanced with the lightweight aluminium hood and lift gate panels.

Projector-beam headlamps flank the Chevrolet-signature dual-port grille, with chrome on all models, and sweep into the front fenders. The up level LTZ models have high-intensity discharge headlamps and LED daytime running lamps.

Inside, premium materials and enhanced ergonomics demonstrate the Tahoe and Suburban’s blend of sophistication, craftsmanship and function. A new instrument panel houses an available eight-inch colour touch screen for MyLink infotainment system. There is a secured storage bin behind the motorized screen. The compartmentalised centre console is large enough to store a laptop or an iPad.

With MyLink, you get easy, intuitive operation of basic functions, yet it is also highly customisable and capable of linking to up to 10 devices such as smart phones, SD cards and MP3 players, meaning more ways of staying connected.

When it comes to connectivity, a new Text-to-Voice feature for smartphone users reads incoming texts through the vehicle’s speakers, besides having Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6 and iOS 7 users. Each enables voice-controlled connectivity, to help keep phones in pockets and hands on the wheel.

Both passenger and vehicle safety in the new models have been significantly improved. Both vehicles have radar that provides 360 degrees of crash avoidance and occupant protection. Standard and available features include forward collision alert, front park assist, lane departure warning, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control. Chevrolet’s Safety Alert Seat is available and offers directional vibrations to alert the driver about potential crash threats. You and your vehicle are covered from all sides.

Both also offer up to 7 airbags including the segment’s only front-seat centre air bag (bucket-seat models), which is engineered to provide additional protection for drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes, where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.

There is an added feature to thwart theft attempts including available window break in or glass-break, vertical-movement and interior movement sensors. Along with triggering the vehicles’ alarm systems, some of the features shut down key control systems to make it almost impossible to start or move them.

The driving experience of the new SUVs is further enhanced with a stronger frame and a wider rear track that contributes to a more planted stance, LTZ models include third-generation magnetic ride control, a real-time damping system that delivers more precise body motion control by “reading” the road every millisecond and changing damping in just five milliseconds.

Eighteen-inch standard wheels that are a half-an-inch wider reduce tire flex for improved cornering performance. New electric variable-assist power steering system enhances fuel economy and tailors steering assist to vehicle speed.

The new four-wheel-disc brake system with Duralife™ brake rotors offers up to double the service life, along with brake pedal revisions that improve pedal feel for stronger-feeling, more-confident braking performance.