SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF PICKUPS
The Chevrolet Avalanche sports invaluable utility, posh cabin furnishings and appealing design,
With its trick “midgame” aperture, the Chevrolet Avalanche is the ideal vehicle to carry sensitive cargo — such as show bunnies.
“Lots of room to put rabbit cages, grooming table, etc. And the best part is that I can keep the rabbits cool or warm, as needed, because the bed cover keeps the elements out,” reads one owner’s synopsis.
Folklore has it the Swiss Army knife of pickup trucks got rushed into production to beat Ford, which had displayed a concept at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show that was a cross between a pickup and an SUV.
General Motors was having kittens. Concerned that Ford’s Equator would own a niche with its folddown panel between the cabin and the cargo box, GM green-lighted its own version (the Ford was never produced, ironically, but the otherworldly Subaru Baja was).
The Avalanche debuted for 2002, built on the long-wheelbase GMT800 platform that underpinned the Suburban. The truck’s key feature was its clever midgame, separating the cabin from the cargo bed.
With the midgame closed, the bed stretched a little over 1.5 metres. But with the back seats and midgame folded down, there was more than 2.4 metres of space between the backs of the front seats to the closed tailgate.
A three-piece tonneau cover kept the cargo dry and secure.
The Avalanche migrated to the new, stronger GMT900 platform for 2007. The fully boxed frame delivered 49- per-cent better torsional rigidity, a new coil-spring front suspension and a rack-and-pinion steering system that promised better road feel.
Available solely as a four-door crew cab, the cabin was much improved over the old one. Upscale materials, careful fit and finish, and logical control layouts made the second-generation Avalanche a considerably more hospitable truck.
The standard 5.3-litre pushrod V8 produced 320 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque; four-wheeldrive versions were rated slightly lower at 310 hp.
An optional 6.0-L V8 generated 366 hp. Both engines worked through a four-speed automatic transmission.
A contemporary six-speed automatic arrived for 2009. The optional 6.0-litre V8 was dropped in 2010, and a single-speed transfer case was made standard on 4WD models, with a two-speed transfer case optional.
The Avalanche bowed out after 2013, but not without a nice send-off. The Black Diamond edition utilized body colour trim around the bed, while all models got more standard equipment, including a backup camera. Driving and owning the Avalanche Weighing close to three tons, the Avalanche was a beastly burden unto itself. The sprint to 97 km/h required a merely adequate 8.3 seconds. Still, it seemed to make short work of, well, work.
“Towing a utility trailer filled with 1- 1⁄ tons of river rock, I have to keep
2 looking in the side-view mirror to remind myself that it is still there,” reader Peter Blakeley wrote of his Black Diamond.
The truck’s serene ride and hushed refinement were direct results of the rigid ladder frame, while the quicker steering ratio made it feel alert. GM’s active fuel management system, which cut off fuel to half the cylinders during steady-state cruising, helped temper thirsty fuel consumption.
Owners applaud the Avalanche’s invaluable utility, posh cabin furnishings, appealing design and smooth comportment. What they didn’t like was the big lug’s unnerving blind spots, which made the parking sensors and backup camera necessities.
“The back end is so high that small cars can disappear in the rearview mirror if they get too close,” one driv- er cautioned online.
In terms of reliability, the Avalanche has largely impressed, although there are a few chronic issues endemic to the GMT900 trucks.
Oil consumption by the 5.3-L V8 can be excessive to the point that dealers advise owners to check the oil level at every fill-up.
Door handles can fall apart and lock actuators can fail. The dashboard is notorious for developing cracks, one above the instrument cluster and another above the passenger airbag.
“Duck tape (sic) will not stick well on the dash,” lamented one poster.
Other reported mechanical lapses include leaky oil seals, broken power seats and suspension air compressors, short-lived batteries and water leaks around the bed cover. Tell us about your ownership experience with these models: Volkswagen Beetle and Toyota 4Runner. Email: toljagic@ca.inter.net.