Chevrolet avalche

Chevrolet Avalanche: Consumer Reports 2012 Top Pick Pickup Truck | Consumer Reports

With its appearance, “Avalanche” (as the name of the car is translated from English) created a real sensation. Chevrolet designers have revolutionized the all-wheel drive class for leisure and sports (S.U.V. - Sport Utility Vehicle). Avalanche with the same success can be considered a pick-up and off-road, as the usual pick-up body is covered with an elegant plastic cover, and for comfort, this pick-up SUV can compete with expensive sedans.

Avalanche is unique in that it is designed and manufactured on the basis of an SUV. The basis for this model served as the Chevrolet Tahoe / Suburban. With the exception of the cargo compartment and exterior trim elements, the car repeats its ancestor in almost everything, except for the image. After all, even the most courageous Chevrolet Suburban does not carry in its appearance that cowboy courage that is present in the simplest pick-up. Actually, this is one of the reasons for the appearance of pickups based on full-size and luxury SUVs. However, the Chevrolet Avalanche stood out even more - such futuristic appearance of pickups was not previously observed.

Aggressive appearance, pronounced lines of the body, a powerful plastic body kit in the lower part, as well as design of the "front" with a chrome strip across the entire width, made in the corporate style of Chevrolet. Serial samples of the car, which is very unusual, almost completely repeat the concept.

Two basic versions are offered in terms of capacity: the “standard” 1500 and the “extra strong” 2500, each of which is available with both front and all-wheel drive.

Chevrolet Avalanche 2002 model year, has undergone some changes regarding the first version. They touched the pattern of the front part, the contours and the location of the light devices, in particular the fog lamps, which are now multi-reflex.

The heart of Avalanche is the V8 gasoline engine with a displacement of 5.3 liters, 290 hp. and a maximum torque of 441 Nm. In addition to the engine on the car set V8 of 4.8 liters and a huge 8.1-liter V8 capacity of 340 hp with an insane torque of 617 Nm.

At the heart of the Chevrolet Avalanche are the strongest hydroformed ladder-type frame, an independent torsion bar with double wishbone with a stabilizer, and a five-lever rear spring with a Panhard bar.

On pickups, they install only an automatic 4-speed transmission and an Autotrack Active 4WD drive, which is controlled by buttons on the front panel, where the main one is Auto 4WD, which uses the Torque On Demand system. The remaining drive modes correspond to the classic 2H, 4H and 4L. The transition to all-wheel drive can be done on the go at any speed, but to activate the downshift you need to stop and turn on the “neutral”. In downshift mode in the transfer case, the on-board computer “stretches” the accelerator pedal stroke, as a result of which you can move much more smoothly than without this option.

Its dimensions Chevrolet Avalanche close Chevrolet Suburban. The same wheelbase - 3300 mm, car length - 5570 mm and width - 2020 mm. However, thanks to the convex arch extensions, huge relief overlays on the sides of the pickup looks more energetic and lean.

In the cabin of Avalanche, such a glaring continuity reigns that the author of the design will most certainly not be able to distinguish its interior from the interior of Tahoe. The familiar six scales of the instrument panel, the transfer case selector buttons to the left of it, the “poker” of the machine, sticking out in the parking mode “to half past one”, are all familiar. The same can be said about the chairs. The second row is in the proportion 60:40. Behind the back is a pen. With its help, a standard pickup can be made almost a main semi-trailer, having increased the length of the body from 1600 to 2500 mm. The swivel handles alternately unfasten three body cover panels, then the partition between the body and the cabin is removed, the glass and the beam are removed, to which the partition and the glass are attached. Now a small sports boat, a snowmobile, a bike and several bicycles can be loaded into the body, which not every 4-door pick-up can do. In the side walls of the body are compartments in which you can put tool boxes and many other necessary things.

Patency Avalanche, is at the level of full-size Chevrolet SUVs. This is a heavy machine with large inertia, not the best in the world geometric cross and high-torque motor, when piloting which over rough terrain, we must remember two potentially vulnerable places - the sills and the tow bar. The latter is included in the additional equipment, and if you do not need to carry something, then it is better not to install it at all - it clings to any noticeable break in the terrain on the roads. By the way, the thresholds can also be removed; they are installed on almost decorative, although quite strong, brackets.

Bottom pickup is protected as a whole not bad. Steel shields cover the radiator and engine compartment in front, as well as the transfer case.

During its short history, Avalanche managed to win many different awards and titles: a 2002 car in America rated by Popular Mechanics magazine, a silver prize winner among SUVs at the Detroit -2002 auto show, the best truck on the 2003 tests. And what is quite remarkable, in 2002, Avalanche received an award in the nomination "Best Interior of the Year", ahead of more than 30 competitors, among which were executive cars. Keeping glorious traditions and supporting modern trends, Chevrolet Avalanche, became the founder of a new direction in pick-up. The first generation sold 379.5 thousand copies - this indicator was not reached by any of the Avalanche competitors.

In 2006, at the Chicago auto show, General Motors announced a new generation of Chevrolet Avalanche.

Model 2007 model year is based on a completely new GMT900 platform, on which all off-road models of the company will be built in the future. Improvements have undergone the appearance of the car, interior design, as well as security systems. The new Avalanche uses the same 5.3-liter and 6-liter V8 engines with a half-cylinder shut-off system, including modifications that run on ethanol fuel E85, which interest has increased dramatically in recent years. The power unit is paired with an automatic transmission. The drive can be complete or only on the rear axle.

The car inherited a practical partition from its predecessor, which separates the 6-seater cabin from the loading platform and allows, with the rear seat folded down, the length of the transported goods to be increased from 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Avalanche also received the latest generation OnStar service and navigation system, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in Chicago.