It may not be cheap, but the Chevrolet Avalanche is one slick, innovative truck. Introduced last year and revised for 2003, this is an impressive concept vehicle that made it all the way to production. The key to its versatility is the Midgate, GM's clever tailgate that separates the cabin from 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 the rear seats fold down like in an SUV, the Midgate folds forward like a tailgate and voila! You have an eight-foot bed capable of hauling 4x8-foot sheets of plywood. Your plywood (or drywall) stays dry inside the covered bed, out of the pouring rain. Or take the cover off the bed, remove the rear window, and you can park an ATV back there. (We've done this.)

For 2003, the Avalanche is available without the plastic body cladding. We think it looks better, cleaner, if a bit plainer this way. But don't worry. Cladding is still available. Made of a practically bullet-proof material that will protect the rocker panels from years of flying gravel, it comes in a darker color for 2003

For 2003, the Avalanche benefits from a long list of improvements to all the full-size pickups and SUVs from GM. The new electrical system architecture ha. New features improve safety, comfort, convenience, and performance. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is the attention to detail seen throughout the Avalanche. The people who designed this thing are into fishing, hunting, and boating, and the execution shows, with flush-mounted cargo lights that illuminate the bed, foldaway tie-down hooks, and footholds and handholds for climbing onto the cargo cover, made of a highly rigid material can easily support your weight.

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