The LTZ 2WD ($39,225) and 4WD ($42,225) come standard with most of the equipment that's optional on the other two models. Also standard is a premium suspension package with variable shock damping and air-assisted rear load leveling. Power retractable running boards ($1,095) are optional. The luggage rack crossrails are optional, along with the rear-view camera system, the sunroof, the rear-seat entertainment system and the navigation system.

Safety features that come standard on all models include the required front-seat airbags and LATCH rear-seat child safety seat anchors. The OnStar crash-notification system is standard. Full-coverage, side-curtain airbags that protect against head injuries in side impacts and rollovers are optional ($350) on the LS and the LT, including the 2LT treatment, and standard on the 3LT and LTZ. Active safety features that come standard include antilock brakes, electronic stability control, all-speed traction control and tire-pressure monitors.

Walkaround

The Chevy Avalanche is a truck, and it's a big truck. In fact, the Avalanche is just an inch shorter than a Chevy Suburban. (Okay, it's 1.1 inches shorter.) The Avalanche rides on the GMT900 platform, meaning it shares its basic structure with the Chevy Suburban, Tahoe, Silverado and other full-size GM pickups and SUVs. The new 2007 Avalanche doesn't look as massive the first-generation (2002-2006) models did, even when they were ordered without the side cladding. In practical terms, the new Avalanche is just as big as the previous-generation models. (To be exact, the new one is 0.4 inches shorter.)

The 2007 Avalanche features some significant styling and design changes, though many of the changes are subtle. A fresh face brightens the front end. Thick, horizontal lines emphasizing the substantial girth remain, but are now integrated well with the body-colored grille and headlight surrounds. Lighting elements share space in single units, replacing the previous model's bifurcated assemblages. A bold bow-tie icon graces the grille crossbar. A high-relief lower fascia houses tow hooks and tries to look like the leading edge of a skid plate (which, by the way, is not offered by the factory, even on the 4WD version).

The side aspect is mightily spruced up, with a faster, more laid-back windshield leading to smooth, gracefully sculpted flanks topped by understated, flush-mounted windows. Gaps between body panels are tight. Full-round door handles accommodate gloved hands. Squarish wheel wells look underfilled, even with the optional 20-inch wheels. Essential as the signature feature of the Avalanche is the angular, hard plastic bed cover with the flying buttresses arcing down from the roofline to the bed sidewalls; it's the only design cue that clashes with the sleeker look of the new model.

The tailgate presents a more traditional pickup look than that of the previous models. It's less stylized, with bumper and release assembly now painted body color. That assembly also now functions as a base for the optional rearview camera. Chevy says this can help a solo driver hitch up a trailer; we haven't tested this yet, but it could save a lot of trial and error. We have used the rearview camera for parallel parking and other maneuvers in tight quarters and can attest to its value. This system is not a gadget. It speeds parking and maneuvering and can help alert the driver to the presence of a child or adult behind the truck. The tailgate is now spring loaded to lighten its perceived weight, but it still seemed heavier than its countersprung counterparts on the Ford F-150 and the new 2007 Toyota Tundra.

Interior Features

The new interior of the 2007 Avalanche breaks with Chevy tradition much more than the exterior does. The new cabin marks a watershed in ease of use, not to mention ease on the eye.

Following a pattern established in the new Tahoe and Suburban, the interior designers slashed several inches from the top of the dash, rounded it off and smoothed it out, effectively pushing it down and away from the front seat occupants. Everything about the dash and instrument cluster is leaner, cleaner, dare we say it, more like a car's. A large, round tachometer and matching speedometer dominate the gauge cluster, complemented by four smaller dials reporting information vital to the operation of a truck capable of hauling heavy loads or pulling large trailers or transporting as many as six occupants.

The new center stack houses controls for stereo and climate management, two power points, and buttons for optional features such as the power adjustable pedals. Models with bucket seats get a center console with a large, open storage bin outfitted with a removable, dual cup holder. Aft of this is an equally large, but not especially deep storage compartment beneath a padded, hinged cover that doubles as a center armrest. The glove box isn't as expansive as it looks when closed. Front door panels have hard-plastic, fixed map pockets with molded-in can holders.