I can remember many years ago writing automotive humour pieces entitled, The Top 10 Ugliest Vehicles of the Year, and dagummit if the Chevrolet Avalanche wasn't almost always somewhere on my list.

Great in the city, but fabulous off-road too, the stylish Avalanche has come a long way since its rather radical forebear entered the scene. (Photo: GM)

It wasn't that the Avalanche was necessarily a bad vehicle when it first appeared in 2002, it just had so much gray plastic tacked around its lower body panels that it looked like a Tonka Truck.

Well, it didn't take Chevrolet long to get the hint. Perhaps it was the hundreds of “Ugliest Vehicle” lists it found itself upon, or maybe it came from a unanimous sticky note attached to then-CEO, Rick Wagoner's desk, “Note to Rick: Textured gray plastic looks good on painted metal in small quantities... not gargantuan!” So in 2003, the plastic body side panels dropped off and became strictly an option. Now, some consumer's feel the panels made the Avalanche look more “unique” and/or “aggressive,” so ultimately it all comes down to opinion.

But despite what I may have thought about the Avalanche in the past, I am currently a fond admirer of Chevrolet's 2009 model. While it may no longer be the black (er, should I rather say, gray) sheep it once was, it is a slick looking truck. Some say that it now looks too much like the Cadillac Escalade EXT, but I see that as a compliment to its design and at $41,720 base, not a bad way to move up another rung on the image ladder. Beyond its appearance, Chevrolet has kept the one thing that has been the truck’s meal ticket for the past seven years...  its versatility.

The

Great for hauling what-have-you, and the rear wall collapses out of the way for longer items. (Photo: GM)

SUV platform Avalanche rides on offers a couple perks over the standard truck or SUV architecture. For one, it can haul a plenitude of people and stuff, depending on your needs. The ingenious midgate design continues to open up the interior portion of the cab when needed, extending the Avalanche's 1.5-metre (5-foot) bed by an extra 0.9 meters (3 feet) in just a few minutes time. The rear window can also be removed, freeing up even more hauling space. Besides hauling goods and people, the Avalanche has an 8,000 lb (3,629 kg) tow capacity, which is not particularly impressive when compared to heavy duty trucks, but functional for most popular toys, such as boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, small trailers, etc.

The rear bed comes standard with a lockable cover and storage bins fit into each side. At the time of testing, I was traveling through Las Vegas, Nevada. When leaving the vehicle unattended at the various casinos with my luggage in the bed, it was a pleasure not to need to drag them into the front cab for theft protection (as I have in the past).

A nice upscale interior, the Avalanche is a step above a base Silverado. (Photo: GM)

The interior was comfortable, functional, and had a lot of the standard amenities most commuters will find useful, such as steering wheel radio controls, auto dimming rearview mirror, automatic headlights/side mirror, dual temperature climate control, full-time 4-wheel drive, OnStar, and the Z71 off road package.

The Avalanche rides smooth in the city and on the highway. The LT1 5.3L (310 hp, 335 lb-ft torque) V8 has plenty of power for quick acceleration, and felt particularly at home on the highway at cruising speeds 120 km/h (75 mph). Despite its 3-ton mass, the Avalanche drives more like a large luxury sedan. The only thing that was a constant reminder of its bulky frame was its ride height and limited vision through the rear window. The high bed height creates a bit of a blind spot for small vehicles hugging the bumper. This is really more to the detriment of other vehicles however, as I soon found out.

During

Nice aluminum trim adds to the upscale ambiance, and GM's switchgear is all very good now. The Avalanche, especially when equipped with the optional navigation, is exceptionally fine for a truck. (Photo: GM)

the evening rush hour, I was rear-ended by a motorist who failed to stop at a red light. The accident caused damage to three vehicles, none less than the Avalanche. The total repair bill for the Avalanche racked up to $800, while the small imports behind me received significant damage necessitating a tow truck (thankfully, nobody was hurt). The only indication I had even been struck was a slight shutter and the calm voice of an OnStar operator asking if I needed assistance. After exchanging my information with the drivers involved, I was back en route with my review, shaken, but not stirred.

The Avalanche is a very capable off road vehicle in its Z71 form. Its features include off road springs/shocks, 18” wheels, colour-matched wheel flares, a skid plate, tow hooks, a few decals, and an overall slightly aggressive profile. Taking it off the beaten path in the Nevada dessert, I noticed two important points. One, the ZR1 package really handles itself quite well over rocky terrain, and two, its air-conditioning works spectacularly well, even in the triple digit Nevada dessert air.

When my time was over with the Avalanche, I must admit that I was actually sad to see it go. While I am not typically an admirer of large SUV/truck type vehicles, this “jack of all trades” Chevrolet had really grown on me. Perhaps it was because I felt I owed it my gratitude for sheltering me from the accident earlier that evening. But more likely, it was because it truly is a well-designed, one of a kind vehicle.

Would I purchase one if ever I were in need? Absolutely. Would I think twice about riding its bumper during gridlock traffic when driving a small import? Without a doubt!

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(V54) Luggage Carrier

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(VK3) Front License Plate Mounting Provisions

(K05) Engine Block Heater

(JF4) Power Adjustable Pedals

(PDD) Driver Convenience Package

(UD7) Rear Parking Assist: Ultrasonic

(K5L) Heavy Duty Cooling Package