The Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five- or six-passenger full-size pickup truck that was manufactured by General Motors and marketed by its Chevrolet division. The Avalanche was a hybrid between the Chevrolet Suburban SUV and the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, sharing the chassis with the Suburban. Unlike a typical pickup truck where the bed is mounted separately from the cab on the frame, the bed of the Avalanche was integrated with the cab body.
It prominently featured a "midgate" behind the second row of seats that could be folded inward and down, with the seats, to create a longer bed area. The Avalanche was manufactured across two generations starting in 2001 and ending in 2013.
The Avalanche was originally marketed as being able to "change from an SUV to a super SUV." This was made possible by a plastic cover and an exclusive "midgate," marketed by GM as the Convert-a-Cab system, which could open and close. The midgate was a divider behind the second row of seats that could be folded inward and down, with the seats, to create a longer bed area, or folded up to make a larger cab area. A similar midgate was found on the Subaru Baja (2003–2006), Cadillac Escalade EXT (a rebadged Avalanche), Hummer H2 SUT, and GMC Envoy XUV.thumb|left|Avalanche 2500 with tow mirrors thumb|Avalanche 1500 4WD
The truck was offered as a half-ton 1500 series with a Vortec 5.3L V8 producing 285 hp (216 kW) or as a three-quarter-ton 2500 series with a Vortec 8.1L V8 with 340 hp (253 kW) and the 4L85-E four-speed transmission. The base layout is rear-wheel drive, but there is an available with selectable high/low four-wheel drive. Avalanche 2500 models from 2004 to 2006 were exclusively available with four-wheel drive.
A Z71 Off-Road package was available with off-road suspension, GM's AutoTrac full-time push-button four-wheel-drive system, all-terrain P265/70R17 white-lettered Goodyear tires, seventeen-inch alloy wheels, leather seating surfaces with waterproof accents, front dual power bucket seats, cloth door panel inserts, GM's OnStar telematics system, all-weather rubber floor mats, Chevrolet bowtie emblems embedded into the backrests of the seats (for 2002 models), dual-zone automatic climate controls with rear HVAC vents and remote controls, remote radio controls with headphone jacks for two pairs of headphones, a security system, gray-finished side running boards, power-adjustable, heated side-view mirrors, SRS side impact airbags. Aside from these details, a Z71 Off-Road decal on the rear side panels identified an Avalanche equipped with this package. Full leather seating surfaces were an available option, also removing the cloth door panel inserts, and also added heated front seats.
A Z66 Premium On-Road package was also available with the Z71 Off-Road package equipment, replacing the off-road suspension with sport on-road suspension and without four-wheel drive. Aside from these details, a Z66 On-Road sticker on the rear side panels identified an Avalanche equipped with this package. As with the Z71 Off-Road package, full leather seating surfaces without the cloth accents were an available option, also removing the cloth door panel inserts, and also added heated front seats.
To further distinguish it from its Silverado siblings, the Avalanche was practically fully equipped and only came with bodyside cladding. The Avalanche included features such as 16-inch alloy wheels and tires (chromed steel on the 2500 model), an AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD player and six speakers, cloth seating surfaces, front bench seat with power front driver's seat, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, full instrumentation, dual front airbags, and air conditioning. Options included OnStar telematics system, cassette player, leather seating surfaces, front dual power bucket seats that could be heated, and side airbags for the front seats. A North Face Edition, in partnership with the North Face brand included limited exterior color options, a unique Ebony/Green leather interior, special exterior ornamentation and decals, white-faced gauges, OnStar telematics system, specially colored door panel inserts and speaker grilles, and more.
thumb|Avalanche WBH (Without Body Hardware)
For 2003, the Avalanche was slightly changed. 2003 models featured a darker cladding, but GM's new president, Rick Wagoner, demanded the removal of this "unpopular" trim (as did certain elements of the public). From mid-year, Avalanche could be ordered without cladding. The uncladded model, known as "Without Body Hardware" (or its initialism "WBH," which is also an RPO code), and alternatively called "slicksides" by GM marketers, resembled the 2003–2005 Silverado 1500 in the front. A new interior—shared with the Tahoe and Suburban—added a new, larger steering wheel with subsequent audio, cruise, and speed controls; an optional six-speaker premium Bose sound system with external amplifier; a new gauge cluster with information center and memory for the front driver's seat, brake and accelerator pedals, and side-view mirror position (on some models); new radio head units, which included an AM/FM stereo with either a single-disc or six-disc CD/MP3 changer, Radio Data System, and optional XM Satellite Radio; standard OnStar telematics system with steering wheel controls; new warning chimes that played through the vehicle's audio system instead of through a separate speaker behind the dashboard; and newly available 17-inch alloy wheels and tires. Optional features included rear audio controls with headphone jacks and a rear DVD entertainment system by Panasonic with wireless headphones. The WBH option was only available in the 1500 series.
Avalanche Base Camp Concept (1999)
A pre-production version of the Avalanche was shown as the Avalanche Base Camp Concept. The truck, which carried the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of 1GCFK13U32X4618EX, was painted in Bright Yellow Clear Coat, and featured a Neutral cloth interior with contrasting yellow trim on the seats and Chevrolet Bowtie emblems on the seatbacks, speaker grilles, and door panels, as well as Cadillac Escalade–style wood trim on the instrument panel. The truck was powered by the 6.0L Vortec V8 gasoline engine, which was not offered on the production Avalanche. In addition, the Avalanche Base Camp Concept featured unique accessories that were not available on the production truck, such as a Bose premium audio system, which included a bass module (subwoofer) and bedside-mounted speakers; a unique roof rack; a rear DVD entertainment system with three LCD monitors; dual Nokia 5125 cellular phones with color-coordinated yellow faceplates; a "keyless" ignition system that included a push-button to start; a battery cutoff switch (for show purposes); a trailer hitch-mounted cooler; a unique front brush guard and side running boards; a bed painted to match the interior of the vehicle; a Diamond-Plate tailgate liner; a bed-mounted LCD screen; "Avalanche Base Camp" embossing on the body side cladding; and a mobile cooking stove and sink, among other accessories. The vehicle was sold at the 2006 Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Palm Beach, Florida, for $20,900 (). It was later listed with 2,000 miles on the Cars & Bids online auction website in July 2023.
Cladding issues
Soon after the release of the Chevrolet Avalanche, customers began to notice cosmetic issues with the cladding on their vehicles. Over time, exposure to heat and sunlight would cause a chalky faded appearance. It was especially noticeable on the cargo bed panels, and sail-panel windows where "zebra striping" would appear. Customer reaction to this problem resulted in General Motors agreeing to a one-time treatment of a product called ArmorDillo. This product would temporarily restore the cladding for a period of about six months; thereafter, it would wear off and need to be re-applied. Realizing this was not a permanent solution, GM, together with Gatorback Coatings, developed a coating that could be applied to the cladding to restore it to a like-new shine. This product was designed to etch into the plastic and bond a new layer of tinted acrylic over the faded plastic. Customers within the original factory warranty could go to their dealership to have it restored. General Motors did not use side body cladding on the second-generation model.
Engines
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Engine
!Power
!Torque
!RPO Code
!VIN Code (8th Digit)
!Notes
|-
|2002–2003
| rowspan="3" |5.3L Vortec 5300 V8
| @ 5200 RPM
| @ 4000 RPM
| rowspan="3" |LM7
L59 (flex-fuel)
| rowspan="3" |T
Z (flex-fuel)
| rowspan="3" |Power and torque ratings are on regular gasoline.
Flex-fuel capability available in 2005 and 2006.
|-
|2004–2005
| @ 5200 RPM
| @ 4000 RPM
|-
|2006
| @ 5200 RPM
| @ 4000 RPM
|-
|2002–2003
| rowspan="4" |8.1L Vortec 8100 V8
| @ 4200 RPM
| @ 3200 RPM
| rowspan="4" |L18
| rowspan="4" |G
| rowspan="4" |2500 only.
|-
|2004
| @ 4200 RPM
| @ 3200 RPM
|-
|2005
| @ 4200 RPM
| @ 3200 RPM
|-
|2006
| @ 4200 RPM
| @ 3200 RPM
|}