2001 Chevrolet Suburban Chevrolet Suburban 2001 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 Base 4WD Sport Utility Wagon 4WD Janesville, WI/Silao, Mexico The self-proclaimed "king of the full-size sport-utility segment" was completely redesigned last year, yet 2001 still sees improvements to the powertrain. Chevy has upped the horsepower rating of the Vortec 6000 to 320, and 360 foot-pounds of torque is now made at 4,000 revs. A new 8.1-liter engine cranks out 340-horsepower at 4,200 rpm and 455 foot-pounds of torque at 3,200 rpm. You can maintain a relationship with your mechanic on a less intimate level, thanks to an increase in the recommended oil change interval from 7,500 miles to 10,000 miles. Choice of powerful Vortec V8s, cavernous cargo space, room for nine. Gas guzzler, its massive size a liability in urban areas. In the war of the SUVs, Ford took the lead for largest competitor. But in war, bigger is not always better -- just ask Goliath. While the 2001 Chevrolet Suburban may have David aspirations in this vehicular tete-a-tete, being small isn't part of its character. More importantly, the Suburban was completely redesigned last year, and the engineers took that opportunity to capitalize on their long history of truck building by changing as much as they could. All Excursions aside, this vehicle is big. Coming in at a length of 18.3 feet, the heavy-duty 2500 weighs in at an impressive 5760 pounds -- almost 3 tons of truck. Towering above 6 feet for the four-wheel-drive models, is no less imposing than Ford's monster, which is 7 inches taller. However, 7 inches can make a difference -- a Suburban will fit in a standard garage or a car wash rack. The 2001 Suburban comes in two models, the 1500 and the 2500, both offering two- and four-wheel-drive configurations. The 1500s come with a 285-horsepower, 5.3-liter V8 engine, while the 2500 is equipped with either a 320-horsepower, 6.0-liter V8 or a new 8.1-liter eight-cylinder that brews up 340 horses. All come from the Vortec family of small-block engines and have more horsepower than previous Suburban engines. Fronting a four-speed automatic transmission, the Suburban proves to be a great workhorse. Ride and handling have been vastly improved from the previous Suburbans, with increased body strength and stiffness. The 1500s are equipped with a five-link coil-spring rear suspension, allowing the truck to track better on gravel or washboard roads and giving you more wheel control. The suspension on the 2500s comes with the same rear leaf springs as their Silverado stablemates, giving them heavy-duty towing capacities to go with the strong V8s. The interior is comfortable and convenient. Efficient placement of air ducts and a spare tire located underneath the cargo floor rather than inside the cabin allow for copious amounts of useable space and better movement throughout than comparable vehicles. Well-designed seatback angles, a driver's seat with more positioning options than some near-luxury cars provide and second-row captain's chairs go a long way in providing you and your passengers with a pleasant environment. This Suburban has a lot to offer. It's not the most stylish, nor the biggest SUV on the market, but a lot of time and effort on the part of designers have paid off. Dodge Durango Ford Excursion Ford Expedition GMC Yukon XL 336,000 336,000 336,000 6100,000 NA NA NA 8 6 liters V8 320 hp @ 5000 rpm 360 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm 138 cu.ft. 2840 lbs. 10000 lbs. 219.3 in. 79.8 in. 74.7 in. 5760 lbs. 130 in. 44.3 ft. 7 in. 40.7 in. NA NA NA 61.4 in. NA 41.3 in. NA 6 Standard Standard Not Available Standard Not Available Not Available Not Available Rating = Not Tested Rating = Not Tested Not Tested Not Tested Not Tested Not Tested 38.5 gal. Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not. $26,932 $30,780 7.35% $765 N/A 3% of the Total MSRP 1500 BASE 2WD (4A): 5.3L V8 OHV SMPI 16-valve engine; driver's selectable multi-mode 4-speed electronic OD automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter; 600 amp HD battery with run down protection; 130 amp alternator; rear-wheel drive, 3.73 axle ratio; stainless steel exhaust; front independent suspension with anti-roll bar, front torsion springs, front torsion bar, rigid rear axle multi-link suspension with anti-roll bar, rear coil springs; power recirculating ball steering; 4-wheel antilock disc brakes; 32.5 gal. capacity fuel tank; side impact bars; split swing-out rear cargo door; trailer harness; front and rear chrome bumpers with black rub strip, rear step bumper; black bodyside molding; clearcoat monotone paint; aero-composite halogen fully auto headlamps with daytime running lights; additional exterior lights include underhood light; driver's and passenger's manual black folding outside mirrors; 16" x 7" silver styled steel wheels; P245/75SR16 BSW A/S tires; full-sizesteel spare wheel; rear heat ducts; AM/FM stereo radio, clock, seek-scan, 4 speakers, fixed antenna; power door locks, child safety rear door locks; 4 power accessory outlets, front lighter element(s), retained accessory power, smoker's package; instrumentation display includes tachometer, oil pressure gauge, water temperature gauge, volt gauge, systems monitor, trip odometer; warning indicators include oil pressure, water temp, battery, low oil level, low coolant, lights on, key in ignition, low fuel, low washer fluid, trunk ajar, service interval, turn signal on; driver's and passenger's front airbags, driver's and front passenger's seat mounted side airbags; ignition disable; tinted windows, manual front and rear windows, fixed 1/4 vent windows; variable intermittent front windshield wipers, sun visor strip; seating capacity of 3, 40/20/40 split-bench front seat with adjustable headrests, center armrest, driver's and passenger's seats include 4-way adjustment; vinyl seats, fullcloth headliner, full vinyl floor covering; interior lights include dome light with delay, four door curb/courtesy lights; sport steering wheel with tilt adjustment; passenger's side vanity mirror; day/night rearview mirror; glove box with light, front and rear cupholders, instrument panel bin, dashboard storage, driver's and passenger's door bins; vinyl cargo floor, cargo tie downs, cargo light, concealed cargo storage; grille with chrome bar, black side window moldings, black front windshield molding, black rear window molding and black door handles. 2500 BASE 2WD (4A) (in addition to or instead of 1500 BASE 2WD (4A) equipment): 6L V8 OHV SMPI 16-valve engine, engine oil cooler; HD transmission oil cooler; firm ride suspension, front coil springs, rigid rear axle leaf spring suspension with anti-roll bar; 38.5 gal. capacity fuel tank and LT245/75SR16E BSW A/S tires. AWD (4A) (in addition to or instead of 2WD (4A) equipment): Full-time AWD, auto locking hub control and electronic shift; power recirculating ball steering with vehicle speed-sensing assist and front tow hooks. -- Custom Leather Seat Trim $1,333 $1,550 1SA Preferred Equipment Group 1SA $0 $0 1SB Preferred Equipment Group 1SB $6,384 $7,423 1SC Preferred Equipment Group 1SC with Sunroof $9,696 $11,274 1SC Preferred Equipment Group 1SC without Sunroof $9,895 $11,506 A95 Front High Back Reclining Bucket Seats $735 $855 AG2 Driver and Passenger 6-Way Power Seats $413 $480 AL4 Second Row Bucket Seats $335 $390 AS3 Third Row Bench Seat $1,058 $1,230 AT5 60/40 Split Bench Second Row Seat $542 $630 BVE Assist Steps $340 $395 CF5 Power Sunroof $942 $1,095 E52 Liftgate with Liftglass Rear Door System $172 $200 FE9 Federal Requirements $0 $0 G80 Rear Locking Differential $217 $252 GT5 4.10 Axle Ratio $43 $50 K05 Cold Weather Engine Block Heater $30 $35 L18 Engine: Vortec 8100 V8 SFI $516 $600 NB8 California/Northeast States Override $0 $0 NC7 Federal Override $0 $0 NG1 Northeast States Requirements $0 $0 NZZ Off Road Skid Plates Package $82 $95 QIW Tires: LT245/75R16E AT SBR BW (5) $124 $144 R9G Appearance Package $617 $717 R9H Climate Package $1,326 $1,542 R9I Trailer Package $141 $164 R9K Convenience Package $495 $576 R9K Convenience Package $587 $683 T96 Halogen Fog Lamps $73 $85 U01 Roof Marker Lamps $47 $55 UK6 Rear Seat Audio Controls $129 $150 UK6 Rear Seat Audio Controls $142 $165 UM6 Radio: AM/FM Stereo with Cassette $126 $147 UP0 Radio: AM/FM Stereo with CD, Cassette $108 $125 VYU Snow Plow Prep Package $218 $253 YF5 California Requirements $0 $0 Z55 Autoride Suspension Package $645 $750