Versatile with a sense of adventure Avalancheis a perfect blend of flexibility and functionality for people who want to be ready for anything at a moment's notice. That's because Avalanche can keep up with your pace of life by changing from an SUV to a pickup truckin less than a minute. Step inside and you'll enjoy the comfort, look and feel of an upscale SUV. And whenever you need it, you'll also have the capability and power of a full-size pickup.
GM segment-exclusive midgate The ingenious Midgate gives Avalanche the unique ability to serve as a five- or six-passenger SUV or a full-size pickup. To begin its conversion to a pickup, simply lower the 60/40 split-folding bench seat. From there, the Midgate can be lowered for a completely secured cargo area, or the rear window and three-piece cargo cover can be removed for more room to transport larger items. The rear window can even be stowed in the Midgate.
Once the Midgate is lowered, Avalanche is fully ready to accommodate cargo both large and small. It features a removable three-piece cargo cover and locking tailgate, which equip Avalanche with the largest trunk in the industry when the rear window is in place.
Hauling power at your command Avalanche may look like fun, but it's built to work hard too. It offers up to 8,100 lbs. of towing capacity to haul big items such as a boat. Avalanchedoesn't sacrifice ride quality when it's loaded up either, thanks to its coil-spring suspension. Avalanche packs the right combination of horsepower and torque to handle bigger payloads. The standard Vortec 5.3L V8 engine puts 320 horses to work along with 335 lb.-ft. of torque. That means Avalanche has the power under the hood to take what's inside or behind it where it needs to go.
Fuel-efficient, Fuel-flexible This smart technology activates all eight engine cylinders when more power is needed and deactivates four cylinders with seamless precision when you need to conserve fuel. The results help Avalanche offer an EPA estimated 21 MPG highway and a driving range of up to 650 highway miles when running on gas. The flexibility continues at the pump with the standard FlexFuel-capable engine, which can run on either unleaded fuel or E85 - a combination of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
Safety features The 2011 Avalanche continues to offer an all-encompassing approach to safety, including head-curtain side-impact air bags and front seat-mounted side-impact air bags. These are in addition to the standard dual-stage frontal, driver and right-front passenger air bags with the Passenger Sensing System.
The Tire Pressure Monitor, another standard feature on Avalanche, monitors inflation level in each road tire (excludes spare tire) and alerts the driver if any tire falls below a specified pressure level.
Capability outside, comfort inside Finely appointed interior Avalanche is ready for work or for play with plenty of comfort and style inside. The roomy interior can fit up to five or six passengers comfortably. Plus, several available leather appointments or Premium Cloth seat fabrics are available to choose from.