What SUV Shoppers Need to Know
- Full-size SUVs are not cheap — even base models.
- The 2026 Chevrolet Suburban LS still has most of what you need to be a good family hauler.
- It’s also available with a front bench seat, increasing seating capacity to nine.
A full-size SUV is the perfect vehicle for large families that also frequently need to tow or haul. But with fully loaded models priced close to six figures — even from mainstream brands like Chevrolet — buyers might want to save thousands by opting for a lower trim level. At the recent Midwest Automotive Media Association’s 2026 Spring Rally in Elkhart Lake, Wis., we had a chance to check out a 2026 Chevrolet Suburban LS to see just what you do and don’t get in an “affordable” Suburban. Related: 2025 Chevrolet Suburban Review: Excellence in Excess First things first: “Affordable” is in quotes because, as tested, this Suburban was priced at $71,840. That price includes four-wheel drive, an optional $2,720 (after a $1,600 discount) LS Custom Edition appearance package with 22-inch wheels and dealer-installed dark exterior accents, and a $2,795 destination fee. That’s significantly more than any new minivan currently on sale; if you don’t need the Suburban’s towing capabilities, you’d be better off with a van.
Big Screens, Big (Little) Motor, Big Big Space
The list of the best things about this Suburban starts with the standard 17.7-inch center touchscreen and 11-inch digital instrument panel. The Suburban doesn’t skimp on the tech in lower trims, and most owners should be happy with the clarity of the infotainment display and its intuitive user interface. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included. Under the hood is a 5.3-liter V-8, the smaller of Chevrolet’s two available V-8s. With 355 horsepower and 383 pounds-feet of torque, the engine burbles pleasantly and provides plenty of power around town and for highway passing and merging. As much as we like the larger, more powerful 6.2-liter V-8, given its significant reliability issues and the massive recall surrounding it, I might choose the 5.3 just for the peace of mind. It doesn’t affect towing capacity, either, which still maxes out at 7,700 pounds. Perhaps the niftiest thing about this Suburban, though, is a very old-school feature: a front bench seat. With bench seating in all three rows, this Suburban had a nine-adult (we checked) seating capacity, and opting for the front bench actually saves buyers $500. The second and third rows are big enough for taller adults, too, and there’s still three-zone automatic climate control and ceiling-mounted vents that are great for kids in car seats — especially rear-facing ones — and those who get motion sickness. More News From Cars.com:
What’s Missing?
The most noticeable missing feature is probably the lack of a powered third row. It’s not so much a problem when lowering the seats, but if you need to raise them again you have to practically dive into the cargo area to reach the straps or awkwardly reach for them from the rear doors. There’s enough space in the cargo area with the third-row seats up that I would probably leave them up unless I had to carry longer items. On that same note, if you’re carrying a lot of people, you might be carrying a lot of stuff, and there’s no power liftgate — an odd omission on a $70,000 vehicle. I don’t think this is the end of the world, but the convenience of a power liftgate is hard to overstate. While the Suburban LS does come standard with adaptive cruise control, if you’re going to be on the road a lot, you might want to move to a higher trim to get GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving system. I’ve found long road trips are far less tiring when using hands-free systems, and GM’s is one of the best on the market right now.
Is the Suburban LS Right for Your Family?
If your family is numerous enough to be eligible for a TLC reality show, maybe, though I might suggest also looking at passenger vans. Nonetheless, the Suburban LS has available seating for up to nine adults, a smooth and powerful V-8 engine, excellent interior tech and an upscale appearance with the Custom Edition Package. If you want room for a lot of people and want to look like you spent a lot (but only want to spend not as much), it’s worth considering. Related Video:
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