2011 Chevrolet Avalanche

Chevrolet sells a wide range of sedans, coupes, compact SUVs, large SUVs, EVs, and pickup trucks. Most models have roomy interiors and come with standard safety and convenience technology. Several models, however, have poor visibility and lack steering agility. Many Chevrolets rank average or below average for reliability in CR’s rankings. The brand stands out for selling historically significant and category-defining vehicles. The Suburban and Tahoe can keep three rows of passengers comfortable within their enormous cabins. The Silverado pickup truck competes with the best-selling Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 by balancing interior comfort with towing and cargo capability. In the past and today, the Camaro and Corvette are performance car bargains. The rear/mid-engined “C8” Corvette can be as thrilling as much more expensive European supercars. With some exceptions, used Chevrolets can have reliability issues, but are often less expensive to maintain and repair than competitors.

The 2007 Avalanche redesign has a nicer interior. With an available full-time four-wheel drive system, the Avalanche did very well in our testing. It's also quiet, rides comfortably and the optional rearview camera system greatly improves outward visibility to compensate for a very large rear blind zone. The versatile cargo area has a watertight three-piece cover and two locking bins on the sides. The rear window can be removed and stored in a compartment on the midgate for taller items or left in place along with the bed cover for weather protection. This modular system provides several options, but in practice is fussy to use. The rear window is somewhat heavy, and both rear seats have to be folded in four steps to move either the midgate or the rear window. Model year 2013 was its last.