Our 96 Isuzu Trooper is getting a bit long in the tooth with over 175,000 miles on the clock. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been mostly trouble free and it’s still going strong but our needs have changed. My wife now surfs regularly along with myself, and two longboards barely fit in the old bus. Putting them up top on the roof rack is a pain and if we have guests or friends who want to surf we either have to take two vehicles or get really cozy. Now I had my eye on the Avalanche since it made its debut in 2002 and to my eye it has steadily improved since then. It’s the perfect fit for our snowboarding/surfing activities and it’s the only truck out there of its type and size. The real clincher came when all the discounts and rebates made it a must have deal.
Specs of ours:
Arctic White 4x4 Cladded Z71 with XM radio, Stainless Steel Tubular side steps, Driver convenience package, Roof Rack and cloth bench seats. The Bench seats were a must have for me, meaning I can put the mid gate down, fit several 9.0 long boards in securely and still seat 6.
Exterior:
To go with the Cladding or not. I like the nekkid look, I really do but some dummy at GM decided that in removing the cladding, they should also remove the handy steps in the corners of the rear bumper. This is also going to be a long term ownership so with both these thoughts in mind we went with the cladding. Heck it’s a huge truck and I figure it may minimize the parking lot dings too.
Fit and finish are good for the most part. Some of the cladding doesn’t seem to sit as well as I would expect for a mid cycle vehicle. I see more body color than I would like but that maybe just exaggerated because white stands out against the dark cladding like a sore thumb.
I also demanded the hard cover for the back and am already highly pleased I did. It’s just perfect for sitting on at the beach because it puts me up nice and high so I can get a clear view of the waves, and the cute girl two spaces down getting changed. Hey just window shopping!
All in all the looks are pretty brutish but then it’s that kind of truck, it’s a toolbox, and it’s supposed to be functional not pretty. There is no denying it has presence too.
On the custom side of things there’s so much you can do to make the truck your own, from highlighting the Avalanche lettering, putting on a billet grill, painting the cladding, switching out the hood to one with Ram Air scoops etc, etc, etc, it’s hard to figure out which to do first.
Interior:
Wow... this is big, you sit up nice and high and the seats are very comfy. It took me a bit of fiddling to get the seats and the adjustable pedals to where I like em but now they are there… bliss. On its maiden voyage from LA to Mammoth Mountain and back I have to say it’s the most comfortable vehicle I have ridden in for a long time, even more so than the Jaguar X-Type we had on lease for a few years. No aches or pains, no shifting about to ease cramping muscles just sit back and relax with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the flip down center seat. I am told the seats in the back are 200% better than the ones in the Trooper, the only minor complaint being they are very ‘upright’. But then there is so much room back there that it was easy for my passengers to squirm around into a cozy position and fall asleep.
Back to up front, the shifter in on the steering column freeing up the center for a smallish body to ride in the middle front seat. My petite 5ַ” wife tried it out and said it was fine but felt she would get cramped if she had to sit there too long, the main problem being the transmission tunnel and general lack of foot room. The seat itself was just fine and she liked being able to cozy up to me whilst driving. Bonus!
Sliding behind the wheel puts all the controls at your fingertips. It’s a utilitarian design but has plenty of nooks and crannies to put stuff. I particularly like the slot that holds my cell phone safe and sound. I am told it’s a standard Chevy and no surprises. Everything is easy to read and well laid out. The door switches are all illuminated at night so no fumbling. My only gripe is the cup holders stuck to the bottom of the middle seat. They work just fine but it would have been handy if they could be slid back underneath the seat when not used.
The radio is up nice and high so you don’t have to really take your eyes off the road when trying to find some decent music and with the XM radio that’s an adventure. It’s like cable TV, so many channels and still nothing on! I don’t think I will renew my subscription but am glad I had chance to try it out.
I only have the basic CD player, not the upgraded Bose system and I have to say it works just fine. I plan on switching out the head unit for a Nav system and frankly will be sorry to see the OEM one go. I am not an audiophile by any means, but it all sounds good to me, plenty of bass and crisp enough to make out the voices clearly.
The materials are a little dull, different shades of grey, and a tap on the dash with a knuckle gives a cheap hollow sound but hey it’s nice enough and again you can go and raid the aftermarket for upgrades, or even just go straight to the GMC Denali or Cadillac parts bin if you fancy a change.
I plan to upgrade to leather from leatherseats.com at some point, probably right after I drop something on the seat that stains.
A handy overhead short console gives me a spot to stash my sunglasses and the seatbelt is recessed into the seat itself so it’s within easy reach, no groping over the left shoulder required.
Not too wild about the auto dual zone climate control though. If I am in the truck on my own and want to cool it quickly I have to turn the knobs down on both passenger and driver side. There should be a slave override button. But then maybe I just need to go read the manual, I maybe missing something.
Driving:
Something this big has no right to go as quickly and quietly as it does. It’s a big heavy vehicle so 0-60 is not fantastic but it’s a truck! Passing power is there and there is plenty of grunt to set the cruise control and leave it, even on the steepest hills the truck effortlessly stayed in the zone.
I find the truck comfortable at high speed cruising but anything 90 and above gets floaty and stressful when cornering. I understand from other owners that upgrading the sway bars will help address this and I also plan to get the optional front chin spoiler.
My biggest surprise was the noise, or lack thereof. Sure under heavy throttle you can hear the engine, but it’s just the lovely sweet burble of the V8 singing it’s tune and is not at all intrusive. Settle into a loping cruise and the engine sounds goes away and all that’s left is a slight rushing of wind as the engine loafs along just over 2000rpm at freeway speeds. It reminds me a lot of a Cadillac.
Steering is a little on the light side, but you adjust and get used to it, sure it’s somewhat numb, but then I am driving a behemoth here, sports car handling and feedback is not needed nor expected. Nevertheless the body roll is minimal and the truck navigates corners smartly. The stock Z71 Bilstiens do a great job of soaking up the bumps without the usual harsh pickup type ride, definitely more SUV than Truckish.
I love the visibility, I have commanding views out front and nice big mirrors to each side that can be set to tilt down in reverse and to the rear… oh dear is there something behind me? Seriously the tailgate is so high that small cars disappear from view when stopping behind me at traffic lights. A rearview camera is needed for sure. Day to day driving is not really a problem but when you get into parking the thing, it’s very tricky reversing into your spot or judging exactly how far away from the tree/wall/fence you are. This is high on my to do list before I hit something.
The trucks dimensions also take some getting used to. As the biggest vehicle I have ever owned I have to think twice when turning corners, swinging out a little wider than I would normally. Then there are those narrow freeway lanes that make me break out in a cold sweat. Concrete barrier 2” on my left, cars 2” on my right. Waaaaaaa!. I am exaggerating a little here, after the first week I started to acclimatize to the dimensions and have no problem chucking it around now but still, it’s something to consider and as yet my wife has not plucked up the courage to drive it.
I love the trip meters, we plan to use this vehicle for our Surfboard business and there is a trip meter for Personal and business trips that just needs switching on and off. Annual information is also recorded. This is a huge bonus when it comes to tax time, I never did well with logs that you write in.
A final note on Gas mileage, I am getting around 15.3mpg according to the onboard computer. For a truck this size, that’s really not bad!
Mid Gate:
Now for the real reason I got the truck, how is the midgate working out? Perfectly! It takes less than a min to drop the seats and open the midgate. My 9ft surfboard fits in with an inch to spare by laying diagonally across the bed. I have not taken the glass window out yet though I know how. I am not sure when I ever will to be honest. I can see this being needed if you are hauling dirt bikes and stuff but I am not.
Likes:
Interior - Like a Lot
Rear Seat usability
Front Seat comfort
Quite relaxing cruising
Midgate versatility
6 Passenger capability
Dislikes:
Don’t have the driver’s window down when using the windshield washer, the water comes straight in
Rear visibility
Tailgate lock not on Central locking system
I wish there was a keypad like Ford have
The Bottom Line
The only vehicle of its kind at this size. It does just about everything and can haul as much stuff as you can throw at it. Perfect for Snow or water sports because the back is where your stuff goes and there is no carpet to get soggy or screws to get rusty. It runs on Regular unleaded, Gas mileage is not all that bad and for a business truck it shouts out the lifestyle of rough and tumble. Chevy needs to take a leaf out of Nissans advertising book for the Xterra.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 36,500.00
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: 4x4 Z71
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