2005 Chevrolet Avalanche Pickup Reviews & Ratings

Most of the interior features of a well-trimmed Suburban are found in the Avalanche. That means a comfortable cabin for passengers and good ergonomic design for the driver. The seats in the Avalanche are identical to the first two rows in the Suburban. The Avalanche comes with some nice features, including a coffee warmer and the ultimate in sun visors. Map lights are provided and there is generous illumination throughout the cabin. Flush-mounted cargo lights in the bed rails make a big difference when loading cargo at night.

Multi-zone manual climate control is standard on all models. An automatic battery-protection system shuts off the lights 10 minutes after you turn off the ignition.

Optional power-adjustable pedals move up to 3 inches closer to the driver. That's a real boon for shorter drivers, who won't have to sit as close to the steering wheel in order to reach the pedals. Because the airbag is mounted in the steering wheel hub, the adjustable pedals become a safety feature for women of average height or shorter. The adjustable pedals have a memory function, adding convenience for mixed-height couples.

Avalanche comes with a six-speaker CD stereo, and you can order premium Bose speakers and a six-CD changer. XM Satellite Radio is a real feature when traveling because the stations don't change as you drive across the country and you can stay in touch by listening to FoxNews, CNN and other 24-hour news and sports stations. It's nice to have around town for listening to your favorite music (rock, country, classical, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, whatever).

The optional rear-seat video system includes a DVD player with a flip-down screen to keep munchkins entertained on long journeys. It comes with two sets of wireless headphones, auxiliary audio/video jacks, a remote game plug-in, separate audio controls for the rear compartment, and a mute button.

OnStar is well worth having for safety, security and convenience. It works well as a navigation system and there's nothing to program: Simply press the blue button and a human operator responds through a speaker, ready to provide directions and other assistance. OnStar always knows the location of your vehicle. The staff will notify authorities of your location if your airbag goes off and you do not respond to their calls. Or you can press the emergency button and they'll send out the troops. They can unlock your doors if you lock your keys inside. They can direct you to the nearest gas station or help find a good restaurant or motel. If your vehicle is stolen, OnStar can pinpoint its location and direct the authorities to apprehend and recover.

The handling of the Chevy Avalanche is quite good for such a big, heavy truck, maybe even better than in the Suburban. Both 2WD and 4WD versions of the 1500-series Avalanche use the same suspension and ride height, with torsion bars in front and a live axle suspended on five links and coil springs in the rear. This is a truck.

Avalanche 1500 models ride as well as a fully loaded Suburban. The Avalanche feels smooth, quiet, and tight, with no squeaks or rattles. The suspension soaks up large potholes and rides comfortably on rough terrain.

Hydroboost brakes use hydraulic pressure (from power steering fluid) rather than engine vacuum to decrease brake pedal effort. As a result, the Hydroboost system will continue to provide sufficient power assist to stop the vehicle even if the engine stalls or is turned off.

The 5.3-liter V8 delivers plenty of punch. It's a responsive engine, rated 295 horsepower and, more important, 330 pound-feet of torque. Strong torque launches the Avalanche quickly off the line. Its broad, flat torque curve, with 90 percent of peak torque available from 1600 to 5000 rpm, is designed to provide outstanding trailer-towing and load-hauling capability. A properly equipped Avalanche 1500 is rated to tow up to 8200 pounds.

The 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission shifts responsively. Pressing the Tow/Haul button results in quicker, harder shifts and reduces heat by limiting the amount of hunting between gears.

The 4WD model's Autotrac transfer case lets the driver select different drive modes for different conditions: 2HI drives the rear wheels only and offers the best fuel efficiency. Auto 4WD transfers power from the rear wheels to the front wheels as needed to optimize traction in inconsistent conditions. 4HI provides the best traction in rugged terrain. 4LO is available for when the going gets really ugly. A neutral position allows the Avalanche to be flat-towed.

2WD 1500 models offer StabiliTrak ($750) electronic traction and stability control. The traction-control function allows acceleration without wheel spin on slippery surfaces. The stability-enhancing function maximizes handling and braking on a variety of surfaces, and is particularly advantageous in slippery corners. An array of sensors monitor steering wheel angle, wheel speed, brake pressure, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, and yaw rate; a computer uses the data to compare the driver's intentions with the actual direction the truck is headed. The system is programmed to allow for intervention thresholds, but above that point it steps in whenever one or more wheels is slipping or if the vehicle is slipping sideways or if it is understeering or oversteering. StabiliTrak adjusts engine torque or the brake pressure to individual wheels to help steer the truck back to the path the driver intended. Our advice: If you opt for 2WD, order StabiliTrak.

Chevrolet Avalanche comes in two weight ranges, called 1500 and 2500, the latter built on Chevy's heavy-duty platform for towing heavy loads. The 1500 series is offered in rear-wheel drive ($33,320) and four-wheel drive ($36,320). The 2500 comes in 4WD only ($38,155). As with other Chevy trucks, Avalanche is offered in standard LS and more upmarket LT trim.

Avalanche 1500 models are powered by a 5.3-liter Vortec V8 producing 295 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. They come with the 4L60-E four-speed automatic transmission (with overdrive and Tow/Haul mode) and are rated to tow 8200 pounds with 2WD, 7900 pounds with 4WD. (Trailer brakes are required.) Published payload capacities are 1363 pounds with 2WD, 1349 pounds with 4WD.

LS models are well equipped with dual-zone air conditioning; AM/FM/CD stereo with RDS and speed-compensated volume; four-wheel disc brakes with ABS; cruise control; tilt steering; programmable power door locks with remote keyless entry; power windows and mirrors; a 40/20/40 split front bench seat with cloth upholstery; driver information center; fog lamps; recovery hooks; seven-wire trailer harness; map lights, cargo lamps, heavy-duty battery; and P265/70 touring tires on 16-inch aluminum wheels. The LS Preferred Equipment Group ($1,575) adds front bucket seats with six-way power for the driver; floor console; six-disc CD changer; and a Bose premium sound system with headphone jacks and rear-seat controls.

The LT group ($4,040) includes all of the above and adds dual-zone automatic climate control, 10-way power bucket seats with driver-side memory, power adjustable pedals, HomeLink transmitter, OnStar telecommunications, ground-illuminating side mirrors with auto dimming on the driver's side; compass and outside temperature indicator on the inside rear-view mirror; steering-wheel-mounted audio controls; and heavy-duty trailering equipment.

Chevrolet offers the Z71 package ($2,130) for 4WD 1500 models, which combines selected luxury items from both the LS Preferred and LT groups with some more serious off-road equipment, including skid plates, heavy-duty suspension, a high-capacity air cleaner and P265/70R17 on/off-road tires.

Meanwhile, 2WD buyers can choose the Z66 package ($1,090), with its own suspension tuning, traction control, and P265/70R17 touring tires.

Entertainment options include a rear-seat video setup ($1,295-$1,485) and XM Satellite Radio ($325). A touch-screen navigation system is also available ($1,995). A power tilt-and-slide sunroof ($995-$1,290) is available, and many of the items bundled into the various groups and packages are also available as stand-alone options.

The heavy-duty Avalanche 2500 4WD is powered by the Vortec 8100, an 8.1-liter V8 rated 320 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. It comes mated to a 4L85-E heavy-duty automatic transmission, also with overdrive and Tow/Haul mode. In place of the 1500 model's five-link rear suspension with coil springs, the 2500 rides on two-stage, heavy-duty leaf springs. Towing capacity is boosted to 11,900 pounds, with a payload rating of 2,021 pounds.

Relative to the 1500, the 2500 does not add any luxury equipment or interior appointments, but it does come with its own heavy-duty carpeting and rubberized floor mats, a larger (37.5-gallon) fuel tank, a transmission temperature gauge, transmission oil cooler, and skid shields. Wheels are forged rather than cast, and tires are higher-profile 245/75R16s. The 2500 comes in the same LS, LS Preferred Equipment and LT trim levels as the 1500; but the Z66 and Z71 packages are not available.

Safety is enhanced on all Avalanche models with dual-level frontal air bags with an automatic passenger-sensing system that measures the weight in the front passenger seat, as well as seat-belt tension, and automatically de-activates the air bag if a small child is sitting there. The airbag re-arms when an adult sits in the seat. The dual-level inflation system expands the front airbags less forcefully in a less-severe impact. Dual side-impact airbags ($350) are optional. LATCH child-seat anchors are provided in the front passenger seat, and in the center and passenger-side positions of the rear seat. Antilock brakes (ABS) are standard. StabiliTrak electronic stability control ($750) is optional on 2WD models and can help reduce the chance of skidding off the road.