Getting 23 Miles a Gallon: The 1997 Chevrolet K1500 Suburban Base
A lot has been said about the Chevrolet K1500 Suburban for 1997. As Chevrolet’s entry in the sport utility market the K1500 Suburban (and in this case specically the Base version) has maintained a solid reputation. The 4-door K1500 Suburban is especially appealing to wide market segment, making it a perfect truck to help Chevrolet as a brand in general.
Performance
The K1500 Suburban Base is equipped with a General Motors 5.7 liter eight-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The Vortec engine is mated to a General Motors 4-speed Transmission. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for Chevrolet.
The fuel system for the 1997 K1500 Suburban is a Central SFI design, running on gasoline fuel. The fuel flow is regulated by a electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The storage capacity of the fuel tank is 25.00 gallons.
Steering control is handled through a power-steering gear-style configuration. The K1500 Suburban has power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are drum. The truck uses torsion bar front springs and leaf in the rear.
K1500 Suburban Base Statistics
The K1500 Suburban is 189.80 inches long, 77.50 inches wide, and 76.00 inches high. It has a wheelbase of 111.00 inches. It is able to seat 2 comfortably.
The original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $19,054 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $17,244. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 4-door Sport Utility.
A powertrain warranty is provided (50,000* miles/36* months), and a 50,000* mile, 60* month guarantee also comes with the Chevrolet K1500 Suburban.
Fuel Efficiency
The 1997 K1500 Suburban gets 23 miles/gallon on the highway and only 17 in the city. This is average for a sport utility truck.
In Summary
The 1996 model began the promise of the Chevrolet K1500 Suburban. The 1997 expanded on this success and has proven to be a strong seller in most markets. Even with strong competition from other manufacturers Chevrolet hopes that the K1500 Suburban Base will continue to be a profitable vehicle.