In some sections of the country, wise middle-class folks have been tooling around for several years in mile-long Suburbans, whether or not they have great need for all that expanse behind the driver's seat. These days, throughout the suburban reaches of Houston and Dallas, among other spots, the Chevrolet and GMC Suburban have become de facto status-flaunting vehicles, pushing prices beyond the reach of the common man.

Yes, those who formerly wheeled about town in a Cadillac, and wouldn't feel quite right in a pickup truck, appear to have twirled their affections toward the biggest passenger vehicles in the General Motors repertoire.Mechanically, you get the same layout in the smaller Yukon, but if you select a GMC Suburban, you can get 255 horsepower at 4600 rpm and 330 pound-feet of torque at 2800 rpm.

Last year GMC introduced a new four- wheel drive system to the Suburban called Autotrac. It automatically shifts from 2WD to 4WD when wheel slippage is detected, just like Ford's Control-Trac system in the similarly gargantuan Expedition.

Today's Suburban can seat up to nine occupants and tow as much as five tons, when properly equipped. For families that need plenty of room for youngsters, or for retirees who need loads of power to haul a travel trailer, a Suburban can make good sense.