Chevrolet Avalanche reviews

2011 Chevrolet Avalanche Interior Features

The interior of the Chevy Avalanche breaks with Chevy tradition much more than the exterior does. The cabin marks a watershed in ease of use, not to mention ease on the eye.

This is a roomy truck. It's like sitting in the first two rows of a Chevy Tahoe. We thought the bucket seats could use more thigh support, however, and they felt more bench-like than sporty.

The rear seats offer adequate and decently contoured space for adults, even those a few inches taller than six feet. The rear seatbacks don't recline, nor do they fold all the way flat with the head restraints in place, unless, that is, the front seats are moved almost all the way forward on their tracks.

The fit and finish impressed us. Tolerances between panels were tight. The wood grain trim didn't quite pass the authenticity test, but it added at least a hint of upscale. The optional leather upholstery and other materials favored durability over luxury without looking or feeling cheap.

Everything about the dash and instrument cluster is lean and clean. A large, round tachometer and matching speedometer dominate the gauge cluster, complemented by four smaller dials reporting information vital to the operation of a truck capable of hauling heavy loads or pulling large trailers or transporting as many as six occupants. The center stack houses controls for stereo and climate management, two power points, and buttons for optional features such as the power adjustable pedals.

Cubby storage: Models with bucket seats have a center console with a large, open storage bin outfitted with a removable dual cup holder. Aft of this is an equally large, but not especially deep storage compartment beneath a padded, hinged cover that doubles as a center armrest. The standard 40/20/40 front bench seat incorporates some storage in its center section. The glove box isn't as expansive as it looks when closed. Front door panels have hard-plastic fixed map pockets with molded-in can holders.

Outward visibility is about what's expected from a full-size pickup. On the Avalanche, the hood drops away fairly steeply from the base of the windshield. The flying buttresses hamper quick lane checks, although the large outside mirrors compensate somewhat. When deployed, the roof-mounted, rear seat video screen for the optional entertainment system effectively fills the middle portion of the inside rearview mirror.

The Midgate is what separates the Avalanche from other pickups. With the Midgate and bed cover in place, you have a four-door truck with a huge, lockable trunk. Fold the seats down and the trunk gets even bigger. Lift off the bed covers, fold the seats back up, and it's a pickup with a short bed. Finally, fold those rear seats and the Midgate and remove and stow the back window and bed cover, and it's transformed into an open-air hauler with room for all sizes and shapes of cargo, from regular-size sheets of plywood to a brace of off-road motorcycles or an ATV.

Folding the Midgate but leaving the back window and bed cover in place provides 101 cubic feet of enclosed, mostly secure, contiguous storage space, about the equal of seven-plus car trunks. The bed measures 63.3 inches with the Midgate in place, 98.2 inches with the Midgate folded down. By comparison, an F-150 SuperCrew's short bed is 67.0 inches long. The structure of the bed cover will support a 250-pound man, or a lot of snow. This can be a useful feature. We've walked on the cover and found it quite stable. The cover incorporates two lockable storage bins on each side just forward of the tailgate, but the height of the bed's walls makes them hard to reach by anybody shorter than five-foot-eight. On the other hand, they are water-tight and fitted with drains, making them usable as coolers. This last feature can make the Avalanche the center of activity at a tailgate party, unless the other guys bring a Dodge Ram Box. If they do that, you'll have to focus on showing off the Midgate.

We found converting the Avalanche from SUV to pickup to be a fairly easy process, once learned, for the type of people who buy full-size pickups. But it does take some time, patience and even a little strength because the panels covering the bed weigh 20 pounds a piece and can be awkward to handle. It's best to leave them at home when not being used. Also, the rear glass panel must be carefully snapped into a holder when removed. Don't let your buddies do this for you. All of this takes a few moments of unhurried activity to perform. It's serious car stuff, sort of like putting up the top on an old convertible, but not as serious as trying to put the soft top back on an old Jeep.