Impressions of the Chevrolet K1500 Suburban for 1997
As time has gone by several things can be said about the Chevrolet K1500 Suburban series: including the strong reaction most buyers have towards their truck. The 8-cylinder engine is at the core of the strong emotions, it is reliable for its class and delivers a huge amount of torque.
Performance
The K1500 Suburban LS 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.
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.
The 1997 K1500 Suburban’s normal fuel system runs on gas. The fuel is regulated electronically, with a fuel-injected multi-port fuel injection (MFI) style of design. The fuel tank holds 25.00 gallons.
K1500 Suburban LS 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 standard warranty period for the K1500 Suburban is 60* months, or 50,000* miles, whichever comes first. The warranty also includes a warranty on the drivetrain for 36* months or 50,000* miles respectively. This is standard in the sport utility market. Extended warranties are also available through the dealer.
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.
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 1996 and 1997 the K1500 Suburban LS was availble in the exterior colors of several colors. Additional options were made available by the factory.
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 LS will continue to be a profitable vehicle.
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