Chevrolet Suburban vs Toyota 4Runner: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Toyota 4Runner burns about $2,650 of fuel annually against $3,250 for the Chevrolet Suburban. That $600 yearly gap compounds to roughly $3,000 over five years and $4,800 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Toyota 4Runner is the stronger commuter at 23 mpg city, while the Chevrolet Suburban pulls ahead on the interstate at 27 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Chevrolet Suburban is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (3.0, SIDI, SIDI; Stop-Start), the Toyota 4Runner with 4 (SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; with Stop-Start). Across 72 recorded Chevrolet Suburban configurations and 42 for the Toyota 4Runner, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Chevrolet Suburban is offered with 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, the Toyota 4Runner with 4-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Toyota 4Runner emits 380 g/mile of CO2 versus 437 g/mile for the Chevrolet Suburban. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.