Our view: 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche

When is a truck not a truck? When is a sport utility vehicle not an SUV? When is a half-truck, half-SUV that’s named after a ski lodge’s worst nightmare actually a good thing?

When the madness of cross-dressing vehicles meets reality.

Poor Chevrolet Avalanche.

If GM’s newest truck/SUV creation had a complex, we’d understand.

If the name alone isn’t enough to raise a few eyebrows – isn’t an avalanche a bad thing? – then what’s inside will send your head spinning. That’s if you can figure out what trade-off you really prefer in life: Family hauler or haul stuff? Sport or true utility? Paper or plastic?

Decisions, decisions. This is the perfect vehicle for the indecisive buyers in the parking lot.

Look out below! The Avalanche makes it all so much easier.

Dubbed the first “ultimate utility vehicle” – UUV – when it was unveiled at the 2000 Detroit Auto Show, the Avalanche attempts to bridge the gap every suburbanite has ever craved: If I drop four friends off at the lumbaryard, do I have enough room to take home the 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood? Now you do.

You’ve seen the commercials. “Wanna switch?” the Avalanche driver asks his passenger. And, voila, with a twist and a pull, the rear window comes out, the seats fold, the “midgate” – a window and a wall that can be made to disappear – lowers, and instantly you have a transformation from five- or six-passenger sport-ute with a short bed into a full-fledged work truck with an 8-foot bed.

And you thought driving and chewing gum was hard.

Think the automotive world has gone nuts? You’re asking the wrong truck. The idea for GM’s creation came from focus groups that demanded the option of extended cargo space, but more interior space and extra seating. GM’s delivered.

In form and function, the Avalanche is basically a Suburban cut at the knees (or back end). It shares the same body and chassis as the Suburban, except with the “convert-a-cab” system. And that system takes just a couple of minutes, doesn’t require tools and makes versatility not just a cliche.

How versatile? In its SUV form, the Avalanche is a six-passenger vehicle with sport utility size, a 5-foot-3 cargo area enclosed by a three-section interlocking cargo cover that can be individually removed. In the truck form, remove the “midgate,” keep the cover on, and you can add a sheet of drywall and still be protected by the rain. Knock out the window and cover and you are ready to haul a dresser or bed with ease.

How easy? Rear-seat cushions go forward, seat backs go forward, twist, pull and tug and you can place the window into a handy storage compartment.

How practical? Not sure. In moderate climates, the midgate idea isn’t bad. In bad weather, it’s like riding around with an open trunk. But it’s still inventive.

Overall, from stem to stern, this is a ride like no other.

It handles more like an SUV than a truck without the out-of-control bumpine ss of some cargo haulers we’ve had. A coil spring rear suspension helps. And the Vortec 5.3-liter V-8 engine powers like a winner, producing 285 horses at 5,200 rpm and a whopping 325 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm. That’s plenty of pulling power (8,300-pound trailer capability). For those thirsty for more there’s even the new 8.1-liter.

The interior appointments are unique – splashes of wild colors on leather seating – but, for better or worse, the setup of the dash is typical. You could be riding in a Blazer and not know the difference – unimpressive, simple gauges and a logical console layout. But there are gobs of cupholders, gobs of pocket space and more cargo areas than you know what to do with.

With two rows of seats, head room is Everest-like. Leg room is plentiful. And interior map lights are even adjustable.

On the outside, it looks more like a truck than SUV, thanks to thick body armor, plastic cladding over bumpers, wheelwells and rocker panels.

Other bonuses: A cargo mat in the back that’s rubberized; foot-sized steps built into the back bumper for easy climbing into the bed; additional storage for tools in lockable top-box compartments in the cargo area that are drainable, for use as a cooler with ice for tailgating; and a bed enclosed with three, 20-pound aluminum/urethane foam covers wrapped in plastic that remove and slip into the sidewall.

Now, the negatives. And there are a few.

It’s not just an Avalanche, it’s the Abominable Snowman – 18 feet in length, or about two Kia Spectras – and 5,600 pounds. That means stopping power requires plenty of advanced planning. And dropping off the kids at the mall is discouraged – you might not make it out. Although the turning radius on the Avalanche is pretty tight, backing out or parking the beast may require that long walk from the back of the lot (where all the open spaces are).

A 31-gallon tank and only about 14 mpg in the city also isn’t a real plus.

As wonderful as the lumbar of the front seats are, finding the seatback adjustable switch requires a search party. It’s buried on the left, next to the very bottom of the seat cushion.

A final potential landmine for customers trying to find the right blend of utility and comfort: $30,965. That’s the sticker on the two-wheel-drive model. Four-wheel-drive versions with an off-road package will run $3,000 more, especially jazzed up with the “North Face” edition where you get things like an extra off-road suspension, skid plates, 17-inch on-off road tires, an engine block heater, high-back seats with the North Face logo and two water duffalo bags. And all that for about 38K – hefty company for a truck.

But the standard features are plenty – including automatic transmission (the only transmission offered) – and all-wheel-drive models that feature GM’s Autotrac pushbutton four-wheel-drive system that can be set to engage the front wheels automatically when it senses the loss of traction.

It’s a decent package – a good truck, a comfortable SUV.

Whether that price is right just to be able to “switch” over is a whole different issue.

SPECS – 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

Rating: 3

High gear: With a versatile and innovative cab configuration, a healthy V-8 and a high tow rating, the Avalanche is a rolling snowball of interesting inventions. Converting from an SUV to a pickup is all just part of the fun.

Low gear: Gasoline gets expensive in the city (about 13 mpg) and quirky interior arrangements as well as a hefty price tag make this a big commitment out of an enormous vehicle.

Vehicle type: Rear- or all-wheel drive, front-engine, four-door, five- or six-passenger truck/sport-utility vehicle.

Standard equipment: Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS; automatic headlamps; front and side impact air bags; theft-deterrent system; power windows, mirrors; automatic door locks; driver lockout prevention; driver message center; automati c transmission; trailering package; speed sensitive steering; lockable top box storage; rubber cargo mat; cruise control; AM/FM stereo with CD player.

Competition: Ford Explorer SportTrac, Cadillac Escalade EXT, Dodge Ram

Engine: 285 horsepower, 5.3-liter V-8

Torque: 325 foot-lbs. @ 4,000 rpm

Wheelbase: 130 inches

Length: 221.6 inches

MPG rating: 13 mpg city/17 mpg highway

Manufactured: Mexico

Warranty: Basic warranty is three years/36,000 miles; powertrain warranty is three years/36,000 miles; rust perforation warranty is six years/100,000 miles; roadside assistance is three years/36,000 miles.

Base price: $33,245

Price as tested (includes options, destination and delivery charges): $38,513