From the December 1996 issue of Car and Driver.

My initial ride in a 1973 Chevy Suburban left a lasting impression. That year Dad sought a fresh station wagon. I pictured us cruising in a stylish Buick LeSabre Estate or Dodge Monaco wagon, yet he arrived one spring afternoon with an enormous boxy Suburban. Finished in plain olive green, it lacked wood trim and any real flair. He even called it a truck, which made me wonder what kind of child travels in such a vehicle. I felt disappointed.

Dad focused on practical needs over an eight-year-old's wishes. The Suburban offered over 50 percent more cargo space than a full-size GM wagon. It stood 14 inches taller too, giving a better view ahead. A full-size van provided similar benefits, but he worried about limited crash protection in a head-on collision.

Plenty of buyers shared those views. The Chevrolet and GMC Suburban design stayed largely the same since 1973, when GM sold 36,604 units. Sales have more than tripled since. Additional factors include towing capacity up to 10,000 pounds with proper options. Chrysler's minivans manage only a third as much, while a Jeep Grand Cherokee reaches 6700 pounds. Suburbans also hold value well. A typical five-year-old model retains over 60 percent of its original price, compared to just 44 percent for a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300TE wagon.

This appeal continues even with the Suburban's poor 13-mpg city rating on its standard V-8. Minivans usually achieve 17 to 19 mpg, and smaller SUVs reach 14 to 16 mpg.

For years the Suburban dominated the large five-door SUV segment. GM itself broke that hold in 1995 with shorter versions, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, which handled more like cars. Ford then entered with the Expedition built on its new F-series chassis.

This group of oversized sport utilities calls for a comparison, yet which ones fit? The Expedition's dimensions and towing sit between the Tahoe and Suburban, so both Chevys joined the test, though only 1996 examples were available. The 1997 versions add five horsepower but lose five pound-feet of torque, plus a passenger airbag and steering tweaks for easier parking. Those updates seemed unlikely to shift the results much. All three were light-duty four-wheel-drive models priced from about $32,000 to $36,000 as tested.

We skipped the usual winding roads for straight highways across Indiana and Ohio. The route led to Winchester, Indiana, a small Midwest farm town with a speedway for USAC midget races and where the word bijou sounds like bye-joe without drawing laughs.

These trucks should handle light off-road duty as well. We drove 300 miles north to Silver Lake, Michigan, where tall sand dunes caused a tire to come off the Tahoe rim and disabled the Expedition's four-wheel-drive system. Ford had not yet diagnosed the issue on this early prototype. Later at the Chrysler proving grounds we damaged a rear brake cylinder on the Suburban, spraying fluid on the wheel and tire.

So much for rugged trucks. Despite the setbacks, here is how they performed.

3rd Place: Chevrolet Suburban K1500LS

Size defines the Chevy Suburban, a fact driven home by driver notes in the logbooks. One editor remarked on how large it felt. Another called it huge. Its 47.8-foot turning circle exceeds the Tahoe by nearly five feet and the Expedition by more than seven. Spots the others entered smoothly needed extra maneuvers for the Suburban.

The standard 5.7-liter 250-horsepower V-8 responds well, with a 0-to-60 time of 10.4 seconds that matches the group. Yet the main trait is a lack of feedback. The brake pedal needs an inch of travel before any effect, and the steering feels disconnected, demanding constant small adjustments.

Our Suburban had a split front bench for three. The center spot folds into a console but offers little support, while the outer seats lack side and thigh padding. The second row splits and folds. The rearmost bench seats three comfortably thanks to its own footwell. With the second row folded and third removed, cargo space reaches 150 cubic feet, 32 more than the others. The removal takes about a minute without tools.

The Suburban rides comfortably in most conditions for its 5844-pound weight, though some roller-coaster roads caused noticeable pitching. The optional heavy-duty front springs may have contributed to that motion but aided dune climbing at Silver Lake. This large truck handled the 200-foot slopes with the least trouble despite modest approach and departure angles.

HIGHS: Enormous interior space, strong off-road ability, room for a full court bench.
LOWS: Dull wandering steering, sometimes bouncy ride, limited seat support. Hard to park such a large vehicle.
VERDICT: Bulky and more truck-like than the rest, yet ideal for truly large loads.

This Suburban carries more cargo than the others. For big beach events it could prove useful. Otherwise the quieter ride, sharper steering, and better seats of the Tahoe, along with its shorter length, seem preferable. That leads to our second-place choice.

2nd Place: Chevrolet Tahoe LS

The five-door Tahoe is more than a shortened Suburban or a lengthened three-door model meant for tougher trails. Chevy aimed to soften the Suburban's truck feel to attract buyers of smaller SUVs and minivans. Fourteen inches came off the wheelbase, 20.9 inches from overall length, and 1.9 inches from height for easier entry. A stiffer frame with revised bushings and springs was meant to improve the ride. Styling stayed boxy. One editor noted that if a squarer truck exists it must be a rental.

To our testers the Tahoe did not ride noticeably better than the Suburban, yet it proved quieter on passenger-car tires. Steering remains vague like the larger model but needs fewer corrections. Its turning circle is 4.9 feet tighter, which shows immediately.

Only serious haulers will miss the Tahoe's reduced cargo room. As equipped it matches the Suburban's payload but not its volume. Towing ratings are close, though a Tahoe can be optioned for 7000 pounds versus the Suburban's 10,000. No third-row seat is offered.

The Tahoe's engine feels like a 5.7-liter freed from hauling 450 extra pounds. It is the quickest here, reaching 60 mph in 9.8 seconds. Its 50-to-70 time of 6.0 seconds beats the others by at least 0.7 second, helpful on two-lane roads. It returned 16 mpg on our 900-mile trip, the best of the group though still poor, and reversed the Expedition's slight EPA-city edge.

Our Tahoe had bucket seats with a console, yet they offered little support and felt like benches. One driver wondered if falling out was possible. The rest of the interior lacks style but works well enough.

HIGHS: Responsive engine, low step-in height, quiet ride.
LOWS: Vague steering, plain boxy shape.
VERDICT: A lighter Suburban that is easier to use and less bulky.

This Tahoe delivers most Suburban benefits in a friendlier package. Its ride is quieter and steering improved. Neither Chevy offers much precision, leaving room for our top finisher.

1st Place: Ford Expedition XLT

In earlier times trucks received leftover technology. That has changed as demand grew. Ford's 1997 F-150 pickup raised standards for car-like handling, ride, and refinement. The new Expedition on the same platform aims to match that.

One editor called it the most car-like of the three, praising suspension control, limited body roll, accurate steering, and a good ride-handling balance. Another noted it felt like a car after the Suburban, though the ride seemed less smooth and quiet than the Tahoe's.

The Expedition steers precisely with little roll, yet it could improve in emergency maneuvers. In our lane-change test the power steering hesitated when turning quickly from left to right, limiting direction changes. As a result it matched the much larger Suburban through the cones.

It works well as a truck. Equipped to tow 7400 pounds, the most here, with an 8000-pound option available. The four-wheel-drive system can lock or send torque forward only on rear slip. In those modes it showed less traction than the Chevys on sand dunes before the system failed. Its street tires may suit off-road use less.

The optional 230-hp 5.4-liter SOHC V-8 kept the Expedition competitive in acceleration but did not lead. It stops well with four-wheel discs and ABS, unlike the Chevys' rear drums. From 70 mph it halts in 216 feet, nine feet better than the Tahoe and 24 better than the Suburban, though all showed brake fade.

Styling gives the Expedition a bolder front than the Chevys' boxy forms, more distinctive yet still practical. Inside the flowing surfaces differ from the Chevys' simple lines. Seats needed more side support. Other notes included one editor's dislike of the sea-green color and complaints about the parking-brake pedal location that struck the left ankle.

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3rd Place: Chevrolet Suburban K1500LS

2nd Place: Chevrolet Tahoe LS

1st Place: Ford Expedition XLT