2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE: SPONTANEOUS AND VERSATILE
The versatile, award-winning Avalanche continues to stand out from the competition. The quick-change artist of the truck world provides unparalleled flexibility in the mix between passengers and cargo. Avalanche also upholds the heritage of Chevy Trucks as the most dependable, longest-lasting trucks on the market.
Innovative and functional
"Avalanche continues to combine the best attributes of GM's full-size truck family with striking looks and its innovative ability to quickly convert from an SUV to a full-size pickup," said Rick Scheidt, Avalanche marketing director. "For those who like a challenge and want the capability to enhance their lives, Avalanche is the vehicle that delivers unrivaled, spontaneous adaptability."
Avalanche's revolutionary Convert-a-Cab System and Midgate offer great flexibility and function. When the rear passenger seat is folded, the Midgate can be lowered to allow for longer and larger cargo. When folded down, the Midgate allows the 5-foot, 3-inch (1.6 m) standard bed length to convert to a full 8-foot, 1-inch (2.5 m) - long enough to fit 4-foot by 8-foot (1.2 m by 2.4 m) sheets of plywood. It also seats up to six adults comfortably and provides ample secure storage.
Two Top-Box Storage compartments on either side of the cargo box provide a combined 3.5 cubic feet (99.1L) of lockable storage space. The compartments also have drains, so they can be filled with ice and used as coolers. A three-piece rigid cargo cover with interlocking panels is also available.
Strong Chevy Truck foundation
Avalanche also offers uncompromising brawn and stamina. The durable and powerful 295-horsepower (220-kw) Vortec 5300 5.3L V-8 engine is standard on 1500 Series models. The Avalanche 2500 Series, available as a four-wheel-drive vehicle only for 2004, offers the Vortec 8100 8.1L V-8 engine, which achieves 320 hp (239 kw) and boasts a 12,000-pound (5,400-kg) maximum towing capacity. A three-section frame with hydroformed front and rear rails gives precise dimensional control as well as excellent strength and stiffness.
Avalanche offers the StabiliTrak vehicle stability enhancement system (VSES) that improves vehicle stability, particularly on slick surfaces or during emergency maneuvers. StabiliTrak is only offered with the 2WD premium on-road suspension package.
StabiliTrak helps the driver maintain control of the vehicle in sudden maneuvers, particularly in low traction conditions, in emergency lane changes, and during avoidance maneuvers. If the system determines that the vehicle is not responding appropriately to the driver's steering, StabiliTrak precisely reduces engine torque and applies precise amounts of pressure to the individual front brakes to slow the vehicle and help bring it back to its intended path.
Significant safety
Avalanche features comprehensive security features, including "all-belts-to-seats" restraints at front outboard positions, side air bags and standard four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes. Safety is enhanced with Avalanche's front-seat passenger-sensing system and dual-level air bags.
The passenger-sensing air-bag system automatically deactivates the passenger-side front air bag under certain conditions to help protect smaller occupants.
Dual-stage air bags are designed to detect vehicle deceleration and, based on the deceleration data, provide an appropriate amount of air-bag inflation. The dual-level air-bag system senses the severity of a crash and determines whether to deploy the air bag with primary or "lower" amount of inflation or with primary and secondary "higher" amount of inflation. Dual-stage air bags are designed to help reduce the occurrence of inflation-induced injuries by deploying the air bag less forcefully in lower speed crashes.
New Hydroboost brakes provide added safety with more reserve power assist for braking under specific conditions. The system will continue to provide sufficient power assist to stop the vehicle if the engine stalls or is turned off. Hydroboost uses power steering fluid pressure to decrease brake pedal effort.
Avalanche for 2004 also provides safety for its younger passengers as it meets compliance with 2005 federal seat standards for child-restraint anchorages. The LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child-seat attachment system is provided in the center and right positions of the second-row split/folding bench seat (AT5). Only a top tether connection is available in the left position of the second-row bench seat.
Avalanche's sure-footed Autotrac 4WD system gets improved fuel economy when operating in 2WD, as well as improved "driver feel" during parking-lot and other low-speed maneuvers.
New family of entertainment choices
Impressive entertainment systems - including rear-seat entertainment systems with a DVD player and flip-down screen - add to Avalanche's "creature comforts." These systems feature the next-generation Radio Data System, and can interface with services such as XM Satellite Radio (continental U.S. only). Available rear-seat audio controls and a custom-designed Bose audio system with a high-powered, six-channel amplifier, six speakers and a sub-woofer, are also options.
XM Satellite Radio provides 100 coast-to-coast, digital-quality channels of original music, news, sports and talk. Consumers can subscribe to the basic service for $9.99 a month - less than the cost of a single CD. In addition, GM customers with GMAC financing can choose to include the XM subscription in their car payments.
Driver convenience package
Avalanche also offers brake and accelerator pedals that can be adjusted rearward in unison by nearly 3 inches (76 mm) for better positioning and comfort; they are also available with a memory feature. An available eight-button steering wheel control allows Avalanche owners to personalize several functions and safely access entertainment systems. Homelink Universal Transmitter is the third feature offered in the Driver's Convenience Package. Redundant steering-wheel controls also provide easy access to the optional OnStar system. OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the U.S. and Canada.
'Smart' systems
A communication network transfers data throughout the vehicle. It enables the driver information center, which can be programmed for English, Spanish or French, to monitor and report as many as 34 vehicle system functions, including service indicators for StabiliTrak, "Ice Possible" and "Door Ajar." A battery-rundown protection automatically turns off the headlamps and park lamps in addition to interior lights after 10 minutes if left on inadvertently.
Avalanche for 2004 features four new exterior colors: Dark Blue Metallic, Sunburst Orange (interim availability), Silver Birch and Sport Red Metallic.
