Compare the2023 Chevrolet SuburbanVS 2022 BMW X7

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Chevrolet Suburban are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Suburban are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Suburban (except LS with front bench seat) has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X7 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Suburban Premier/High Country offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The X7 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Suburban and the X7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Suburban 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 8 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Suburban’s warranty.

The Suburban has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X7 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 9th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

The Suburban’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 129 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 331) than the X7 xDrive40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Suburban gets better mileage than the X7:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Suburban V8’s fuel efficiency. The X7 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Suburban uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 6.2 V8 engine for maximum performance). The X7 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Suburban has 6.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the X7 (28.3 vs. 21.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Suburban has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Chevrolet Suburban, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X7.

The Suburban stops much shorter than the X7:

The Chevrolet Suburban’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X7 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Suburban has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The X7 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Suburban has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the X7; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Suburban’s wheelbase is 11.9 inches longer than on the X7 (134.1 inches vs. 122.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Suburban is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X7.

For greater off-road capability the Suburban Z71 Air Ride has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the X7 (10 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Suburban to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Suburban offers optional seating for 9 passengers; the X7 can only carry 7.

The Suburban has .4 inches more front headroom, 4.7 inches more front legroom, 6 inches more front shoulder room, 4.4 inches more rear legroom, 6.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.6 inches more third row headroom, 3.4 inches more third row legroom and 14.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the X7.

The Suburban’s cargo area provides more volume than the X7.

The Suburban’s cargo area is larger than the X7’s in every dimension:

The Suburban’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X7’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

The Suburban’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the X7’s (7600 vs. 5950 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X7 is only 7500 pounds. The Suburban offers up to a 8300 lbs. towing capacity.

The Suburban 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Suburban can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X7 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Suburban uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X7 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Suburban has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X7 (1750 vs. 190 lbs.).

The Suburban has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the X7 (1759 vs. 1254 lbs.).

The Suburban’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The X7 does not have a temperature gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Suburban has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Suburban’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X7’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Suburban LT/RST/Z71/Premier/High Country has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The X7 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Suburban has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Suburban is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Suburban owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Suburban will cost $6250 to $11330 less than the X7 over a five-year period.

The Suburban will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Suburban will retain 49.7% to 52.84% of its original price after five years, while the X7 only retains 46.76% to 47.92%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Suburban will be $23228 to $59244 less than for the BMW X7.

The Chevrolet Suburban outsold the BMW X7 by over two to one during the 2021 model year.