Chevrolet launched the first-generation Suburban in 1935. The early vehicle was a two-door, eight-passenger carryall with a steel body mounted on a truck-type chassis, combining passenger capacity with the ruggedness of a commercial vehicle.
The name reflected its intended role: a vehicle for carrying people and goods between urban areas and the surrounding countryside. Unlike modern Suburbans, the first version was relatively compact and utilitarian. Its body design helped distinguish it from ordinary station wagons, which commonly used more wood construction during that period.
The Suburban became one of Chevrolet’s longest-running nameplates. Its descendants evolved through military-influenced designs, full-size sport-utility vehicles, and increasingly luxurious family models. The GMC version was sold under different names in various eras, but Chevrolet introduced the original Suburban in 1935.