If ever you desired to have a passenger car with the power and performance of a SUV, try driving Chevrolet Avalanche. It is a perfect mix of the comfort and convenience of a passenger SUV and the brute power of a pickup truck. This multi utility vehicle was made by Chevrolet, an automotive giant that is a division of General Motors. Popularly referred to as just Chevy, the company produced this passenger pickup truck on a long chassis that was being used on Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Suburban. The most distinctive feature of this MUV from Chevrolet was its ability to convert from 5-6 passenger cabin cab into a 2-3 passenger cab with a large cargo box. This was made possible because of a unique midgate in the body of the car.
Chevrolet continued with Avalanche for 2 generations and 12 years. It was not just the powertrain that was used but also other hardware inside that made Avalanche very similar to the other trucks and SUV’s made by the company. People are surprised by the fact that used Avalanche still commands a premium when compared to other cars of same age and parameters but they fail to see that Avalanche gives them more than most other trucks and SUVs. For anyone who is looking for a powerful SUV with the comfort of a large passenger car, Chevrolet Avalanche presents itself with a smart choice as it is available today at less than half the price of a new car.
The fact that it can switch between a powerful pickup truck with a large bed and a long passenger car with a small bed has made this now defunct model from Chevrolet a huge hit among the customers living in suburban areas requiring a pickup truck to carry goods to the nearby town. If you are looking for this car, you have the option to go for the more recent model of Avalanche that the company produced for 6 years from 2007 till 2013. This MUV is of course much sleeker than the earlier model of Avalanche and it is also sharper when one looks at the exterior design and styling. The 2nd model of Avalanche gives the driver a more precise feeling and much more refined interiors than the first model that was produced by the company from 2001 till 2006.
Depending upon its availability you can have 2nd model of Avalanche as LS (base model), LT (midgrade), and finally LTZ which is the plush model. You can opt for many technology features like a rear seat infotainment system, Bose audio etc as well as comfort enhancing features like leather upholstery. All models of Avalanche are RWD and they are fitted with a perky V8 engine having a capacity of 5.3 liters. This engine can produce a power of 310HP and a torque of 335lb-ft. The company offered a model of Avalanche with more powerful 6.0 liter V8 engine for a period of 2 years from 2007 till 2009. However, you may not be able to notice any difference in power and performance, so do not pay higher for this particular model if you are being lured by the seller.
The interesting thing to note with Avalanche is that while the earlier models were 4 seed auto transmission, it was only in 2009 that the company introduced the first 6 speed Avalanche in the year 2009. This became the standard gear transmission till the end with Avalanche. If you sit behind the wheel of this 2nd generation Avalanche, you will find that it is not only a very smooth car but also one
that looks after your comfort very well. It is indeed a powerhouse with its superlative V8 engine and also gives a great acceleration to enable you to race past other cars on road with a slight press of the peddle. The towing capacity of this MUV from Chevrolet is 8000 pounds which when compared to pure trucks is less but very impressive when once compares it with the towing capacity of similar cars like the one from Honda called Ridgeline.
If maneuvering Avalanche in tight spots, especially when climbing uphill, was a little tricky with the first model, this problem was more or less solved with the updated platform of the 2nd model of Avalanche. It was the legendary midgate that made Avalanche a darling of the consumers from the suburban areas. This was the reason why the company more or less carried this feature of midgate even with the 2nd generation Avalanche. Chevrolet Avalanche has always received praise from the customers because of its adjustable bed and seating that is very, very comfortable. However, there are also some downsides to this versatile passenger car cum pickup truck. These include low quality material used in the interior and a visibility that is moderate at best. But overall, Chevrolet Avalanche remains a good bet for those who look for comfort and convenience coupled with power and performance.
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