US News & World has named the Chevy Suburban the “Best Large SUV for Families” three years running. Earning that spot is not easy. This organization assesses dozens of contenders from the top brands, testing for the features they know matter most to families, so for the Suburban to earn this honor several years running naturally indicates that families across the country are looking for a used Chevy Suburban for sale.
For a vehicle to qualify as a great family model, it has to have a unique set of features; it needs things that will make life behind the wheel easier for parents and life in the rear seats more enjoyable for kids. Those two sets of features are, of course, not mutually exclusive; any feature that keeps young passengers content instantly makes for a better driving experience for parents. The Suburban goes above and beyond in these areas.
Here are three reasons a used Chevy Suburban can be your ultimate family vehicle…
#1) Cargo Configurability
Busy families have all sorts of cargo needs. Parents might be bringing home any combination of household items like groceries and houseplants, along with professional items like boxes of files or projectors. Then there’s all the stuff kids need for the day, from backpacks to lunch boxes to sports equipment. Add to that the odds and ends parents and kids need easy access to in the cabin, like snacks, tissues, and magazines, and busy families simply need ample and versatile cargo. The Suburban has it.
With all rear seats down, the Suburban offers tremendous cargo space—well over 100 cu.ft. on the most recent of used models. Additionally, many models have an available collapsible cargo organizer; this allows you to create dedicated and protected areas for items you need to keep separate, you don’t want to roll around, or you don’t want to get crushed. You can put down just the second row of seats, the second and third rows, or just portions of the rear rows to create a variety of cargo spaces.
Deeper within the cabin, between the front two seats, you’ll find a power sliding center console on some used Suburbans (2021 and new models have this). It slides back to make room for large items between the front two seats, has an armrest, and has a hidden storage compartment for valuables; this is a great place for small road trips or carpool essentials that you don’t want to put in the trunk. Between running errands, doing school drop-offs, and simply keeping everyone happy, families need to transport a lot of stuff, and the Suburban is ready for it.
#2) Seating for Everybody
If you have several children of different ages, then you need versatile seating options. That’s why the Suburban is so great for growing families. All three rows have generous legroom, so as your kids become teens (and eventually young adults), they’ll be comfortable in any row of the Suburban. If you don’t need seating for nine, you can find a used Suburban with second-row captain’s chairs; these are ideal for older children who want to feel more independent and don’t want to be squeezed into a bench seat with their younger siblings. Captain’s chairs are likewise favored for grandparents or those with physical handicaps.
The Suburban has seating for nine, which can be achieved when you opt for a bench seat in the second row and the bonus middle seat in the front row. If you’re responsible for chartering the baseball team between games or you often volunteer to chauffeur for school field trips, you’ll love being able to load up eight passengers.
Suburban models also have standard LATCH systems (low anchors and tethers for children), which make it easy for parents to quickly install child restraint seats; it’s also the safest way to configure your car seats. Depending on the generation and trim you purchase, you might find second-row heated outboard seats—as well as front-row heated and vented seats—to keep passengers at the ideal temperature on hot or cold days.
#3) Tech for Busy Beavers
Every member of a busy family has lots to stay on top of, which is why—starting in 2022—Chevy introduced Google Built-In to the Suburban. With the production of the 2024 Suburban kicking off very soon, many drivers of the 2022 model might be looking to trade in, so you could snag a used 2022 model with this great feature.
Having Google built into your vehicle means you can do things like create to-do lists, set appointments, check the weather, get traffic updates, and look up the news—all from your vehicle. Today, many families are already familiar with Google products, so having Google in the Suburban allows uninterrupted access to information the way you like to receive it.
Passengers will find USB and 120-volt outlets throughout the Suburban, so whether teens need to plug in their laptops to work on a homework assignment or young children need to plug in iPads to play games, everyone can power up in the Suburban. If you want to leave the iPads at home, 2021 models have available rear seat entertainment systems featuring two LCD displays on the backs of the driver and front passenger seat headrests.
The Suburban truly shines in the safety department. Recent models starting in 2020 will have standard forward collision alert, safety alert seat (which creates seat vibrations on the side of the vehicle near a potential collision), IntelliBeam automatic high beams, lane keep assist with departure warning, and automatic emergency braking. There’s also a standard rear vision camera to make backing out of driveways or into parking spots a bit easier.
One safety feature families in particular will love is the Teen Driver mode. This system helps you encourage better driving habits in your teen. Even if you can’t be with your teen driver all the time, Teen Driver mode lets you create speed limits, volume limits, and even perimeter boundaries around town. Plus, you can review the “report card,” which will tell you things like how many times your teen exceeded the speed limit or triggered the emergency automatic braking.
The Chevy Suburban: Built for Families, Built for Life
Family life means loading everyone and their belongings into the car and handling busy school mornings, after-school activities, and holiday road trips. Your SUV becomes your second home, and when you have a family, you need extra features that the solo commuter or child-free couple just doesn’t require.
When your passengers are content, you can be a safer, happier driver. The Suburban is loaded with features that will minimize rear-seat tantrums and complaints. Meanwhile, it has tech to help keep busy parents on top of their hectic schedules.
A safety superstar, the Suburban is also a vehicle that will give parents peace of mind. Distractions are plenty when you’re driving kids around, and parents need all the extra help they can get in being a safe driver. The Suburban’s standard and available driver assistance features can be that help.
Many manufacturers strive to make the best large family SUV, but the Suburban snagged that award from US News & World three years in a row—and once you get to know this vehicle better, it’ll be clear why.
