PRICE AS TESTED: $36,310
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VEHICLE CLASS: Full-size, 4-door sport-utility vehicle, ½-ton or ¾-ton pickup truck
CONFIGURATION: 1500 and North Face Edition: 5.3-liter single fuel injected V8 4-speed, 285 hp. 2500: Vortec 8100 engine 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, tow haul mode, 340 hp.
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA 13 mpg city, 17 mpg highway
SAFETY FEATURES: Driver and passenger airbags, standard
IMPRESSION: The ride and handling of the Avalanche is as good as it gets on a Chevrolet truck. Changing the configuration from truck to SUV was easy as pie and self-explanatory.
WHERE BUILT: In Silao, Mexico.
If there's one word in Detroit that nobody wants to hear no more than a couple times a year, it's "Avalanche." Detroit Red Wings fans no like Colorado Avalanche. So why would a Detroit-based carmaker name its newest truck Avalanche? Well, I think I've figured it out. Although the Colorado Avalanche try to act tough, they aren't. But Chevy's 2002 Avalanche is really a tough-looking and tough-acting truck.
The Colorado team tries, in vain, to reconfigure its lines, scoring chances and the way the players play. But Chevy's Avalanche is the world's first configurable truck. And while the Colorado Avalanche never quite control the puck when they play the Wings, Chevy's Avalanche has an "Autotrac" active transfer case standard on the 4-wheel-drive models that gives you precise control in most road conditions.
Finally, maybe because so many Detroiters hate that Colorado team,
maybe they would just like to say they OWN an Avalanche.
Am I going too far? Maybe. But these two Avalanches are total opposites.
'Nuf of that. Let's talk trucks.
First of all, you've got quite a few choices when choosing to purchase the Chevy Avalanche. The three models are the 1500, 2500 and North Face Edition. The 1500 and North Face Edition are outfitted with the 5.3-liter single fuel injected V8 with a 4-speed transmission that yields 285 horsepower. The 250 model is outfitted with the brand new Vortec 8100 engine - the same engine used in the Silverado heavy-duty truck. The engine is married to a 4-speed automatic transmission outfitted with overdrive and tow haul mode and will provide you with 340 horsepower.
Ready for a new catch-word? Since the Avalanche is neither a truck or a sport utility vehicle, this type is now called the Ultimate Utility Vehicle (UUV) segment. This new Convert-A-Cab system is really quite unique. Avalanche can be used as a 6-passenger sport utility vehicle and then easily converted to a truck or, with the rear window removed, an open-air vehicle. Quite versatile.
If you're an outdoor-type person, the North Face Edition is for you. The interior has green and black seats, door trim panels, floor mats with the North Face logo and a white instrument cluster. Exterior colors to choose from include sage green, summit white, sunset orange, onyx, black and pewter.
Getting back to the versatility of the Avalanche, I was, at first, intimidated by exactly what would be involved in changing the Avalanche into the different configurations. My feeling is - always - that everything should be self-explanatory and there should never be a reason to take the manual out of the glove box - unless you really want to.
Assessing the rear was quite simple. Pull down the rear seat back and that exposes the steps you need to take. A lever here, a pull there, a snap here and a tug there. Done. There's the truck. Pull up the rear of the rear window and place in the Midgate and it's gone. Simple, easy as pie and all, thankfully, self-explanatory. I liked that. A lot.
With the Midgate lowered and the rear seat folded and out of the way, the standard 5-foot, 3-inch bed length to extend to a whopping 8-foot, 1-inch bed, which is long enough for plywood sheets. On either side of the cargo box, you'll find two lockable top-box storage compartments. Together, it holds 3.5 cubic feet of space outfitted with drains. That way, tailgate parties are more fun with the cooler built into the truck. The cargo area, Midgate and tailgate are made of composite material, which means it's really durable and resists scratches and dents.
The 1500's fuel tank holds 31 gallons, while the 2500's gas tank can hold more than 37 gallons. That'll allow you to go more than 500 miles between fill-ups. And the mileage is what you would expect from a full-size pick up truck - between 15 and 16 mpg combined highway and city driving.
The ride and handling of the Avalanche is as good as it gets on a Chevrolet truck. It never labored getting up a hill or merging onto the freeway.
The interior of the Avalanche is user-friendly, with all instrumentation easy to understand, and easier to operate. The interior gave me a feeling of security because everything is molded around the driver's position. Cozy colors and plush carpeting added to that feeling.
The radical look of the exterior of the Avalanche takes a bit to get used to. Just like the Pontiac Aztec took a little getting used to. But by the end of the week, as I tended to notice more and more Avalanches on the road, the styling grew on me. It's a statement, that's for sure.
Sounds like I liked the Avalanche? Yeah, I did. It's another fine choice from the many trucks to choose from out there.
