1997 GMC Suburban: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

21 builds left the factory as a 1997 Suburban, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN.

  • 5 main configurations
  • 612 vehicles built
  • 13 for sale right now

Which Suburban is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Suburban

What actually differs

4WD 3GKFK16R-V 4WD 1GKFK16R-V Base configuration 3GKEC16R-V Base configuration 1GKEC16R-V
For sale right now 2 2 2 1
Vehicles built 193 146 77 64
Same on every 1997 Suburban
  • Engine 5.7L 8-cyl
  • Drivetrain Four-wheel drive
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
Will it hold value?

A Suburban typically keeps about 45% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $4,995 today.

Suburban depreciation by year →
Cost to run

12/17 mpg city/highway. Roughly $3,320/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 1997 Suburban

Safety, in plain English

What 3GKGK26J-V means

3GK GK26J · V
3GK
the World Manufacturer Identifier GMC registered — assembled in Mexico
GK26J
together encode the Suburban line — Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), 7.4L 8cyl, Four-wheel drive — as GMC filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
V
in position 10 — model year 1997
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 3GKGK26J 3VG515957 3GKGK26J XVG521867
16 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Suburban?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

1997 GMC Suburban prices →