Chevrolet Avalanche Trucks | Vans

Chevrolet Avalanche Trucks | Vans 

DESCRIPTION

The 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche is a 4-door, up to 6-passenger full size pickup, available in 6 trims, ranging from the LS 2WD to the LTZ 4WD.

All trims are equipped with a standard 5.3-liter, V8, 320-horsepower, flexible fuel engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 21-mpg on the highway.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 11-20 of 49  
[May 04, 2006]
Colin
Model Reviewed: Chevrolet Avalanche

Strength:

Versatilty, quality, and room. I am 6'3" and no other vehicle provides me with the room and the space that this does. Ride quality is excellent. Ride height is great. My next vehicle will be an Avalanche.

Weakness:

The only one I have noticed is pre-mature rust around the gate supports. Would suggest a backing assist feature, as the tailgate is that high that you often have problems seeing anything that is behind you (however, I understand that this has been addressed with the 2007).

Love this truck/SUV. The ride is amazing and have had only one minor warranty issue - the rubber around the back window came loose. Who should buy it - anyone looking for a spacious interior, all the luxury features of a high end car and all the versatility of a truck and SUV. Do not buy it if you are looking for high gas mileage - this is a large and heavy vehicle that will consume more gas than any 4 door family sedan.

Similar Products Used:

None - my first full-sized truck.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
[Apr 13, 2006]
stallionmn58@yahoo.com
Model Reviewed: Chev Avalanche

Strength:

great style and seating
I sold chevrolets for 20 years and finaly bought my own new truck after retiring from car business and I am very disapointed in the build quality of this vehicle. If chevrolet can ever fix my problem instead of just telling me they all do it.

Weakness:

Terribles rattles in dash and roof,creaking noise in suspension,I pull a 3500 pound camper and it gets 9mpg at 60mph,dealers just laugh off rattle problems because they dont get paid enough from warranty comp-gm to make it worth while for them.

I like the look of the truck, I bought the LT model.

Similar Products Used:

1957-2oo5 chevrolets over 100 owned
currently also have 2004 chev imapala ss
indianapolis edition-very cool car -plate reads "Indy-SS" only 4088 built

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
2
[Apr 13, 2005]
calgary
Model Reviewed: Avalanche

Strength:

quietness, smooth ride, excellent milage (for size & weight), versatility, lots of storage, roomy for a 6'5" guy, classy, minimal defects.

Weakness:

Useless and dangerous low beam headlights!!! Weak side walls on tires. I would have given a 5 star overall rating if it wasn't for the headlights.

This is the most favorite chev I have ever owned. At 40,000 km I am about to go in for the first minor warranty. It is the standard GM steering rattle which requires a lube job, and for the recall on tailgate straps. I have owned 3 other new GM trucks and this one had the best pricing deal and has had the least problems - probably due to being built in Mexico! Compared to my past pickups this truck is larger and heavier, and has more power and gets better milage. I did order it with 3.73 highway gears which were not actually recommended. Driving throughout BC in the mountains with minimal wind @ about 110km/hr I get a constant 11 to 12 ltr/100km. My last silverado extended cab and short box stepside were about 14ltr/100km. They were the 5.3ltr except the '92 stepside which was a 350cuin. (sorry I don't have the US milage conversions handy). I have camped in it, towed a 17' trailer around with it, and once even had to sleep in it with 4 other family members while a highway shut down during the big BC forest fires 2 years ago. Good thing it could convert to a roomy place since all the hotels were booked solid. It would have been nice if my bucket seat could recline more but the folded down rear seat limits it. The ride is pure luxury, you won't spill your coffee! I like hitting the big bumps in comfort and then watching the vehicles behind jumping around. The rear view takes getting used to since everything appears closer due to the high back. My small complaint is the cheap tires which allow the wind to blow the truck around. I wish they offered narrow tires for Calgary's windy and icy roads. I guess the suspension could also be causing this but I won't know until I buy better tires. Now my big complaint. The lowbeam headlights are the worst and most dangerous I have ever had to drive with! How did they ever justify putting so many people at risk? Put in simple words they are super high powered spot beams. From the factory they aim them into the ground so oncoming traffic won't be blinded. In the first week I almost hit a coyote doing 25mph because by the time I saw his feet in the super bright spot light,I was only about 50 feet from him. I estimate these lights shine 90% from a 'horizontal line' and downward, and only 10% above the 'line'. You are driving with only 10% looking forward where it is most important! The fog lights are actually more functional on this truck. I have had to raise the headlights over time until I found a point where only a few people flash me weekly. It is better, but even the road signs don't reflect much unless you happen to hit a bump to get the 'line' to shine up there. I hate driving this truck at night and unfortunatly Calgary is mostly night driving being so far north. The high beams are awsome, but with so many vehicles on the roads these days how often can you really use them? (I have the non-clad Avalanche which uses the standard truck headlights). On the contrary my last '99 silverado had the best lights I have ever used. I could drive all night on the highways at 70mph with low beams and see everything - and I never had anyone flash me. They were totally safe and I really miss them. As soon as they figuer out how bad these lights are and change them I will trade it in for a new Avalanche so I can enjoy driving safely at night again! (In case you ask why I don't use the fog lamps if they are so much better, it really bothers others and mostly truckers on long hauls seeing 4 lights shining all that volume of light for no obvious reason). I think GM should be forced to do a recall and save some lives before they hit that moose, or don't see that stop sign !! I wish to thank this site for helping people in deciding their next purchase. It has helped me in the past and I am grateful to give back a little. I don't want to slam GM, but If enough people comment on a problem they will have to address it one day.

Similar Products Used:

79 long box, 88 suburban, 92 stepside, 99 silverado.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Mar 23, 2005]
jonmac
Model Reviewed: Z71

Strength:

Power, comfort, room, usability, and quiet! Except for backing up, visibility is great.

Weakness:

HUGE rear blind spot while backing up which is worsened at night due to an intense reflection of the dash lights in rear window. Fuel economy (or lack thereof) is a definite drawback, but like I said, I knew that going in. With the higher real axle ratio, mileage drops another 2-3 per gallon. When in 4WD (both in Auto mode and 4-HI) you can clearly hear the front axle when cornering at low speeds. I'd expect that in 2-LO, maybe even in 4-HI, but in Auto mode? The engine pings a little with 87 octance, but not enough to warrant more expensive gas. The Z71 comes with 17" wheels, but the spare is the standard 16" size. At least it's better than one of thise donut spares.

I bought my 2005 Avalanche after wanting one for a couple of years, and then actually reseaching everything I could find for about 5 weeks. I knew it would be a gas guzzler going in, so I can't complain about that. I bought a 2005 Z71 "without body hardware" (I've heard it referred to as "Chevy Tupperware"), but with all the options except the DVD player, GPS system and roof rack. The leather bucket seats are a dream come true for anyone with a bad back. This may be a truck, but with seats like these, you'd never know it! I have always loved Suburbans, and I love the Tahoes and Yukons, but I wanted something with a bed for everything from frequent camping trips with all the associated equipment to trees from the nursery. This truck does everything that I need it for, and it exceeds expectations. Finding the specific one I wanted was a chore, because there were options I didn't need/want, such as OnStar, XM Radio and a sunroof. Well, OnStar is standard on all but the base models, and if you wanted the leather seats, it was hard to find one without a sunroof (by the way, you have to get a sunroof if you want the integrated "HomeLink" garage door opener). My dealership was kind enough to essentially "comp" the sunroof package and the XM Radio with GM coupons. So I got the options that are nice, but not needed in a truck. The sunroof is nice, but I have yet to see any value in the two extra bulky black antennas on the front of the roof (XM and OnStar). I guess if I lock my keys in the car like the people in the radio advertisments do it'll be nice, but when the free year is up, I'm not subscribing. The dealer told me they can have one built to the customer's specifications in as little as seven weeks, so if you are looking for a specific configuration, that may be a consideration. The rubber bed liner is great - things don't slide around like they would on other hard plastic bedliners. The locking side compartments have an incredible amount of room in them. I refer to them as saddle bags with locks. I'd considered a Siverado with the extended cab, but the removable hard cover is a far better solution than an exposed bed, and it locks, too!

Similar Products Used:

Jeep Cherokee, Ford Exporer, Chevy Scottsdale, Ford F150

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
[Sep 02, 2004]
jbb
Model Reviewed: Chevrolet Avalanche

Strength:

Ride: very comfortable with bucket seats. Plenty of room in the back for kids or adults. Versatility: SUV, truck, car. It does it all! Looks: I get lots of complements. I like that the Avalanche is a little unique.

Weakness:

Gas mileage and price. But the mileage is 2-3 mpg better than my Ram with a 4.7 engine and as good as my wife's Durango.

I looked at many vehicles, including Ram 1500, F150, Silverado, Tahoe and Durango, before selecting the Avalanche. For anyone looking for daily transportation that isn't too big with the ability to pick up some trees or sod for landscaping, look no further. The Avalanche rides great. The seats are extremely comfortable and I imagine can adjust to fit any body type. It fits in my underground parking garage at work fairly easily -- much better than my previous truck (Ram 1500) and it fits in my garage at home. The Avalanche sits high enough to see in traffic and I notice that I don't get tailgated or cut-off like I did in my Accord. When people ask my opinion about the Avalanche, I tell them that more thought was put into the design of this vehicle than anything that I've previously owned. The step bumper, the compartments on each side of the bed, the different options for business or personal mileage/expenses on the "Driver Information Center" are all great.

Similar Products Used:

Ram 1500, Durango.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
[May 07, 2004]
jsharman
Model Reviewed: Avalanche Z71

Strength:

sits up high, very comfortable. Large gas tank.

Weakness:

none yet.... like most - better gas mileage would great - but in a truck like this you can't expect it all

Toby Keith sings "I love this Bar", well "I love this truck!!!". It is very comfortable and sits me up higher than most everyone else. My commute is an hour and a half every day and this truck makes it enjoyable.

Similar Products Used:

2001 Dodge Dakota, 1999 Dodge Dakota, 1994 GMC Sierra, 1990 GMC S-15

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Apr 18, 2004]
mpsrent
Model Reviewed: 4WD 4 door

Strength:

Tonneau cover, midgate, smooth ride.

Weakness:

Quality, quality, quality. The build quality just isn't there for the price of the truck. My exhaust baffles just went in the muffler. I've had ABS sensors go twice. The tailgate lock broke and the catches. My steering started to bind and the coupler in the shaft needed lubrication. All this and the truck is only at 36,000k.I haven't even come close to some of the problems you see at chevyavalanchefanclub.com. Am I hard on the truck? Not at all, I commute with it, I don't off road, I don't drive overly fast and my towing has been minimal. The truck is regularly serviced at a Chev dealer. Even the dealer admits that the quality is disappointing given that I am not hard on the truck. Yes, its a big truck, but fuel economy is poor. My Silverados were much better by 3 to 4 mpg. I think the side panels suck up the wind. The AV has rapid depreciation due to strong incentives on the new models. Buy an AV to keep it for the long run. Don't buy one if you expect to upgrade in 2 or 3 years. Than again, given the lack of quality, I don't think I would want to own a 5 year old Avalanche.

The Avalanche is a good idea with many positve features, but the build quality makes you wonder if it is worth the investment. I really like the concept of the AV and feel bad that my review won't fair well. It's too bad the truck has so many weaknesses because if the quality was better, my review would be outstanding. If the cost of fuel doesn't bother you and you don't drive many miles each year, than you might have good luck. If not, I suggest you look at other products.

Similar Products Used:

2001, 2000 Silverado

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
2
[Sep 29, 2003]
Jack Coe
Model Reviewed: Chevrolet Avalanche Z71

Strength:

Incredibly versatile machine with clear and well thought out engineering exemplified throughout.

Weakness:

MPG @ 13/17 is hard to take at $2.33/gal locally.

Outstanding SUT. Have upgraded to Borla exhaust nad several aftermarket addons, with great effect. No problems in 12,000 mi.

Similar Products Used:

Chevy Blazer; Izusu Trooper

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
4
[Sep 25, 2003]
Jeanette Coleman
Model Reviewed: Avalanche

Strength:

Available options, don't pass on any of them there all wonderful. I really enjoy XM radio.

Weakness:

None found yet.

This is a great truck, I like to go to auctions and pick up bargins so I needed a truck, but I also needed a car for extra passengers. This truck has it all, the hauling room of a truck and the ride room and amenities of a Luxury car.

Similar Products Used:

Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Ranger, Chevy Blazer

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 19, 2003]
mbmc3377
Model Reviewed: Avalanche

Strength:

Stereo, bells and whistles, comfort quiet, versatility.

Weakness:

Gas mileage, but whadaya expect?

I was looking for a pickup truck for garage sales. I was not satisfied with the other major brands, and my neighbor suggested I try the GM brand. I went in and found the Avalanche. This is the most amazing vehicle I have ever driven in my life! I bought the fully loaded version with ON-STAR and a built in cell phone. The only thing I did not get was a DVD player since I thought I would be driving all the time and I have no kids. I am a lady of largesse, and it easily accomodates me. I did not buy the running boards, and don't regret that yet. It is smooth, quiet, comfortable with 4 way lumbar support. I am getting a bedliner sliding tray because I can't access most of the truck bed. I also bought a long handled grabber because the first day I had it my cell phone fell on the floor and there's no way I could reach it. The grabber is a must have. I am VERY SATISFIED WITH THE TRUCK!!

Similar Products Used:

Silverado

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 11-20 of 49  

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