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MM Retro-Write-Up: 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban
IN A NUTSHELL: One of the most significant Suburban/Tahoe redesigns up to that time……it corrected some serious faults in the previous versions.
If I opened an MM Review or Write-Up with the question……..”What is the longest-running American vehicle-nameplate still in production?”, it’s fairly safe bet that, in most cases, not many people would know (or perhaps even care about) the answer. Of course, in an auto forum such as this one, there would probably be a higher-percentage of those who know the correct answer (Chevy Suburban), and the fact that the first one rolled off the assembly-line in 1934, more than a half-dozen years before America entered World War II. GM was known as a quite conservative auto corporation for many years, at least up to the ill-fated Chevrolet Corvair of the early 1960s, and the Suburban was arguably the Most Conservative of the Conservative, being essentially the same design year after year, decade after decade, with only minor changes from one year to the next, even in generational redesigns. Same with the Chevy Tahoe, which was essentially a Suburban on a shortened wheelbase. The Tahoe was the 4-door replacement for the full-size 2-door Chevy K5 Blazer, the arch-rival of the full-size 2-door Ford Bronco….both of the 2-doors were discontinued after 1995/96 (a serious mistake, IMO), although Ford has finally corrected that mistake with the all-new 2021 Bronco, which brings back not only the nameplate and basic body-on-frame truck-design, but also the old 2-door option. Chevy, meanwhile, unlike Ford, had corrupted the Blazer name wth a mid-size crossover that does little else but drive around doing grocery-shopping, and whose idea of “off-roading” is parked on a gravel driveway LOL.
Not so with the Suburban and Tahoe. First introduced in the fall of 1934 for the 1935 model year, during the height of the Great Depression, a time of great economic suffering when many Americans did not even know where even their next meal was coming from, much less their next new vehicle, it was an instant success even in those trying economic times, and has been a profitable vehicle for GM ever since. At first, it was called the “Carryall-Suburban”, with GMC marketing a sightly upmarket version of it a few years later, in 1937, using the same name. Later, of course, the Chevy vision became the extended-wheelbase Suburban, and the GMC Yukon (standard wheelbase) and Yukon XL (long wheelbase version).
In 1935, the Suburban could (arguably) be considered the first serious attempt to combine a car-function (station wagon) with a truck-function. Today, of course, the term “crossover” covers a multitude of vehicles that are essentially unibody car-chassis designs with a raised-suspension and all-wheel-drive. But, in 1935, it was essentially a combination of a standard half-ton truck-frame with an enclosed wagon body and seats/ amenities inside for carrying passengers…hence the name “Carryall”. The first versions had only 2 doors...but, of course, later added two more in back to make entry/exit easier. It was an instant success even in those trying economic times, and, along with its GMC and (later) Cadillac versions, has proved to be a very profitable vehicle for GM ever since..…one reason why they are all still in production. Millions of Americans have bought them over the years and loved them, using them for everything from carrying ball-teams (they can seat up to nine persons) to towing boats and other heavy loads with the durable truck-chassis. Indeed, with all the emphasis on safety in recent decades, some people, even those who usually drive alone or who didn’t need a vehicle that size (or a truck), drove them simply because they felt safer with that huge frame and all that metal-bulk around them to protect them in a crash….and, to an extent at least, the laws of physics back that up.
Obviously, however, a vehicle like the Suburban is also going to have its faults and negative features. They have always been heavy, bulky, ponderous to handle/steer, and difficult to maneuver and park at close quarters. Although helped somewhat by recent drivetrain technology, their poor fuel-mileage (more-so on gas engines than the more-economical diesel-options) made for high operating costs, although relatively inexpensive parts and service at Chevrolet dealerships helped mitigate those costs somewhat. The Body by Fisher itself was well-done and well-crafted (something GM was known for)..but the Acrylic-Lacquer paint that GM used was pure crap up until the 1980s when the clearcoat process arrived. (One can partially-thank Ford for that…..they were the first American company to use clearcoat).
I’ll skip the details of the intervening Suburban/Tahoe generations, because, for the rest of this write-up, I want to concentrate on the 10th-Generation 2007 version and its immediate 9th-Generation predecessor. Like always, the 9th-generation Tahoe/Suburban was as useful as all the others that preceded it, but, as I recall, suffered from two notable problems. The interior and trim, like some other domestic GM products of the time, although cavernous and useful as always, used insultingly-cheap materials/trim that looked and felt the consistency of a Playskool plastic toy for toddlers. And, more critical, the brakes had several notable problems…a characteristic of all large GM truck-based problems of that generation. The brakes, even power-assisted, were unreliable, took a LOT of pedal-effort, had long stopping-distances, quickly went through brake-pads, occasionally leaked fluid out of the system, warped their rotors from the heat buildup, and were simply a PITA. Car magazines, reviewers, and the auto press all noticed the problem…..as I myself did, when I was shopping with someone else.
In 2001, when my then-supervisor retired (who was partially deaf/mute) retired after many years on the job, he asked me and his son-in-law (who had just recently married his very attractive daughter) to help him find and shop for a new Suburban or GMC Yukon XL…he had had a previous one for some time, and loved it. They were not easy to find on dealer-lots at the time because of high demand, especially with the color/trim/features he wanted, but, after a couple of days, we found a brand-new light gray Yukon XL at a local Pontiac/GMC shop in suburban MD (no pun intended LOL). So, we all three went out to check it out….it was still unsold when we got there.
I can’t remember who was the first of the three of us to test-drive it and check it out, but, when It was my turn, it drove pretty much as I expected, except for one thing, which was perhaps not surprising…the brakes. I knew, of course, that this-generation of brakes in the trucks had problems, but I was still very concerned by the amount of the sheer pedal-effort I found that it took to stop this 6000-pound dinosaur in anything approaching a reasonable distance. It was one thing, of course, to stop on level pavement (still not easy), but I thought of that famous picturesque but risky 10% grade for more than three miles, on U.S 40 coming down the west side of Chestnut Ridge into Uniontown, PA, and of the many runaway-truck-accidents that had occurred on that descent over the years. The brakes, IMO, were marginal at best on level dry pavement (even me and my large strong leg had to press much harder than usual on the pedal), and were probably unacceptable if one had to make a panic stop or was crossing over mountains and the transmission failed or otherwise did not keep speed in check by downshifting. I did not recommend its purchase to my ex-boss, and neither did his son-in-law after his own test-drive….he was also concerned. My ex-boss, however, sensing that it had been difficult to find this Yukon XL in the first place, it was an acceptable color/options for him, and apparantly having his heart set on another Suburban or Yukon XL, went ahead and decided to buy it anyway, so we made the deal (not a bad deal considering the high demand for them) and took it home. Perhaps he just kept his speed down and/or did not have to stop quickly, but, later, I didn’t hear of him having any accidents with it.
OK….to the new 10th-Generation 2007 redesign five or six years later. GM, to its credit, did a major effort on this version to correct the previous shortcomings of their large trucks and SUVs. The new 2007 Tahoe/Suburban had an interior, trim-materials, fit/finish, assembly-quality, and (most important) brakes that were all great improvements over the previous version. The body was sleeker and more aero-styled for less drag and better fuel-mileage. The El-Cheapo Playskool-plastic/rubber interior was completely redone and now featured nice wood-tone and brushed-metal accents on the dash and door panels. Knobs/controls/buttons didn’t feel any more like they were going to come off in your hands. Seats were comfortable and used nicer upholstery. And the brakes now actually responded with more or less normal amount of effort. Ride-quality had also been improved with some chassis/suspension tweaks….although this was still a large work-truck, with a live rear axle and truck-suspension beneath the now-nicer interior. Under the hood, depending on trim-level/package, was a 5.3L Vortec V8, a flexible-fuel 5.3L Vortec, two versions of the 6.0L V8, and a 6.2L V8 for the top-line Yukon XL Denali. No more diesels…..they had been dropped some time ago, and no more 8.1L V8. Transmissions were two different versions of the heavy-duty 4-speed automatics and two different versions of the heavy-duty 6-speed automatic. As before, both rear-drive and 4-wheel-drive versions were offered, with a transfer-case and low-range for off-road work, although the sheer bulk/size, relatively low ground clearance, and long overhangs of these vehicles limited their adaptability and maneuverability in tough off-road conditions. I looked at, and test-drove a new 2007 Tahoe, and was far-better-impressed with it than with the previous-generation model my ex-boss had gotten…but I can understand his point of view, that he wasn’t going to wait five or six more years for this one. And, by then, I wasn’t regularly in contact with him or his son-in-law like I had been earlier.
The 2007 redesign and its major improvements not only placated the complaints the auto-press and reviewers (and myself) had had, but helped make an already-popular vehicle even more attractive and popular. Despite spending a significant amount of money to make those improvements for 2007, GM continued to make significant profits on these full-size truck-based SUVs. But profits on one group of vehicles are not necessarily enough to compensate for major losses on the others, and GM still slid into bankruptcy a year or two later, needing a government loan and a complete reorganization to stay alive in the U.S. The rest of that, of course, is history.
Today, even with gas at $4.00 to $5.00 a gallon (although the price has dropped some in recent weeks), the Suburban is still somewhat of a cult-vehicle…..I see them in good numbers every day in the D.C. area. The latest 2021 and up Suburbans have traded the former live rear axle and leaf-springs for coil springs and an independent rear suspension, which slightly affects payload and towing capacity, but provides better, less-truck-like handling and ride-quality….important , as people often take long vacations and drive thousands of miles across the country in Suburbans. The arch-rival Ford Expedition, of course, fulfills more or less the same role/function in the automotive world, but, despite good sales, has just not managed to achieve the same image as the Suburban. And both Suburbans and Expeditions are quite expensive……even without the price-markups which are common today, one can easily spend upwards of 80-90K on a new Suburban in some trim-levels, and 100K or more on one of its up-level Yukon XL or Cadillac Escalade brothers. And recent Suburbans have also had some transmission-issues as the as the complexity and number of forward gears in these transmissions have increased.
Still, this is an ever-popular vehicle (I consider it a cult-machine) whose attractiveness to large numbers of buyers has not waned much, despite it being politically incorrect today in this world of environmentalism, smaller vehicles, crossovers, electric vehicles, and a general disdain of traditional American iron. It has been selling well and in continuous production longer than any other single American-nameplate vehicle……which is why it will not likely be discontinued, even with GM’s annoying and notorious tendency to drop vehicles for trivial reasons. Even at my age, it will probably still be in production (though maybe with an electric powertrain) when yours-truly, MM, is gone and pushing up daisies.
And, as Always, Happy-Vehicle-Memories
MM
IN A NUTSHELL: One of the most significant Suburban/Tahoe redesigns up to that time……it corrected some serious faults in the previous versions.
If I opened an MM Review or Write-Up with the question……..”What is the longest-running American vehicle-nameplate still in production?”, it’s fairly safe bet that, in most cases, not many people would know (or perhaps even care about) the answer. Of course, in an auto forum such as this one, there would probably be a higher-percentage of those who know the correct answer (Chevy Suburban), and the fact that the first one rolled off the assembly-line in 1934, more than a half-dozen years before America entered World War II. GM was known as a quite conservative auto corporation for many years, at least up to the ill-fated Chevrolet Corvair of the early 1960s, and the Suburban was arguably the Most Conservative of the Conservative, being essentially the same design year after year, decade after decade, with only minor changes from one year to the next, even in generational redesigns. Same with the Chevy Tahoe, which was essentially a Suburban on a shortened wheelbase. The Tahoe was the 4-door replacement for the full-size 2-door Chevy K5 Blazer, the arch-rival of the full-size 2-door Ford Bronco….both of the 2-doors were discontinued after 1995/96 (a serious mistake, IMO), although Ford has finally corrected that mistake with the all-new 2021 Bronco, which brings back not only the nameplate and basic body-on-frame truck-design, but also the old 2-door option. Chevy, meanwhile, unlike Ford, had corrupted the Blazer name wth a mid-size crossover that does little else but drive around doing grocery-shopping, and whose idea of “off-roading” is parked on a gravel driveway LOL.
Not so with the Suburban and Tahoe. First introduced in the fall of 1934 for the 1935 model year, during the height of the Great Depression, a time of great economic suffering when many Americans did not even know where even their next meal was coming from, much less their next new vehicle, it was an instant success even in those trying economic times, and has been a profitable vehicle for GM ever since. At first, it was called the “Carryall-Suburban”, with GMC marketing a sightly upmarket version of it a few years later, in 1937, using the same name. Later, of course, the Chevy vision became the extended-wheelbase Suburban, and the GMC Yukon (standard wheelbase) and Yukon XL (long wheelbase version).
In 1935, the Suburban could (arguably) be considered the first serious attempt to combine a car-function (station wagon) with a truck-function. Today, of course, the term “crossover” covers a multitude of vehicles that are essentially unibody car-chassis designs with a raised-suspension and all-wheel-drive. But, in 1935, it was essentially a combination of a standard half-ton truck-frame with an enclosed wagon body and seats/ amenities inside for carrying passengers…hence the name “Carryall”. The first versions had only 2 doors...but, of course, later added two more in back to make entry/exit easier. It was an instant success even in those trying economic times, and, along with its GMC and (later) Cadillac versions, has proved to be a very profitable vehicle for GM ever since..…one reason why they are all still in production. Millions of Americans have bought them over the years and loved them, using them for everything from carrying ball-teams (they can seat up to nine persons) to towing boats and other heavy loads with the durable truck-chassis. Indeed, with all the emphasis on safety in recent decades, some people, even those who usually drive alone or who didn’t need a vehicle that size (or a truck), drove them simply because they felt safer with that huge frame and all that metal-bulk around them to protect them in a crash….and, to an extent at least, the laws of physics back that up.
Obviously, however, a vehicle like the Suburban is also going to have its faults and negative features. They have always been heavy, bulky, ponderous to handle/steer, and difficult to maneuver and park at close quarters. Although helped somewhat by recent drivetrain technology, their poor fuel-mileage (more-so on gas engines than the more-economical diesel-options) made for high operating costs, although relatively inexpensive parts and service at Chevrolet dealerships helped mitigate those costs somewhat. The Body by Fisher itself was well-done and well-crafted (something GM was known for)..but the Acrylic-Lacquer paint that GM used was pure crap up until the 1980s when the clearcoat process arrived. (One can partially-thank Ford for that…..they were the first American company to use clearcoat).
I’ll skip the details of the intervening Suburban/Tahoe generations, because, for the rest of this write-up, I want to concentrate on the 10th-Generation 2007 version and its immediate 9th-Generation predecessor. Like always, the 9th-generation Tahoe/Suburban was as useful as all the others that preceded it, but, as I recall, suffered from two notable problems. The interior and trim, like some other domestic GM products of the time, although cavernous and useful as always, used insultingly-cheap materials/trim that looked and felt the consistency of a Playskool plastic toy for toddlers. And, more critical, the brakes had several notable problems…a characteristic of all large GM truck-based problems of that generation. The brakes, even power-assisted, were unreliable, took a LOT of pedal-effort, had long stopping-distances, quickly went through brake-pads, occasionally leaked fluid out of the system, warped their rotors from the heat buildup, and were simply a PITA. Car magazines, reviewers, and the auto press all noticed the problem…..as I myself did, when I was shopping with someone else.
In 2001, when my then-supervisor retired (who was partially deaf/mute) retired after many years on the job, he asked me and his son-in-law (who had just recently married his very attractive daughter) to help him find and shop for a new Suburban or GMC Yukon XL…he had had a previous one for some time, and loved it. They were not easy to find on dealer-lots at the time because of high demand, especially with the color/trim/features he wanted, but, after a couple of days, we found a brand-new light gray Yukon XL at a local Pontiac/GMC shop in suburban MD (no pun intended LOL). So, we all three went out to check it out….it was still unsold when we got there.
I can’t remember who was the first of the three of us to test-drive it and check it out, but, when It was my turn, it drove pretty much as I expected, except for one thing, which was perhaps not surprising…the brakes. I knew, of course, that this-generation of brakes in the trucks had problems, but I was still very concerned by the amount of the sheer pedal-effort I found that it took to stop this 6000-pound dinosaur in anything approaching a reasonable distance. It was one thing, of course, to stop on level pavement (still not easy), but I thought of that famous picturesque but risky 10% grade for more than three miles, on U.S 40 coming down the west side of Chestnut Ridge into Uniontown, PA, and of the many runaway-truck-accidents that had occurred on that descent over the years. The brakes, IMO, were marginal at best on level dry pavement (even me and my large strong leg had to press much harder than usual on the pedal), and were probably unacceptable if one had to make a panic stop or was crossing over mountains and the transmission failed or otherwise did not keep speed in check by downshifting. I did not recommend its purchase to my ex-boss, and neither did his son-in-law after his own test-drive….he was also concerned. My ex-boss, however, sensing that it had been difficult to find this Yukon XL in the first place, it was an acceptable color/options for him, and apparantly having his heart set on another Suburban or Yukon XL, went ahead and decided to buy it anyway, so we made the deal (not a bad deal considering the high demand for them) and took it home. Perhaps he just kept his speed down and/or did not have to stop quickly, but, later, I didn’t hear of him having any accidents with it.
OK….to the new 10th-Generation 2007 redesign five or six years later. GM, to its credit, did a major effort on this version to correct the previous shortcomings of their large trucks and SUVs. The new 2007 Tahoe/Suburban had an interior, trim-materials, fit/finish, assembly-quality, and (most important) brakes that were all great improvements over the previous version. The body was sleeker and more aero-styled for less drag and better fuel-mileage. The El-Cheapo Playskool-plastic/rubber interior was completely redone and now featured nice wood-tone and brushed-metal accents on the dash and door panels. Knobs/controls/buttons didn’t feel any more like they were going to come off in your hands. Seats were comfortable and used nicer upholstery. And the brakes now actually responded with more or less normal amount of effort. Ride-quality had also been improved with some chassis/suspension tweaks….although this was still a large work-truck, with a live rear axle and truck-suspension beneath the now-nicer interior. Under the hood, depending on trim-level/package, was a 5.3L Vortec V8, a flexible-fuel 5.3L Vortec, two versions of the 6.0L V8, and a 6.2L V8 for the top-line Yukon XL Denali. No more diesels…..they had been dropped some time ago, and no more 8.1L V8. Transmissions were two different versions of the heavy-duty 4-speed automatics and two different versions of the heavy-duty 6-speed automatic. As before, both rear-drive and 4-wheel-drive versions were offered, with a transfer-case and low-range for off-road work, although the sheer bulk/size, relatively low ground clearance, and long overhangs of these vehicles limited their adaptability and maneuverability in tough off-road conditions. I looked at, and test-drove a new 2007 Tahoe, and was far-better-impressed with it than with the previous-generation model my ex-boss had gotten…but I can understand his point of view, that he wasn’t going to wait five or six more years for this one. And, by then, I wasn’t regularly in contact with him or his son-in-law like I had been earlier.
The 2007 redesign and its major improvements not only placated the complaints the auto-press and reviewers (and myself) had had, but helped make an already-popular vehicle even more attractive and popular. Despite spending a significant amount of money to make those improvements for 2007, GM continued to make significant profits on these full-size truck-based SUVs. But profits on one group of vehicles are not necessarily enough to compensate for major losses on the others, and GM still slid into bankruptcy a year or two later, needing a government loan and a complete reorganization to stay alive in the U.S. The rest of that, of course, is history.
Today, even with gas at $4.00 to $5.00 a gallon (although the price has dropped some in recent weeks), the Suburban is still somewhat of a cult-vehicle…..I see them in good numbers every day in the D.C. area. The latest 2021 and up Suburbans have traded the former live rear axle and leaf-springs for coil springs and an independent rear suspension, which slightly affects payload and towing capacity, but provides better, less-truck-like handling and ride-quality….important , as people often take long vacations and drive thousands of miles across the country in Suburbans. The arch-rival Ford Expedition, of course, fulfills more or less the same role/function in the automotive world, but, despite good sales, has just not managed to achieve the same image as the Suburban. And both Suburbans and Expeditions are quite expensive……even without the price-markups which are common today, one can easily spend upwards of 80-90K on a new Suburban in some trim-levels, and 100K or more on one of its up-level Yukon XL or Cadillac Escalade brothers. And recent Suburbans have also had some transmission-issues as the as the complexity and number of forward gears in these transmissions have increased.
Still, this is an ever-popular vehicle (I consider it a cult-machine) whose attractiveness to large numbers of buyers has not waned much, despite it being politically incorrect today in this world of environmentalism, smaller vehicles, crossovers, electric vehicles, and a general disdain of traditional American iron. It has been selling well and in continuous production longer than any other single American-nameplate vehicle……which is why it will not likely be discontinued, even with GM’s annoying and notorious tendency to drop vehicles for trivial reasons. Even at my age, it will probably still be in production (though maybe with an electric powertrain) when yours-truly, MM, is gone and pushing up daisies.
And, as Always, Happy-Vehicle-Memories
MM