- pickup 145,122
- 2,648 below average
- 5,500 great
- North Lima, OH
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- autoshopper.com
- 2,648 below average pickup 145,122 automatic
2003 chevrolet avalanche review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Tahoe roominess with silverado capability. introductionlonger than a suburban, the chevy avalanche combines the comfort of a tahoe with the load-hauling capability of a long-bed silverado pickup. Introduced last year and revised for 2003, this is an impressive concept vehicle that made it all the way to production. The key to its versatility is the midgate, gm's clever tailgate that separates the cabin from the pickup box. Normally, the avalanche can carry five adults in comfort and a large amount of cargo in a covered 5-foot 3-inch indestructible bed. But the rear seats fold down like in an suv, the midgate folds forward like a tailgate and voila! We think it looks better, cleaner, if a bit plainer this way. Cladding is still available. Made of a practically bullet-proof material that will protect the rocker panels from years of flying gravel, it comes in a darker color for 2003 for 2003, the avalanche benefits from a long list of improvements to all the full-size pickups and suvs from gm. The new electrical system architecture ha. New features improve safety, comfort, convenience, and performance. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is the attention to detail seen throughout the avalanche. It comes mated to a 4l85 heavy-duty automatic transmission with overdrive and tow/haul mode. In place of the 1500 model's five-link rear suspension with coil springs and automatic load leveling, the 2500 rides on heavy-duty leaf springs. 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 floor mats, a larger (37. 5-gallon) fuel tank, and skid shields on 4wd models. Wheels are forged rather than cast, and tires are higher-profile 245/75r16's, rather than the 1500's 265/70r16s. Available as an option for 1500 models are 17-inch wheels with 265/70r17 tires. new for 2003 is a driver convenience package 717) that includes multi-zone automatic climate control; power adjustable pedals; a homelink universal transmitter; power-folding outside mirrors with turn signals and ground illumination; and programmable, steering-wheel-mounted controls for the audio system, onstar, trip computer and message center. the north face edition 5100) for the 4wd 1500 features chevy's z71 off-road suspension, green and black seats, floor mats with north face logos, a white instrument cluster, the driver convenience package, and the north face badges on the c-pillars. Medium-gray interior trim and inner door panels are new for 2003. Sage green exterior paintwork is still exclusive to the north face edition, with sunset orange, onyx, black, pewter and summit white available as well. Also included are two summit pod backpacks, as well as water duffalo storage bags. . walkaroundintroduced last year, the chevy avalanche is an impressive concept vehicle that made it all the way to production. One thing that surprises many people is the size of the avalanche. It doesn't look that big in photos, but it's big, three inches longer than a suburban. Yet it feels tight and surprisingly nimble on mountain roads. the avalanche is essentially a modified chevrolet suburban; the two vehicles share fully 85 percent of their parts. So like the suburban, the avalanche is built on the same superb platform as the silverado pickup. Gm's engineers created the avalanche by lopping off the rear roof structure and quarter windows of a suburban, and redesigning the back end. When the avalanche's rear seats are in place, there's a 5-foot 3-inch bed, which is long enough for most tasks. When that's not enough it converts into an 8-foot bed by taking over the rear seats. the bed is protected by a well-designed lockable cover rated to support 250 pounds. The midgate, tailgate and portions of the cargo box are made from a composite material called pro-tec. This material is exceptionally durable, and resists dings, scratches and dents. Two top-box storage compartments on either side of the cargo box provide a combined 3. 5 cubic feet of lockable storage space. These compartments have drains, so they can be filled with ice and used as coolers. the edgy front styling of last year's avalanche gave it a unique look among chevrolet's full-size light trucks. For 2003, chevrolet has applied the same look to the silverado pickup (but not the suburban and tahoe), so the 2003 avalanche doesn't look quite as different as it did before. However, the avalanche is still distinguished from the silverado by its more exaggerated fender flairs, and by its extensive body cladding. The composite cladding, which is darker in color for 2003, does serve a purpose: it is as tough as iron and impervious to flying gravel. . interiorthis year, the chevy avalanche interior benefits from extensive improvements gm has built into all of its 2003 full-size trucks and suvs. Multi-zone manual climate control is now standard on all models. A new instrument cluster promises better readability. safety improvements for 2003 include dual-level air bags with an automatic passenger-sensing system. 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 a coffee warmer, and the ultimate in sun visors. Map lights are available; in fact, chevrolet has provided generous illumination throughout the cabin. The midgate works similarly to a folding rear seat in a wagon or suv. Flipping the seat bottoms forward and folding the seat backs and midgate down provides flat cargo space and access to the cargo bay behind it. The bed cover comes off in three pieces and slides into a nice fabric bag; these pieces attach to the side of the bed to minimize the space they take up. But wind noise is minimal, with no buffeting. Gm engineers achieved this through extensive tuning in the wind tunnel, and a pair of flying butt. Climate Control✔ CD Changer
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