Ace of Base: 2017 Chevrolet Suburban LS

Full-size, body-on-frame, real SUVs are in some circles (not mine, thankfully) about as politically correct as a Monsanto home fracking kit. Thing is, though, if a person wants to transport nine people while towing an 8,000-pound trailer, there are few options other than the Suburban and its fraternal twin, the GMC Yukon XL.

The Suburban is a nameplate that’s been around since 1935, unabashedly truck based and powered by a 355-horsepower V8 engine which may or may not run on ground-up bicycles. Since the last time we looked at the Beast from Chevy, the bowtie brand has introduced a Tahoe Custom that was received warmly at TTAC HQ. Can the ‘burb retain its spot on the Ace of Base board? Let’s find out.

In the base model LS, which displays a price of $49,915 on its Monroney, tri-zone climate controls are standard, as are a host of gadgets like a backup camera and a quintet of USB ports. Auxiliary oil and transmission coolers help keep the drivetrain from bursting into flames while driving the Magruder Corridor, so named for Lloyd Magruder, whose 1863 pack train fell to mutiny when Magruder’s hired hands robbed and murdered him along the trail. The corridor sits near the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, from which we can assume that at least Frank returned. Anyway.

The LS has durable cloth seats and an available front bench seat, an option sorely lacking from far too many well-equipped trucks these days. GM will actually give buyers $250 if they opt for the front bench seat, making this one of the few occasions when a manufacturer will pay buyers to make their vehicles more useful. Cargo space in the Suburban is best measured in acres.

In its $0 Black finish, other drivers will think you’re with the Secret Service, scattering as you fill their rearview mirrors with 92 yards of chrome grille. A very nice Blue Velvet Metallic hue, shown above, is new for this model year and is also offered gratis.

To top it off, the Suburban has a 31-gallon fuel tank and gets mid-20s on the highway, meaning you can drive out of the assembly plant in Arlington, Texas, and make it to the outskirts of Atlanta before you run low on fuel.

It’s worth noting here that, for 2018, GM has decided to grant one of my three wishes and plug the fantastic 420 hp 6.2-liter V8 into the Tahoe/Suburban, creating the RST trim. I know, I know — it’s far from a base model. However, I’ll take any opportunity to mention that fantastic motor.

But back to base models. You see, the Blazer Tahoe Custom didn’t exist one year ago. It does now. The $6,200 price difference is just too much to ignore if one is searching for a base model body-on-frame SUV from The General. The Tahoe Custom replaces the Suburban LS on my Ace of Base list this time around.

Seriously, though… get the 6.2-liter.

[Image: General Motors]

Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a lot better. Any others you can think of, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selection.

The model above is shown in American dollars with American options and trim, absent of destination charges and available rebates. As always, your dealer may sell for less.