Available As: Large extended-length SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $38,085-$41,870

Pros: Interior space, interior quality, ride, refinement, towing capacity.

Cons: Third-row comfort, price, cargo versatility.

Overall: Needlessly large and expensive for the level of interior space it provides.

Rating: 6/10

Recommended: NO

The Suburban does many things well. It drives well for its size, offers a vast interior volume, and is quiet and well-finished. It's a shame, then, that you cannot take full advantage of the vehicle's size, despite the price, fuel economy, and other sacrifices you make for it. For the third-row seat sits on the floor, making it uncomfortable even for children, so the Suburban can only comfortably seat five people. And the third row doesn't fold flat as in most competitors, it must be removed and stored or left sitting on top of the cargo floor. So while the Suburban does many things well, it fails to perform the function of a large passenger vehicle. Consumers who want a comfortable interior for more than five passengers would be unsatisfied with the Suburban, and most of those who don't would likely be much better served by something smaller, more nimble, more fuel efficient, and less expensive.

If you want a full-size SUV with most of the Suburban's strengths and a very roomy and versatile interior, consider the Ford Expedition and its extended-length variant, the Expedition EL. For more power and a lower price, consider the Dodge Durango and Nissan Armada, which have usable third-row seats but not the level of interior quality or refinement as the Suburban or Expedition. And if you don't need the towing and off-road capabilities of traditional truck-based SUVs, consider the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook twins, the Ford Taurus X, the Mazda CX-9, and the Honda Pilot, which are all less expensive, more fuel-efficient, more agile, and at least as roomy for passengers as the Suburban (as too are most minivans).

Available As: Large SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $30,745-$33,250

Pros: Acceleration (5.7-liter), ride, handling, interior comfort.

Cons: Fuel economy, price.

Overall: A slightly nicer version of the Dodge Durango that costs many thousands more.

Rating: 4/10

Recommended: NO

By only its own merits, the Aspen would seem very competitive. It drives well for a large truck-based SUV, and has a spacious interior with a usable third-row seat. But there is no reason to buy the Aspen over the near-identical Dodge Durango, which, with its lower sticker price and additional rebates, costs many thousands less. The Aspen is a bit quieter than the Durango, and has a few nicer interior materials (though neither excels in that area), but it's not worth the price difference.

Available As: Large SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $26,455-$37,215

Pros: Price, towing capacity, ride, handling, interior space, acceleration (5.7-liter).

Cons: Acceleration (V6), interior quality, fuel economy.

Overall: A capable and spacious SUV at a reasonable price.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended: YES

The Durango combines comfort, capability, and value, though it has its drawbacks. It rides comfortably and handles well for a large SUV, and the interior is roomy. With its V8s, especially the 5.7-liter "Hemi", (an anemic V6 is available on the base 2WD version; avoid it) it offers strong acceleration and a high towing capacity. The interior feels cheap even on high-end versions however, despite a recent upgrade, and gas mileage is poor even compared to other jumbo-utes. But the Durango remains a top choice among large truck-based SUVs, even before its price advantage is considered.

The current IFCAR Top Pick for large SUVs is the Ford Expedition, which has even more interior space than the Durango, less engine noise, a higher-quality interior, and an even higher towing capacity, as well as similarly capable driving dynamics. The Durango has more power with its 5.7-liter V8, however. The Nissan Armada offers a roomy interior, a very powerful V8, and relatively agile handling, but is rather noisy. And if you don't need the towing and off-road capabilities of traditional truck-based SUVs, consider the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook twins, the Ford Freestyle, the Mazda CX-9, and the Honda Pilot, which offer roomy interiors, very good driving dynamics, much better gas mileage than the Durango, and generally lower prices than truck-based SUVs. 

Available As: Large SUV

Base Price Range (MSRP): $34,465-$47,670

Pros: Interior quality, ride, refinement, towing capacity, acceleration (Denali).

Cons: Third-row comfort, cargo versatility.

Overall: A version of the Chevrolet Suburban with even less interior space.

Rating: 5/10

Recommended: NO

The Yukon, and its twin, the Chevrolet Tahoe, is a smaller version of the Chevrolet Suburban, and it shares the same inherent flaws. For although it drives well for its size and is quiet and well-finished. It's a shame, then, that you cannot take full advantage of the vehicle's size, despite the price, fuel economy, and other sacrifices you make for it. For the third-row seat offers little leg space and sits on the floor, making it uncomfortable even for children. Thus, the Yukon can only comfortably seat five people. And the third row doesn't fold flat as in most competitors, it must be removed and stored or left sitting on top of the cargo floor. And the lack of cargo space behind the Yukon's third row Yukon make this a frequent necessity. So while the Tahoe does many things well, it fails to perform the function of a large passenger vehicle. Consumers who want a comfortable interior for more than five passengers would be unsatisfied with the Yukon, and most of those who don't would likely be much better served by something smaller, more nimble, more fuel efficient, and less expensive.

If you want a full-size SUV with most of the Yukon's strengths and a very roomy and versatile interior, consider the Ford Expedition and its extended-length variant, the Expedition EL. For more power and a lower price, consider the Dodge Durango and Nissan Armada, which have usable third-row seats but not the level of interior quality or refinement as the Yukon or Expedition. And if you don't need the towing and off-road capabilities of traditional truck-based SUVs, consider GMC's own Acadia and its Saturn Outlook twin, the Ford Taurus X, the Mazda CX-9, and the Honda Pilot, which are all less expensive, more fuel-efficient, more agile, and roomier for passengers than the Yukon.