The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Good drivetrain performance
- Midgate's a clever solution
- Five- or six-passenger versions
- All kinds of storage, even in the fenders
Dislikes
- One size powertrain had better fit all
- Midgate has a niche appeal
- Rear seatback too upright
- Quite the appetite for fuel
Buying tip
features & specs
The showpiece of the 2012 Chevy Avalanche is the clever midgate, but it's also easy to drive, and has lots of useful storage hidden inside and out.
Full-size pickups stake their reputations on towing and payload--so what's the be made of a truck that blurs the line between truck bed and cabin? That's the question you have to ask when you consider the 2012 Chevrolet Avalanche, a derivative of GM's big pickups that offers a nearly unique solution to the dilemma of truck owners who don't need another vehicle, but sometimes need a more flexible pickup.
The 'Lanche was new in 2002, and changed along with the rest of GM's trucks in the 2007 model year. It's a truck in silhouette, but the big pillars behind the rear doors are the first clue that this isn't simply a four-door with a bed. Those pillars are the feature that distinguishes the Avalanche from the very similar Silverado and even the GMC Sierra--otherwise, it's nearly their identical twin, from the big split-grille front end to the stubby truck bed out back. Inside, when everything's in its resting state, the cabin could be confused for the ones in other GM trucks--either as a five-passenger truck with a wide console and nicely chosen materials and trim, or a more basic-looking six-passenger version with no console, and a plainer dash.
When it's in an altered state, the Avalanche swaps some of that interior space for pickup-bed capacity. It's simple: just lower the rear window, fold away the rear seats and flip some latches, and the cabin's rear wall flips down. That extends the Avalanche's otherwise abbreviated truck bed into something way more useful for the average contractor, since it grows from 5' 3" to 8' 2", and since the bed wall has a tough surface so it really can be used for truck-type hauling. The downside: the conversion leaves the cabin open to the elements. And yes, those rear seating positions go away, but even though you'll have mixed feelings on their departure (the rear seatback sits too upright for real comfort), you could run into some extreme first-world issues if you're trying to bring home a new bathroom vanity and in-laws. That's rare, though, and most of the time the Avalanche is the only solution for suburbanites stuck between SUVs and pickups and a lack of parking spaces. It's the Murphy bed of trucks--not for everyone, but for those few, the only truly workable solution, except for its near-twin, the scary-expensive Cadillac Escalade EXT.
There's just one powertrain available in the 'Lanche, and it's one of the best offered in the GM truck lineup. The 310-horsepower, 5.3-liter V-8 comes with rear or four-wheel drive, married by a six-speed automatic. It's a workhorse of a drivetrain, torquey, able, and pleasant to hear on the move. Cylinder deactivation also gives the 5.3-liter V-8 a fuel economy boost, something engines from Dodge, Toyota and Nissan do without. The Avalanche drives as well as other GM trucks, its independent front suspension, well-sorted steering feel and well-damped ride earning the same kudos as the Silverado. There's an off-road Z71 package for those who need underbody protection and big knobby tires, too. The Avalanche can tow up to 8100 pounds and tote 1350 pounds of payload, putting it above the median in full-size trucks.
Crash-test scores have been pretty good, and the Avalanche can be fitted with rear parking sensors and a rearview camera, as well as a blind-spot monitor. Visibility can be an issue, because of those thick pillars, so those features come with our recommendation.
The base Avalanche in LS trim is aimed toward the work professional, though its standard equipment makes it a well-optioned truck from the starting gate. Power windows, locks, mirrors, driver seat; keyless entry; an AM/FM/XM/CD audio system with MP3 capability and USB port; and steering-wheel audio controls comes as standard features. LT and LTZ trims turn up the luxury with navigation ; Bluetooth; Bose Centerpoint audio; leather seats with ventilation up front; power-adjustable pedals; and remote start.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche Styling
There's a rich-looking interior hiding behind the Chevy Avalanche's tough-guy sheetmetal.
A tough Transformer of a truck, the Chevy Avalanche looks like every other pickup truck, from some angles, but from the rear pillars it's unmistakable.
Today's Avalanche was new in 2007, and hasn't changed much since then. That's the year GM changed its outlook, stripping off much of the plastic body cladding that had left the first-generation truck looking vaguely cheap and insubstantial. Now, all the attention focused on the 'Lanche goes to the rear of the doors, where a pair of buttresses almost look like a law-enforcement roll bar. They're there to add structural rigidity to the Avalanche, in the spot where the usual twin reinforcements of bed wall and cab wall would give ordinary trucks enough strength to keep from twisting too much. A tweak to the grille here, a little bolder choice in color there, and the Avalanche gets a distinct personality though it's more than 90 percent identical to the Chevy Silverado. In the balance you'd have to call it a successful design--especially if you took a look at the awkward, stubby-looking Honda Ridgeline, which doesn't even get the useful Midgate to go with its very thick roofline.
Inside the Avalanche, both six- and five-passenger models offer distinct interiors. Five-passenger models sport a large, curvaceous dash that's quite carlike, matched with a wide center console covered in woodgrain plastic trim. Six-person variants have a higher, plainer dash. The door panels echo the fenders, and the gauges are big and clearly laid out, with minimal fuss.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche Performance
Handling and acceleration are quite good by truck standards, but no one will ever confuse a Chevy Avalanche for a quick-footed compact.
Over the years, GM has pared down the powertrain offerings in some of its SUVs and trucks. But while you can still choose from a range of sixes and eights in the traditional pickups, the nontraditional Avalanche is offered in just one powertrain configuration.
The Avalanche is fitted with what's arguably the best overall engine and transmission combination of all the "GMT900" vehicles (Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, etc.). It's the 5.3-liter V-8, paired to a six-speed automatic, with a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive.
While there's only a choice of driven wheels, there's not much missing from this alterna-truck. The V-8 grants the 'Lanche good, if not great, acceleration thanks to 310 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. It's a workhorse powertrain, pleasantly torquey and with a throbby engine note just off idle. With a full complement of six passengers, a bed full of payload and a trailer towed off the tail, the engine could be taxed--but we haven't experienced anything like max capability. The engine also is flex-fuel capable, and has cylinder deactivation, which explains very good fuel economy numbers of 15/21 mpg, no matter if you've opted for four-wheel drive or not.
The Avalanche's capable chassis makes use of an independent front suspension with well-sorted steering feel and pleasant ride damping. Though the Ram 1500 still boasts best-in-class ride quality and the Ford F-150 is blessed with a zingy, electric power steering system, the Avalanche still feels predictable and lightfooted by truck standards. Its bulk makes for some work in tight sports, but its maneuverable makes up for it a tad.
Chevy's Z71 off-road package offers beefed-up running gear for trailblazing; the package brings bigger wheels and tires—and a more uncompromising ride.
You won't be wanting for towing and payload capability as the Avalanche is rated for 8,100 and 1,350 pounds, respectively.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche Comfort & Quality
The Avalanche is the only truck on earth that can go from six-seat SUV to full-size pickup--though it loses a closed, two-row cabin in the process.
For the most part, the Chevy Avalanche has a cabin just like the ones you'd find in a four-door Silverado, pretty similar as well to the one in the Chevy Tahoe SUV. It shares their generally high grade of trim and comfortable front seats. But when attention shifts to the back seat, and the truck bed, all similarities end.
There aren't many drivers that will be too large or too tall to find a comfortable seat inside the Avalanche. Available as a six- or five-seater, it's as capacious as most any full-size truck needs to be, with good head and leg room. Six-passenger versions have a broad dash with no center console, which opens up leg room completely while also offering a fold-down armrest that helps passengers brace themselves--there's not much bolstering to hold them in place. Five-seat versions have a wide center console with all kinds of storage molded in and hidden under lids and covers. There's room for a laptop inside the console bin, and everything from mobile phones to soda bottles get extra-large niches built into the cabin.
The back seat holds three adults across, when the Avalanche sits in enclosed form. Like other GM trucks, the back seat sits a little to close to vertical for true comfort, and unlike the Ram or F-150, the floor isn't flat.
If you're absolutely in need of carrying five or more passengers along with cargo, the Silverado will be a better choice. But if those plans can change--and need to on a moment's notice--the Avalanche has a nifty load gate cut into the wall behind the back seats. Called the Midgate, the panel locks into place to preserve an SUV-like cabin, but folds down to extend the otherwise short bed. Lower the rear glass, flip down the midgate, and the Avalanche's rear seats turn into more bed space--the bed lengthens from 5'3" to 8'2", giving it near full-size pickup cargo capacity. It's a temporary, occasional solution, since there's no way to enclose the cabin at that point, to keep out rain or snow or even wind.
Locking bins are integrated into the Avalanches rear fenders for secure storage, but tools don't have a true home in the pickup. Instead, GM's shape-shifter is more attune to duty at the lake and keeping your boat ropes all in one place.
Four years ago, GM got serious about comfort and quality with its truck line—includeing the Avalanche. While the interior is still home to numerous plastic bits and pieces, GM has raised its quality and put it together with more care than you may notice in base model, work truck versions of the Silverado.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche Safety
Crash-test scores are lacking, and we recommend any Avalanche buyer opt for the parking sensors and rearview camera.
Since the major change to both crash-test ratings systems, the Avalanche has been left out in the cold.
It's performed well over the years, but the Avalanche has no official crash-test scores to its credit now. Both agencies--the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)--adjusted their testing regimens and formulas for the 2011 model year, and neither has re-tested the Avalanche, likely because it's more than halfway through its current model cycle.
It's difficult even to look at the similar GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado for any relevant data, because the Avalanche is so distinct from those vehicles in terms of side-impact strength--thanks to its clever Midgate.
We're giving the 'Lanche its relatively high score because it's performed well in the past, and continues to add safety technology. The usual airbags and stability control are also programmed to behave more actively in a rollover accident, and GM throws in free OnStar hardware with emergency notification, with an option to extend other infotainment services on a monthly subscription.
The 2011 Avalanche features a rearview camera and rear parking sensors, which are nearly necessary because due to the truck's compromised rearward visibility, and a blind-spot warning system ensures you don't unintentionally cut into someone else's lane. An integrated trailer brake controller also brings peace of mind during emergency stops while towing.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche Features
Like GM's other big trucks, the Avalanche has a wide range of features, some for off-roading, some for pure luxury.
With virtually no changes for the 2012 model year, the Chevy Avalanche continues to cover a pretty wide set of driving needs with its standard and available features.
With three basic trim levels and some option packages, the Avalanche can venture off-road as easily as it can absorb long-distance trips, with features like standard keyless entry; a power driver seat; power mirrors, locks, and windows; and an AM/FM/CD player with a USB port, steering-wheel audio controls, and MP3 playback. That's for the basic LS model: LT and LTZ trims can be fitted with features like Bluetooth; Bose audio; power-adjustable pedals; ventilated front seats; a navigation system; and remote start.
There's also a Z71 package of recovery hooks, fog lamps, and distinctive trim, which give the Avalanche very good off-road capability.
The midgate is the cornerstone feature of all Avalanches and allows the pickup bed to expand into the cabin. All trims are equipped with a three-piece locking cargo cover, nonslip bed mats, and a locking compartment in each rear fender.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche Fuel Economy
In the grander scheme not so green, the Avalanche is good on gas in a big-truck way.
It comes in just one drivetrain configuration, and since that's one of GM's most efficient truck pieces, the Chevy Avalanche does better than most full-sizers on gas.
The EPA rates it at a relatively miserly 15/21 mpg rating. Of course the Avalanche isn't strictly a full-size truck, but against the most efficient, latest Ford F-150s, it almost keeps up--while it bests trucks like the Tundra, Titan and Ram 1500.
