The optional cloth bucket seats ($1,035) in our LS were okay, but didn't offer as much support as we would have liked. The LT's leather seats seem more supportive, but there's still room for improvement. Big and cushy, they are similar to the seats found in all of GM's full-size pickups and SUVs.
The second row is quite comfortable. Headphone jacks (standard on LT, optional on LS) allow rear-seat passengers to listen to CDs while those up front turn on the radio. Even the third row is surprisingly comfortable for an adult; slide your feet under the seat in front of you, and you can ride back there for fairly long distances. But getting back there requires folding and flipping the second-row seat out of the way, best for younger people.
Climbing into a Suburban is a challenge for some. Younger, taller people find it easy. Running boards make it easier for others. The Suburban's step-in height is lower than it was with pre-2000 models, because of the fully boxed frame.
Power-adjustable pedals allow shorter drivers to sit farther back from the steering wheel and farther away from the airbag, reducing the chance of injury should it deploy. Dual-level airbags, an important new feature introduced last year, inflate with less force in less forceful collisions. Sensors in the front passenger seat and seat belts measure the size and weight of the front-seat passenger and disable the airbag for child-size passengers. Next Page