2022 Chevrolet Suburban vs 2021 Volkswagen ID.4

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle (EV), and Volkswagen made sure to highlight that. Unlike some electric cars that mimic their gasoline counterparts, the ID.4 had a distinctive look, moving away from the rugged styling of the gasoline-powered Tiguan and Atlas crossovers. It featured a streamlined profile with wheels pushed out to the corners, giving it a unique appearance. The ID.4 was part of VW’s EV-specific MEB platform, following the European-market ID.3 hatchback. While it had some SUV-like styling, it didn’t quite look like an SUV, similar to other EV crossovers like the Chevy Bolt EUV and Hyundai Kona Electric.

Inside, the ID.4 blended Volkswagen’s minimalist design with a tech-focused aesthetic. The interior featured piano black and matte plastic elements, reminiscent of a 1990s Compaq monitor, pushing the tech theme. The base ID.4 Pro came with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and cloth seats, while the Pro S and 1St Edition models offered leatherette upholstery. The interior design aimed to provide a modern, tech-savvy feel, although some might find it a bit too minimalistic.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban, redesigned for the 2021 model year, shared its exterior styling with the shorter Tahoe SUV and the Silverado 1500 pickup. It had a tall hood, long proportions, and large wheels, giving it a supersized appearance. The Suburban was available in six trims, each offering different grille, fascia, and wheel designs, allowing for a fair degree of customization. Our RST test vehicle featured a Cherry Red Tintcoat exterior and 22-inch bright-machined black-painted wheels, giving it a sporty look.

Inside, the Suburban offered a spacious cabin that ranged from economically comfortable on the base LS trim to downright plush on the top-spec High Country. Leather seats were standard starting on the LT trim, with material quality improving as the price increased. Our RST tester had 10-way power driver and front passenger seats, Jet Black perforated leather seats with Victory Red stitching, and the optional Luxury package, which included heated second-row outboard seats. However, the predominantly black interior made the cabin feel a bit dark, despite the chrome sill plates and red seat stitching.

At launch, the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was available with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, powered by an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack. It was the first rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Volkswagen passenger car sold in the United States since the Beetle. An all-wheel-drive (AWD) version, with a second electric motor powering the front wheels, arrived later in 2021, boosting power output to 295 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque.

RWD was generally preferred by driving enthusiasts for its balanced handling, and the ID.4’s RWD setup provided a nicely balanced driving experience. The electric motor offered more than enough grunt, with instantaneous torque making acceleration fun. The AWD version added more power and traction, making the ID.4 quick around town and capable of reaching highway speeds with ease. However, the ID.4 was tuned for comfort rather than sporty handling, with noticeable body roll in corners but a smooth ride over bumps and potholes.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered three engine choices: a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a new-for-2022 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six, all paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 5.3-liter V8, standard on all but the Premier trim, produced 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The 6.2-liter V8, standard on the High Country and available on the RST, Z71, and Premier, produced 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine offered 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, providing excellent fuel economy and ample towing capability.

Our RST test vehicle had the 6.2-liter V8, part of the $3,815 Sport Performance package, which included Magnetic Ride Control and dual exhaust tips. The 6.2-liter V8’s extra power was noticeable and appreciated, making acceleration effortless. During an 80-mile tow test, the Suburban’s big V8 performed admirably, pulling a late-model Chevrolet Impala sedan on an open car-hauler trailer with ease. The Suburban’s maximum towing capacity was 8,300 pounds.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 felt like a crossover compared to other EVs, but not when benchmarked against gasoline models. It offered more front and rear headroom than competitor EVs, although legroom was average for the segment. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 provided more rear headroom and legroom in both rows, but the ID.4 had more front headroom. The ID.4 offered 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, more than the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, and Chevy Bolt EUV, but less than the CR-V and RAV4.

The ID.4 didn’t have a “frunk” for extra cargo storage, as VW prioritized cabin space. The interior felt spacious from the driver’s seat, with good forward visibility but substandard rearward visibility due to thick rear pillars and a small back window. The ID.4 featured a unique twist-grip gear selector on the dashboard, freeing up storage space on the center console, although the console itself was narrow and close to the floor. Heated steering wheel and front seats were standard, providing efficient cabin heating during cold weather.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in space, offering ample room for passengers, cargo, and even pets. With the optional front-row bench seat (LS only), the Suburban could hold up to nine occupants. Most Suburbans offered seven- or eight-passenger seating, depending on the middle-row seat configuration. The third row was quite livable, with adequate headroom, knee room, and legroom for adults, and easy access. The Suburban had 41.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 144.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded flat, the most of any large SUV.

The Suburban featured an optional power-sliding center console, which slid rearward 10 inches to uncover additional storage space and contained a hidden storage drawer. The cabin had plenty of storage cubbies and a big glove box. However, the Suburban’s size and mass made it challenging to maneuver and park in tight spaces, and it might not fit in some garages due to its height. The Suburban switched to electronic push-button transmission controls, replacing the traditional column-mounted shifter.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 came with a standard 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system (a 12-inch screen was optional) with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 5.3-inch display screen served as the instrument cluster, and haptic touchpads replaced nearly all switchgear. While the setup looked cool, it was difficult to use due to the lack of tactile feedback. The control setup required drivers to relearn simple tasks, such as adjusting mirrors or lowering rear windows. However, the natural-language voice-control system allowed drivers to sidestep the haptic controls, although it was a bit slow to respond.

The ID.4 also featured ID.Light, a light strip at the base of the windshield that communicated information to the driver. It changed color for different drive modes, blinked when the car was locked or unlocked, and flashed lights to indicate turn directions. While interesting, it was easy to forget about ID.Light after the initial amusement wore off. The touchscreen was well-positioned atop the dashboard, with smart-looking graphics and easy-to-navigate menus. VW offered a choice between smartphone-like icons for the main menu or a split-screen setup.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered a surprising level of tech on most trim levels. New for 2022 on the LT trim level and above was a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Google built-in, which included Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Play Store access, third-party apps, and vehicle data sharing. The number of available camera views increased to 13, including the “transparent trailer” view.

The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System with an 8-inch touchscreen was standard on the LS, including Bluetooth audio streaming, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and voice recognition. The LT and above featured a 10.2-inch Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium System with Google built-in and satellite radio. Wireless device charging and a WiFi hotspot were standard on the LT and above. The LS came with a basic six-speaker audio system, while the LT had a nine-speaker Bose audio system. The Premier and High Country featured a Bose 10-speaker Surround with CenterPoint audio system.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 received the highest-level Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the RWD model. The standard driver aids included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, park distance control, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. Travel Assist added automated lane centering to the adaptive cruise control, and Emergency Assist was designed to bring the car to a stop if the driver was incapacitated. Travel Assist performed well, smoothly following curves and responding well to acceleration and deceleration.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban came with the Chevy Safety Assist suite, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, front pedestrian braking, rear park assist, following distance indicator, automatic high-beam headlights, and an HD rear-vision camera. For 2022, front park assist, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-departure warning were added as standard features. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, HD surround vision, rear pedestrian alert, reverse automatic braking, lane-changing assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display. The Suburban received an overall rating of four out of five stars from the NHTSA, with four stars for front crash protection, five stars for side crash protection, and three stars for rollover resistance.