One Vehicle Nameplate Has Continued Uninterrupted For Almost 90 Years
It's the only vehicle that's been around for the entire 75-year existence of MotorTrend.
MotorTrend has seen countless models come and go in our 75 years, but there’s only one nameplate that’s been part of the automotive scene for the entirety of our existence: the Chevrolet Suburban.
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Third-party coachbuilders were putting wagon bodies on Chevrolet truck chassis—with the Suburban name affixed—as early as 1926, but the 1935 model year saw the first incarnation of the Suburban as we know it: a factory-built, three-row, eight-passenger wagon on a Chevrolet truck chassis, marketed as the Carryall Suburban. GMC introduced its own version in 1937.
Technically, Suburban wasn’t a model name; it was a generic term that several automakers applied to their car- and truck-based wagons. Plymouth marketed its station wagons as Suburbans right up until 1978, and it wasn’t until 10 years later that Chevrolet was able to officially acquire the trademark. Nor was the name exclusive to the Chevy division; GMC used the Suburban name for more than 60 years, officially changing to Yukon XL in 2000.
Chevrolet’s truck-wagon evolved over the decades. V-8 engines joined the options list in 1955, and factory-installed four-wheel drive arrived in 1956, the latter a NAPCO kit that was replaced by a GM-engineered system in 1960. In 1967, Chevrolet stretched the Suburban’s wheelbase by a foot to 127 inches, same as a single-cab pickup with an 8-foot bed, giving it proportions that are now so familiar. This was also the year the Suburban sprouted a rear passenger door, but only on the right side.
It wasn’t until 1973 that the Suburban adopted the standard four-door body style now so familiar. The machinery was always closely related to the pickups they were based on, as was the styling. Suburbans shared sheetmetal with Chevy pickup trucks until 2007, when only the doors were identical; in 2015 the Suburban finally got body panels all of its own.
As the decades rolled on, the Suburban gained more mod cons: fuel injection, antilock brakes, automatic four-wheel drive, and, in the latest generation, an independent rear suspension. Often as not, the model offered engines also found in the Corvette, giving the ’Burb the towing power it was best known for. Today’s Suburban is the largest ever, its powertrains including the Corvette-derived 6.2-liter V-8 and GM’s new six-cylinder Duramax turbodiesel.
Along the way, the Suburban has served pretty much every role you can imagine for an SUV: ambulance, troop transport, VIP limo (with armor or without), and of course family hauler. Even so, if you park the very first Suburban next to the newest one—or any two Suburbans from any two generations—the family resemblance is unmistakable. From its inception until today, it is the same vehicle doing the same job, and doing it well—just like MotorTrend.
Gen 1
1935–1936
Chevrolet mounts a factory-built eight-passenger body to a Chevrolet truck chassis to create the Carryall Suburban.
Gen 2
1937–1940
Styling changes give this Suburban a look that lasts until 1956. The output of GM’s Stovebolt six-cylinder engine jumps from 60 to 79 horsepower.
Gen 3
1941–1946
As World War II halts most car production in lieu of making war machines, the Suburban continues, though it’s typically painted olive drab with a star on its doors.
Gen 4
1947–1955
The grille goes big and horizontal, and GM boosts the inline-six’s output to 90 hp and 174 lb-ft. Still, the Suburban is considered more of a work vehicle than a family hauler.
Gen 5
1955–1959
New styling ditches the running boards for modern looks with a wraparound windshield. New features include optional V-8 power, automatic transmission, and, beginning in 1957, four-wheel drive.
Gen 6
1960–1966
Restyled for the ’60s, Suburbans arrive in either C (2WD) or K (4WD) designations, with an independent front suspension and engines ranging from a 283-cubic-inch inline-six to a 327 V-8.
Gen 7
1967–1972
A straight-edge design incorporates a single door on the driver side and two doors on the passenger side. Front disc brakes become available in 1971.
Gen 8
1973–1991
While the new four-door body lasts nearly 20 years, the underlying technology gradually evolves. Improvements include fuel injection, auto-locking hubs, and antilock brakes.
Gen 9
1992–1999
Based on the GMT 400, the Suburban gets a modern makeover with flush glass and aero headlamps. During its run, this generation adds airbags, push-button 4WD, and automatic all-wheel drive.
Gen 10
2000–2006
A big update with new styling and new-generation V-8 powertrains, including the Corvette’s 6.0-liter mill. This is the last Suburban with traditional chrome bumpers.
Gen 11
2007–2014
While the new Suburban still shares its doors with GM’s pickups, the rest of its sheetmetal is unique, giving it a sleek and more dynamic look.
Gen 12
2015–2020
The Suburban gets a new frame and body, with several upgrades designed to improve fuel economy, including electric power steering and cylinder deactivation.
Gen 13
2021–present
The biggest Suburban yet, now with an independent rear suspension to improve interior space and driving dynamics. A 2025 update will bring refreshed styling and an updated six-cylinder Duramax diesel.
After a two-decade career as a freelance writer, Aaron Gold joined MotorTrend’s sister publication Automobile in 2018 before moving to the MT staff in 2021. Aaron is a native New Yorker who now lives in Los Angeles with his spouse, too many pets, and a cantankerous 1983 GMC Suburban.
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