In the war of the SUVs, Ford took the lead for largest competitor. But in war, bigger is not always better -- just ask Goliath. While the 2000 Chevrolet Suburban may have David aspirations in this vehicular tete-a-tete, being small isn't part of its character. More importantly, this Suburban is completely redesigned and the engineers took that opportunity to capitalize on their long history of truck building by changing as much as they could. This 2000 model offers more comfort from a new stiffer frame and upgraded interiors, more power with two new small-block V8 engines, and more safety from side-impact airbags and larger brake pads.

All Excursions aside, this vehicle is big. Coming in at a length of 18.3 feet, the heavy-duty 2500 weighs in at an impressive 5760 pounds -- almost 3 tons of truck. The body shape hasn't changed considerably, staying close to the fairly nondescript image this SUV has had for years. Towering above 6 feet for the four-wheel-drive models, it poses no less a threat than Ford's monster, which is 7 inches taller. However, 7 inches can make a difference -- a Suburban will fit in a standard garage.

The 2000 Suburban comes in two models, the 1500 and the 2500, both offering two- and four-wheel-drive configurations. The 1500s come with a 285-horsepower, 5.3-liter V8 engine, while the 2500s have a 300-horsepower 6.0-liter V8. Both come from the new Vortec family of small-block engines and have more horsepower than previous Suburban engines. Fronting a four-speed automatic transmission, either combination proves to be a great workhorse, but not much of a sprinter.

Ride and handling have been improved, with body strength and stiffness increasing 400 percent over last year's model. The 1500s are equipped with a new five-link coil spring rear suspension, allowing the truck to track better on gravel or washboard roads and giving you more wheel control. If you do lose control and end up in a moderate speed front-end collision, the 1500s are fitted with a new front crush cap, allowing the repair shop to simply swap it out without having to replace the entire front frame. The suspension on the 2500s comes with the same rear leaf springs as their Silverado stablemates, giving them heavy-duty towing capacities to go with that stronger V8.

The interior has been changed substantially, making it more comfortable and convenient. More efficient placement of air ducts and moving the spare from inside to underneath the cargo floor have increased useable space, allowing better movement throughout. All the seats have improved seatback angles and upgrades include second-row captain's chairs and a driver's seat with more options than some near-luxury cars provide.

This Suburban has a lot to offer. There are more cupholders for the soccer team and increased headroom for the business associates. The engineers took the time to change and modify everything that needed improvement. It's not the most stylish, nor the biggest SUV on the market, but a lot of time and effort seems to have paid off.