First Impressions of the Chevrolet Suburban 1500 for 2004
In 2004 Chevrolet released the Suburban 1500 LS to the truck-buying market. The Suburban 1500 came in three configurations: LS, LT, and Z71. The LS configuration is powered by the 5.3-liter eight-cylinder engine, which makes 18 - 20 highway miles and 14 - 15 city. The Suburban 1500 competes in the Sport Utility market segment, in direct competition with Infiniti.
Engine Performance
The Suburban 1500 LS is equipped with a General Motors 5.3 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 Suburban 1500 has power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are disc. The truck uses torsion bar front springs and coil in the rear.
Suburban 1500 LS Statistics
The dimensions of the Suburban 1500 LS are 78.80 inches wide by 219.30 inches long. It sits a comfortable 75.60 inches off the ground. It seats a standard nine passengers, with 4 doors. The wheelbase of 130.00 allows for limited leg room for the backseat passengers.
The original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $37,600 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $32,900. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 4-door Sport Utility.
Fuel Efficiency
The fuel system for the 2004 Suburban 1500 is a traditional SFI, running on FLEX fuel. The fuel is controlled by an electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The capacity of the fuel tank is 31.00 gallons.
The Suburban 1500 LS received a miles-per-gallon rating of 14 - 15 in-city driving and 18 - 20 when it came to long-distance. Being a flex-powered hybrid truck, this was subpar.
In Summary
The 2004 model year was unsuccessful for the Chevrolet Suburban 1500. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the LS version) meant that buyers had several options to choose from..