Head to Head: Ford Sport Trac vs. Chevy Avalanche Part 3

In the final installment of the series Mike and Kelsey take on looks and substance.

Utility & Styling

Mike: If maximum utility is your thing, the Avalanche has you covered. Folding the second-row seats and the midgate is a snap, and doing so significantly extends the cargo bed. The Sport Trac’s short cargo box can’t be extended, though it can have a bed extender, and its optional hard tonneau cover is easier to deal with than the Avalanche’s collapsible tonneau cover.

Avalanche Extended Bed

Explorer Sport Trac Extended Bed

Kelsey: I’ll concede the tonneau cover. The Avalanche’s three-piece set weighs a ton and requires a callisthenic workout to stow — nothing near the simplicity of Ford’s folding unit. The Sport Trac has three in-bed storage bins that are self-draining, but they’re not lockable. The Avalanche has larger, lockable storage over the rear fenders. I’m not smitten with either truck’s arrangement, but I give the edge to Ford.

Mike: Glad to see you’re starting to see things my way. I’ll let our readers be the final style judges, but I was impressed with the Avalanche’s bold front end; it manages to look both rugged and elegant. The front of the Sport Trac, meanwhile, doesn’t scream Ford to me. Instead, its V-shaped chrome grille reminds me of a Volkswagen Passat, which could very well be the last thing the stylists in Dearborn want to hear.

Head to Head: Ford Sport Trac vs. Chevy Avalanche Part 1
Head to Head: Ford Sport Trac vs. Chevy Avalanche Part 2