Overview

The 2007 Chevy Avalanche is the next generation of the industry’s most flexible utility vehicle. It combines the passenger-comfort attributes of an SUV with the cargo capability of a truck. It is based on GM’s new, full-size SUV platform, which features more power with segment-leading fuel economy and flex-fuel capability; a sharper, more precise driving feel; increased interior refinement; and improved quietness.

Avalanche delivers a 360-degree safety system of occupant protection and crash-avoidance technology that demonstrates GM’s commitment to providing world-class safety, including available head curtain side air bags and standard StabiliTrak stability control system with new rollover mitigation technology.

The 2007 Avalanche is available in LS, LT and LTZ models, with 2WD and 4WD. The standard powertrain includes an efficient 5.3L V8 with Active Fuel Management technology that seamlessly switches from eight-cylinder to four-cylinder operation to save fuel. Later in the model year, an all-aluminum 6.0L V8 with Active Fuel Management and variable valve timing (VVT) will be available. Several available engines allow Avalanche to run on E85, a renewable fuel made of 85 percent ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and 15 percent gasoline.

Returning to Avalanche is the popular Z71 Off Road appearance package. This optional package takes the vehicle’s aggressive look to the next level, with larger recovery hook openings, larger, more prominent fog lamps and specific grille texture and platinum chrome grille trim. Eighteen-inch wheels and tires also are part of the package.

Avalanche’s unparalleled flexibility enables it to function as an SUV, truck or both, thanks to the unique Midgate. Pioneered on the first-generation Avalanche, the Midgate opens to extend the cargo-carrying capability from the cargo bed’s 5.3-foot-long length to 8.2 feet. The rear seat must be folded to achieve maximum storage capability; with the rear seat up and the Midgate closed, Avalanche has room for up to six passengers.

When the Midgate is open and the rear seat is folded flat, Avalanche can carry 4-foot by 8-foot sheets of plywood with the tailgate closed. Storage compartments alongside the cargo box provide ample and lockable storage. The storage compartments also have drains, so they can be filled with ice and used as coolers. A three-piece rigid cargo cover with interlocking panels also is available.

New features on the 2007 model enhance Avalanche’s flexible attributes and reflect customer feedback, including a central-locking tailgate, remote vehicle starting system and cargo cover retaining straps. Also, the new tailgate is spring-loaded to reduce the effort needed to open or close it.

Avalanche also offers convenient articulating running boards, which blend smoothly with the vehicle’s design. They automatically move downward and outward when the doors are opened, providing a lower step-in height.

Power
Avalanche is powered by a new Gen IV small-block V8 family that delivers more power than comparable powertrains in previous models. Standard on 2WD models is an iron-block Vortec 5.3L V8 with 320 horsepower and 340 lb.-ft. of torque, which offers Active Fuel Management. Two versions of the Vortec 5.3L Gen IV V8 – including an aluminum-block version that is standard in 4WD models – are compatible with E85. The 5.3L aluminum-block V-8, standard on the 4WD Avalanche, delivers an estimated 310 horsepower and 335 lb.-ft. of torque.

An all-aluminum 6.0L V8 with variable valve timing (VVT), as well as Active Fuel Management is available on 2WD and 4WD models. It is rated at an estimated 366 horsepower. VVT helps optimize camshaft timing to improve low-rpm torque and high-rpm horsepower. The system is enabled by a unique dual-equal cam phaser – the industry’s first application of VVT on a mass-produced V-8 cam-in-block engine. The unique dual-equal phaser adjusts the camshaft timing at the same rate for both the intake and exhaust valves. A Hydra-Matic 4L70 electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission is paired with the engine.

Contributing to Avalanche’s more efficient performance is improved aerodynamics. A more steeply raked windshield and smoother roofline improve airflow over the vehicle, while a dditional contributors to efficiency include a lower, wider front air dam, tighter tolerances and gaps between the fascias, lamps and grille openings, and improved front-end sealing that nearly eliminates air leak paths. These features all contribute to enhanced fuel economy and improved driving quietness, compared with previous models.

Inside
The interior of the 2007 Avalanche represents a new level of refinement, comfort, quality and convenience. It is roomy and airy, thanks to a lower instrument panel and deeper windshield that improve outward visibility. Passenger space also is increased, including more shoulder space for rear passengers, which is packaged with the available roof-mounted head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for both seating rows.

Avalanche’s new front seats are designed to provide more comfort and easier entry/egress. Door pillar-mounted first-row three-point safety belts facilitate slimmer seat design, which helps increase cargo space behind the seats. Comfort has been enhanced with firmer foams, including more aggressive bolsters. The front-row seats have one-inch more aft travel than previous models. The rear seat is unique to the Avalanche and enables easy access to the Midgate system. The seat folds flat, allowing longer items to be carried between the cargo bed and into the rear passenger compartment.

Refinements throughout Avalanche’s spacious interior create an environment that exudes quality and precision. Flush-mounted accessories and controls, such as the climate control/radio center stack, create a seamless, “single unit” appearance. Also, there are almost no exposed metal hardware or latches, as all models feature enclosing “close-outs” around the seat bottoms and door sill trim plates. New comfort features include an upgraded HVAC system, and storage capability is improved with the segment’s largest center console storage bin, a larger glove box and additional new storage compartments. Avalanche also offers a host of available convenience features, including:

Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist

Rearview camera system

Touch-screen navigation system

DVD rear-seat entertainment system with larger, 8-inch screen and enhanced features.

Avalanche also features an impressive new audio/navigation lineup, which provides quality entertainment and information. A new family of CD/MP3-compatible radios leads the audio lineup, with an enhanced DVD entertainment system that includes a larger, 8-inch screen (with in-dash loading). A new touch-screen navigation radio is available and incorporates the view monitor for the available rear-camera system.