One important thing to consider when purchasing a new vehicle is reliability. How many miles will the new or used option last? The Chevy Suburban may have a crucial advantage over the Ford Expedition because it often has a longer life. But why exactly is the Chevy Suburban more reliable? 

Is the Chevy Suburban really more reliable than the Ford Expedition? 

Maybe. According to Auto Week, the Chevy Suburban is expected to last longer than the Ford Expedition. They complied a list of the longest-lasting vehicles to discover the most dependable options. 

Their list is based on data collected by iSeeCars. They analyzed over 11.8 million used vehicles that were sold in 2020 to determine which models have the best chance of reaching 200 miles and beyond. 

It’s no surprise that the Toyota Land Cruiser is the most dependable SUV with a 16.3-percent chance to make it past 200k miles. But it did surprise us to learn that the Surban is more likely to reach 200k miles than the Expedition. 

How do the Suburban and Expedition compare? 

The Suburban landed on this list in third place with a 5.1-percent chance of making it past 200k miles. The Expedition came in fourth place with a 4.9-percent chance of living past 200k miles, so they are pretty closely ranked. 

According to Consumer Reports, the 2021 Chevy Suburban has a reliability rating of two out of five, which is pretty concerning. This is a below-average ranking that doesn’t put confidence in longevity. 

The predicted reliability rating is based on surveys sent out to thousands of vehicle owners, allowing them to report problems that they faced. It looks like the 2014 – 2017 Suburban models had the most issues reported based on previous years. 

Previous owners reported engine trouble, transmission problems, electrical issues, braking problems, body issues, and more. However, more recent model years have fewer problems reported, showing that Chevy may have fixed these issues. 

Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Ford Expedition a reliability rating of three out of five, which is slightly better. It looks like the 2015 – 2018 model years have the most issues reported by previous owners. 

The Expedition models received reports of climate system issues, drive system problems, engine trouble, body issues, and more. But it had fewer reports of transmission problems and body issues. 

The Expedition vs. Suburban 

Deciding between the Chevy Suburban and Ford Expedition may come down to price and ownership history. If the previous owner took better care of their SUV, then it may last longer. Do your homework while shopping. 

According to Repair Pal, the average annual repair cost for the Expedition is $861, while it’s $944 for the Suburban. Repairs for the Expedition tend to be more severe than average, while the frequency of repairs is higher than average for the Suburban. 

According to Consumer Reports, the Suburban and 2021 Ford Expedition both have an owner satisfaction rating of four out of five, meaning they both make people pretty happy. Also, 77-percent of owners said they would buy the Expedition again, while 75-percent reported that they would buy the Suburban again.