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2006 Chevrolet Suburban

LTZ MODEL ADDS STYLISH FLAIR TO 2006 CHEVY SUBURBAN LINEUP

A stylish LTZ model highlights the changes and enhancements for the 2006 Chevy Suburban – the last model year for the current-generation vehicle. The LTZ includes features such as a standard Vortec 6000 V-8 engine, all-wheel drive and 20-inch wheels, along with exterior and interior enhancements that make it a standout from all other Suburban models – and all other full-size SUVs.

Suburban has earned a strong reputation as North America 's premier full-size SUV for its unmatched comfort, capability and durability. It has one of the highest loyalty rates in the industry, thanks to uncompromising capability. Suburban offers up to 131.6 cubic feet (3,727 L) of cargo space and can tow up to 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg) when properly equipped. These traits put the industry's original SUV in a class by itself.

Additional '06 model year changes are evolutionary yet significant to customer desires and vehicle performance. The most prominent of these is revised camper extendable outside rearview mirror that is available on Suburban 2500 models. This new, vertical mirror has a larger glass area and manually extends outward to provide a greater view when towing a trailer or camper. It includes heated, power-adjustable flat glass and integrated turn signals. A convex 'spotter mirror' glass also has been added to the mirror. The vertical configuration and new spotter mirror section answer customer requests for such a configuration.

Other changes for 2006 include:

Integrated OnStar/XM Satellite Radio antenna – A single antenna unit replaces the previous two, for a smoother appearance. The new, combined antenna is located on the left-front corner of the roof.

Relocated catalytic converters – For Suburban 1500, the catalytic converters are moved closer to the engine to meet improved emissions performance guidelines.

Standard tire pressure monitoring system – All Suburban models have a standard GM tire pressure monitoring system, which uses an electronic signal on the driver information center to warn of a low-pressure condition.

LTZ details

The new Suburban LTZ combines the uncompromising capability of the Suburban with a distinctive package of exterior and interior styling enhancements. The LTZ is based on the well-equipped LT model and comes with the following features in addition to or substituting LT content:

Vortec 6000 V-8, rated at 335 horsepower (250 kw) and 375 lb.-ft. of torque (508 Nm)

Autotrac all-wheel drive

Twenty-inch chrome-finish wheels and P275/55R20 tires

Z55 suspension

Monochromatic front and rear bumpers

Chrome grille bar with Z71-style grille insert

Chrome tubular assist steps

Stainless steel exhaust tip

Chrome door handles

Black rocker moldings

Roof rack with chrome side rails

Black, Sport Red Metallic, Bermuda Blue Metallic, Silver Birch Metallic and Summit White exterior colors

Specific trim on instrument panel door switch pad bezel and center stack extension

Monotone Medium Neutral and Medium Gray interior colors

Steering wheel and column color-matched to interior color

As with the LT trim, the LTZ also is equipped with standard comfort and convenience features that include a AM/FM stereo with in-dash six-CD changer, overhead console, floor console, driver information center, power-adjustable pedals, tire pressure monitoring system, dual front auxiliary power outlets, remote keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, power-adjustable front seats, tri-zone climate control and HomeLink remote transmitter system.

Available options include side-impact air bags for driver and front outboard passenger and a sunroof. There also are numerous entertainment and information system options, including XM Satellite Radio, a AM/FM stereo with CD and touch-screen navigation system, a Bose premium sound system with subwoofer and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. The DVD system features a player and flip-down screen, along with a remote control, two sets of wireless headphones, auxiliary audio/video jacks, remote game plug-in and a mute button in an overhead console. An available Sun, Entertainment and Destinations package for the LTZ combines an AM/FM stereo with in-dash six-CD changer (including Bose speakers) and touch-screen navigation system, XM Satellite Radio and power sunroof.

LT and Z71 models also offer an available Sun, Sound and Entertainment package, which includes a premium audio system, sunroof and DVD entertainment system. Many of the uplevel LT and LTZ's standard convenience features and entertainment systems are available on other Suburban models.

Full-size truck capability

Suburban's powertrain lineup includes a choice of three powerful V-8 engines to cover almost all towing needs. GM's Vortec 5300 5.3L V-8 is standard on all half-ton models, delivering 295 horsepower (220 kw) and 330 lb.-ft. (447 Nm) of torque. This flexible-fuel engine is capable of running on either unleaded gasoline or a blend of up to 85 percent ethanol. New programming in the engine control module recognizes the amount of ethanol in the fuel system, eliminating the need for a physical fuel sensor.

GM's Vortec 6000 6.0L V-8 is standard on all three-quarter-ton Suburban models, and generates 335 horsepower (250 kw) and 375 lb.-ft. (508 Nm) of torque. For those with exceptional requirements, GM's Vortec 8100 8.1L V-8 is available on 2500 series 3/4-ton models, providing 320 horsepower (239 kw) and 440 lb.-ft. (597 Nm) of torque. Three transmissions, all four-speed automatics with electronic controls and tow/haul modes, are available, depending on engine choice.

Introduced in '05, Suburban's all-electric cooling system helps improve fuel economy through reduced parasitic loss on the engine – there is no engine-driven fan. It also enhances air conditioning performance and has the capability of idling with the air conditioning engaged for extended periods in very high ambient temperatures. Also, the electric cooling system is very quiet during operation.

Backing the Suburban lineup's Vortec engines is a trio of proven Hydra-Matic electronically controlled automatic transmissions. Half-ton models receive the Hydra-Matic 4L60-E, while three-quarter-ton Suburbans equipped with the Vortec 6000 engine are equipped with the Hydra-Matic 4L80-E. Vehicles powered by the robust Vortec 8100 feature the heavy-duty Hydra-Matic 4L85-E transmission. All transmissions feature a tow/haul mode that enhances driving on steep grades while towing.

Suburban can be equipped with two- or four-wheel drive and several steering and electronic stability control systems. GM's StabiliTrak system is available on half-ton 2WD or 4WD models with the Vortec 5300 5.3L V-8 engine (not available with Z71). In addition, 2WD Suburbans with a locking rear differential can be equipped with electronic traction assist.

StabiliTrak helps the driver maintain control in sudden maneuvers, particularly in low traction conditions, in emergency lane changes and during avoidance maneuvers. StabiliTrak assists the vehicle in maintaining the driver's intended path by applying a brake force at any corner of the vehicle independent of the driver's use of the brake pedal.

As for suspension systems, half-ton models feature an independent front suspension with torsion bars and a five-link rear suspension with coil springs. Three-quarter-ton Suburbans use a similar independent front suspension with torsion bars, along with a dual-stage multi-leaf spring rear suspension.

Interior flexibility, comfort

Suburban has a full complement of safety and security features, starting with dual-stage frontal air bags for supplemental protection for front seat passengers. Dual-stage frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of air bag-induced injury. When the air bag system's control unit detects an impact, it determines whether the crash is severe enough to trigger a deployment and whether the primary amount of inflation is sufficient. The primary stage alone will deploy in most frontal impacts requiring the supplemental protection of an air bag, while a secondary stage is designed to deploy in more severe frontal collisions.

The Suburban also has GM's Passenger Sensing System (PSS). PSS uses the latest sensing technology to turn the front passenger air bag on or off. If the sensor system detects an unoccupied front passenger seat or the presence of a smaller occupant, the front passenger air bag is deigned to automatically turn off so it would not deploy in the event of a frontal collision. A status indicator on the instrument panel alerts occupants that the passenger air bag is on or off. Even with this system, GM strongly recommends restraining child passengers in an appropriate child seat placed in the second or third row of the vehicle. Never install a rear-facing infant seat in front of an active air bag. GM also recommends that all children 12 and under ride in the rear seat when possible.

Side-impact air bags for the driver and front outboard passenger are available.

Other standard safety and security features include the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child-seat attachment system in the rear seats, and GM's PASSLock II theft deterrent system. The LATCH system provides two lower anchors and a top tether anchor to be used to secure a child seat to the vehicle seat structure. These anchorages are designed to make it easier to properly install compatible child safety seats.

Also standard are four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Hydroboost, a feature that provides more reserve power assist for braking under specific conditions.

All Suburban models come with the OnStar system, including a one-year subscription to the Safe & Sound plan. OnStar-equipped Suburbans feature OnStar dual-mode (analog-digital) equipment. OnStar's digital equipment also includes enhanced hands-free voice recognition capabilities including more intuitive continuous digit dialing and improved voice recognition accuracy. OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the United States and Canada . Using the GPS satellite network and wireless technology, OnStar features core safety services and OnStar Hands-Free Calling that allows drivers to make and receive voice-activated phone calls using an externally mounted antenna for greater reception.

by GM Media

by Chevrolet

Chevrolet Suburban At 75: A Historical Look At An American Icon

In 1935, the United States' population was a little more than 127 million. A first-class stamp cost three cents, Technicolor was introduced to motion pictures and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Chicago Cubs in a tough World Series. It was also the year Chevrolet introduced the Suburban.

In the seven and a half decades since its introduction, the Suburban became an icon and the industry's longest-running model. In fact, Suburban is the first vehicle to reach 75 years of production and Chevrolet is commemorating the milestone with a special 2010 75th Anniversary Diamond Edition model.

'Times have changed, but the Suburban remains a fixture in the industry for private and professional customers who need truck-like towing capability with maximum passenger and cargo space,' said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet general manager. 'The Suburban's core capabilities and dependability have remained constant for more than seven decades and generations of people know that a Suburban will haul people and their gear.'

The original Suburban could seat eight, while easily removable seats provided a large, 75-inch-long by 77-inch-high (1,905 x 1,956 mm) cargo area. The 2010 Suburban seats up to nine, but offers up to 137.4 cubic feet (3,891 L) of cargo space when the second-row seats are folded and third-row seats are removed.

History of an icon

The idea for the Suburban was born out of a need for a heavier-duty, truck-based wagon. Through the early 1930s, most manufacturers offered car-based wagons for professional use. Open models with windows and rear seating were known as depot hacks, and were used to ferry passengers and their cargo around train stations and boat docks. Enclosed models, typically without rear seats, were known as sedan deliveries.

Bodywork for these early vehicles often consisted of wood sides and canvas tops; and while they were versatile, their car-based chassis and damage-prone bodies were compromises. Chevrolet began experimenting with an all-steel wagon body mounted on a commercial chassis in the mid-1930s, and the Suburban Carryall was launched in 1935.

The base price of the original, eight-passenger Suburban was about $675, or the equivalent of about $10,900 in 2010 dollars – although the 1935 model didn't come with frontal and side air bags, OnStar, XM Satellite Radio, anti-lock brakes and stability control, a six-speed automatic transmission or remote keyless entry. In fact, a radio, heater, clock and even a rear bumper were extra-cost options. It might well have been called a sport utilitarian vehicle.

After the Suburban's introduction, car-based commercial vehicles, including sedan deliveries, remained in production, but the heavy-duty chassis of the Suburban increasingly found favor with professional customers. In the post-World War II years, its popularity with private customers who appreciated its uncompromising capabilities increased steadily.

The Chevrolet Suburban hit the mainstream in the early 1990s, with the overall popularity of sport-utility vehicles. But while many customers were new to the Suburban then, it had garnered a legion of longtime owners who had purchased multiple examples over the years – using them to haul Little League teams and their equipment, tow a horse trailer or seat a work crew on the way to a job site.

by Chevrolet

by Chevrolet

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AT 85: THE LEGACY CONTINUES

2020 marks the 85th production year of the original, sport utility vehicle

DETROIT — Back in 1935, the world was a vastly changing place still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression. Amidst all this, Americans still found a way to reach new heights of innovation and achievement. Movies debuted in color for the first time, baseball home run records were shattered, and the last concrete was poured at the Hoover Dam, the world's largest at the time. That same year, Chevrolet introduced the Suburban in the United States.

Still in production eight and a half decades since its debut, the Suburban has earned the title of the industry's longest-running nameplate. In fact, Suburban is the first vehicle to reach 85 years of continuous production.

'While the world has changed significantly, the Suburban is just as relevant today as it was in 1935. Suburban created the sport utility vehicle – offering unprecedented combination of passenger comfort and cargo capacity,' said Paul Edwards, Chevrolet marketing vice president. 'That has earned Suburban the trust of a wide range of people – from families to law enforcement, and even a starring-role in pop culture.'

'The name Suburban is so widely recognized that at various times over history it was used by a few vehicle manufacturers,' said Leslie Kendall, curator at the Petersen Automotive Museum. 'But the Chevrolet Suburban – the forerunner of the modern SUV – has stood the test of time. From family road-trips to dignitary protection, to TV and film and everywhere in-between, over the last 85 years the Suburban has become a fixture of Americana.'

Over the years, the Suburban has cemented its place in the hearts of many. As a beloved part of the family, trusted bodyguard and member of the armed forces, first responder and even a movie star, the original SUV has built an impressive and unrivaled legacy worthy of a celebration.

The original 1935 Suburban could seat eight, while removable seats provided a large 115.1 cubic foot (3,259 L) cargo area when the second-row seats were folded and third-row seats removed. It was powered by an inline-six-cylinder engine that produced 60 horsepower.

The 2020 Suburban seats up to nine and offers up to 121.7 cubic feet (3,446 L) of maximum cargo space when second and third-row seats are folded down. The available 6.2L V-8 produces 420 horsepower – seven times the power of the 1935 model – with an EPA-estimated 23 mpg highway.

85 years of innovation

Car-based wagons for professional use were offered by most manufacturers throughout the early 1930s. Most of these early vehicles featured wood sides and canvas tops; and while they were versatile, their car-based platforms and damage-prone bodies were not suited for continuous commercial use.

It was clear that customers required something more. Chevrolet began testing an all-steel wagon body mounted on a commercial chassis in the mid-1930s. This research and development resulted in the launch of the Suburban Carryall in 1935 – the first heavy-duty, truck-based wagon of its kind.

The Suburban's heavy-duty truck-based chassis increasingly found favor with commercial customers. In the post-World War II growth years, its popularity steadily increased with private customers who appreciated its uncompromising capabilities and dependable utility.

The Suburban hit mainstream fame in the early 1990s as part of the SUV boom. While many customers were new to the Suburban, it had a legion of longtime owners over the years. From hauling Little League teams and their equipment, to towing a horse trailer on the ranch, or transporting a work crew to a job site, the Suburban had become a fixture of American culture.

Generation 1 – 1935-40

The Suburban Carryall is introduced on a half-ton chassis, with a signature two-door body style that would be produced through 1967. Power came from Chevrolet's tough 'Stovebolt' inline-six that produced 60 horsepower (45 kW). In 1937, new Art Deco exterior design cues were added and power was increased to 79 horsepower (59 kW).

Generation 2 – 1941-46

Production of almost all civilian vehicles halted during America's involvement in World War II, although many Chevy trucks – including the Suburban's body style – were produced for military duty.

Generation 3 – 1947-55

Representing the first significant redesign of Chevrolet's truck line since before the war, the Suburban was welcomed by professionals in need of an all-new workhorse. Torque from the inline-six engine was 174 lb-ft (217 Nm) at only 1,200 rpm, creating excellent towing capability.

Generation 4 – 1955-59

Revolutionary new styling and technology is introduced midway through the 1955 model year. Known as the 'second series' design, it featured a wraparound windshield and the elimination of running boards – the body now flush with the fenders. The biggest addition was Chevrolet's first V-8, the legendary Small Block. In 1957, factory-installed four-wheel drive is offered for the first time, with the famous NAPCO-supplied 'Powr-Pak' system.

Generation 5 – 1960-66

All-new styling greeted the 1960s and Chevrolet instituted the C/K designations to denote models with 2WD (C) and 4WD (K). In 1963, a ladder-type, channel-section frame replaced the X-member, box-section frames used in previous years. With a focus on passenger comfort in 1965, factory-installed air conditioning and a rear-area heater are offered for the first time.

Generation 6 – 1967-72

A redesign of Chevy's half-ton trucks is introduced, and for the first time since its debut, the Suburban now had three doors – with a single door on the driver's side and front and rear doors on the passenger side. This new configuration, with easier access to the cargo area, was popular with ambulance companies.

Generation 7 – 1973-91

The Suburban is completely redesigned and for the first time, offered a conventional four-door body style. The wheelbase was stretched to 129.5 inches with an increased focus on interior comfort and amenities that brought more personal-use customers to Suburban. By the late-1980s, electronically controlled fuel injection and a four-speed overdrive transmission brought greater efficiency.

Generation 8 – 1992-1999

An all-new Suburban featured sleek styling with flush glass and composite headlamps. Other updates included four-wheel antilock brakes, Insta-Trac 'shift-on-the-fly' on four-wheel-drive models and a suspension system designed to provide a more carlike ride. In 1998, available OnStar and the full-time AutoTrac all-wheel-drive system are added. In Australia, right-hand-drive versions of the Suburban are offered through GM's Holden brand.

Generation 9 – 2000-2006

Launched in 1999 as a 2000 model, the 10th-generation Suburban brought new styling, new interiors and new powertrains. The engines included the Vortec 5.3L and 6.0L V-8s from the same Gen III Small Block family in the Corvette. New features included for first time are four-wheel disc brakes, a load-leveling suspension system and StabiliTrak electronic stability control.

Generation 10 – 2007-14

The Suburban features a wind tunnel-shaped exterior and elimination of traditional chrome front and rear bumpers. More efficient, comfortable and capable than ever, the Suburban continued to offer customers uncompromising capability and versatility. Safety and driver assistance feature updates included electronic trailer sway control, Hill Start Assist and available Side Blind Zone Alert1.

Generation 11 – 2015-Present

Completely redesigned to be more functional and refined, while offering more features and a greater range of advanced technologies, the current Suburban is also more efficient, thanks to a range of enhancements that include a more aerodynamic design and a new, direct-injected EcoTec3 5.3L engine. Improved aerodynamics also contributes to a quieter interior. A bevy of standard customer-focused technology features like 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot (requires available data plan), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto4 are also added.

by Chevrolet

by Chevrolet