It may not be cheap, but the Avalanche is one slick, innovative truck, an impressive concept vehicle that made it all the way to production. The key to its versatility is its clever Midgate, which is like having a second tailgate between the cabin and the pickup box. Normally, the Avalanche can carry five adults in comfort and a large amount of cargo in a covered, 5-foot 3-inch indestructible bed. But when you need more space, the rear seats fold down, the Midgate folds forward, and voila! You have an eight-foot bed capable of hauling 4x8-foot sheets of plywood. And your plywood, or drywall, stays dry inside the covered bed, out of the rain. Or take the cover off the bed, remove the rear window and you can park an ATV back there.

Avalanche debuted for 2002, and was significantly tweaked and refined for 2003. The 2004 Avalanche gets an enhanced brake system.

One thing that hasn't changed, however, is the attention to detail seen throughout the Avalanche. The people who designed this truck were into fishing, hunting and boating; they knew the needs of outdoor enthusiasts, and they have provided for those needs with flush-mounted cargo lights that illuminate the bed, foldaway tie-down hooks, and footholds and handholds for climbing onto the bed. The hard cargo cover over the bed is made of a highly rigid material that can easily support your weight.