The Life and Times of the Chevy Avalanche—A Eulogy

I’ll be wondering until my dying day if I had any influence on the creation of the Chevrolet Avalanche. That thought entered my mind when I heard the Avalanche soon would be jettisoned from Chevy’s lineup. If the Avalanche is on your wish list, the deadline to place an order is near. Most dealers will be able to place an order until the end of January.

It was some time in early 2000 that I got a call from a high-level General Motors engineer. Ford had just debuted a concept that was a cross between a pickup and an SUV at that year’s Detroit auto shows—the Equator. The GM guy was wondering if the concept would be turned into a production vehicle.

The standout feature was a panel located behind the rear seat. With the rear seat folded flat, and the rear window and panel lowered, a large opening was created into the passenger compartment. The benefit was a big boost in cargo capacity. Long objects, which would have hung beyond the tailgate, now could be pushed several feet into the passenger compartment.

The GM guy was specifically interested in that rear panel, which opened into the passenger compartment. I told him everything we heard from that automaker and industry insiders was reported in Automotive News and the verdict was production approval was expected.

“Oh, shit,” was the first response on the phone. “We’re going to have to build it.”

“What did you think of their concept,” he asked.

“It is a clever way to increase functionality. It would be an outstanding niche model, and the first automaker to produce it likely will gain new buyers to the brand,” I responded.

That was not the response he was hoping to hear. The tone of his voice was clearly one of displeasure as he described what apparently was perceived as a herculean assignment.

“We have to put a big hole in the passenger compartment. We’re dealing with structural issues, safety issues, an environment for squeaks, rattles, vibration, water issues” and the list went on. “This is a huge engineering undertaking,” he said.

A few years later a four-door model hit the streets. In fact, there were two: Chevrolet’s version, called the Avalanche, debuted in 2001 as a 2002 model. Cadillac got a model, too, the Escalade EXT. GM coined the term “midgate” for the fold-down panel that separated the passenger compartment and the cargo area.

With the midgate closed, the bed stretched a little over five feet. But with the midgate open, there was more than eight feet of space, stretching from the closed tailgate to the backs of the front seats. The models were equipped with a tonneau over the bed, too. Sheets of plywood, 2x4s and other building materials could be transported on rainy days with the tailgate closed.

Additionally, the Avalanche and the Escalade EXT had lockable storage compartments alongside the cargo box. Tools and camping gear could be stored, plus the compartments had drain plugs, turning each into a cooler that could be filled with ice. This wasn’t another flavor of a Silverado. This was a gentleman’s pickup with a Suburban ride and attitude. It was and still remains a very cool engineering accomplishment. Later, GM extended the midgate to the GMC Envoy XUV. A similar application, called the Switchback door, was offered on the Subaru Baja.

The first Avalanches and Escalades were a big success. Avalanche’s best year was 2003 when 93,482 vehicles were sold. Sales are expected to total more than 600,000 by the time the 13-year run ends. Cadillac Escalade EXT sales crested at 13,494 in 2002 and will finish around 75,000 units for its lifetime.

Of course, success or failure in the auto industry is measured by sales numbers. Over the years, sales tumbled. Last year, 20,088 Avalanches were sold along with 2036 Escalade EXTs. The evidence was crystal clear: Buyers lost interest in the pickup/SUV configuration and the midgate. GM decided that a redesign was not financially justified for the 2014 model year. Instead, the two models are being killed off.

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• Comparison Test: 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LTZ 4WD Crew Cab vs. 2012 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch 4×4 Crew Cab, 2012 Ram 2500 Laramie Longhorn 4×4 Mega Cab
• Quick Spin: 2010 Cadillac Escalade ESV Platinum AWD
• Road Test: 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

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The funny thing is that although Ford likely sparked the midgate idea, the Dearborn automaker never offered an F-150 with that feature. Neither did Dodge’s Ram. By contrast, by the time the last Avalanche and Escalade EXT is assembled and sold, combined sales should reach a staggering 675,000 trucks.

I would call the midgate innovation a huge success and a feature that will be missed.

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Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith