2008 Chevrolet Avalanche Review

Find your car!

Make

Model

The Chevrolet Avalanche continues to come in both two- and four-wheel drive for 2008. An iron-block 5.3L V8 with 320 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque is standard on two-wheel-drive Avalanches, while an aluminum-block 5.3L that provides 310 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque is standard with four-wheel-drive. An all-aluminum 6.0L V8 that produces 366 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque and utilizes variable valve timing is available regardless of drivetrain, and Active Fuel Management is featured on all 2008 Avalanche engines.

Signature features like the Avalanche's midgate system, which allows for flexible hauling capabilities, and bed-mounted storage compartments with drain plugs remain for 2008.

Standard equipment on the Avalanche LS include 17-inch... see more

The Chevrolet Avalanche continues to come in both two- and four-wheel drive for 2008. An iron-block 5.3L V8 with 320 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque is standard on two-wheel-drive Avalanches, while an aluminum-block 5.3L that provides 310 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque is standard with four-wheel-drive. An all-aluminum 6.0L V8 that produces 366 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque and utilizes variable valve timing is available regardless of drivetrain, and Active Fuel Management is featured on all 2008 Avalanche engines.

Signature features like the Avalanche's midgate system, which allows for flexible hauling capabilities, and bed-mounted storage compartments with drain plugs remain for 2008.

Standard equipment on the Avalanche LS include 17-inch aluminum wheels, heated power mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, a CD player, Satellite radio, dual-zone air conditioning, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and power windows and locks, while the LT trim adds fog lamps and a power driver's seat. The LTZ pours on the upgrades, with a heavy duty locking rear differential, a load-leveling suspension system, 20-inch alloys, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, rear parking assist, rain-sensing wipers, heated windshield washer nozzles, leather seats, power adjustable pedals, automatic climate control, and remote vehicle start. The LTZ's audio system is also a step up, with a six-disc CD changer, Bose speakers, and rear-seat controls.

Optional comfort features on the lower trims include an upgraded HVAC system, a remote vehicle starter prep package, and a rearview camera system. The upper trims benefit from an optional touch-screen navigation system and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with an eight-inch screen.

Standard safety features include stability control, side curtain air bags, a tire pressure monitoring system, ABS, and OnStar.
The Chevy Avalanche was completely redesigned for 2007 and therefore is carried over for the 2008 mostly unchanged. Side curtain air bags and XM satellite radio are now standard on all trim levels, and the LT and LTZ trims now have OnStar Turn-by-Turn navigation. The standard seats are slightly redesigned to include covered storage, and two Convenience Packages are newly available on LS and LT trims. see less

Trims	City MPG	Hwy MPG	MSRP	Invoice	Displacement	Engine
2WD Crew Cab LS	14	20	$33,435	$30,593.03	5.3L/325	Gas V8
2WD Crew Cab LT w/1LT	14	20	$34,305	$31,389.08	5.3L/325	Gas V8
2WD Crew Cab LT w/2LT	14	20	$34,305	$31,389.08	5.3L/325	Gas V8
2WD Crew Cab LT w/3LT	14	20	$34,305	$31,389.08	5.3L/325	Gas V8
2WD Crew Cab LTZ	14	20	$34,305	$31,389.08	5.3L/325	Gas V8
4WD Crew Cab LS	11	14	$36,485	$33,383.78	5.3L/325	Gas/Ethanol V8
4WD Crew Cab LT w/1LT	11	14	$37,355	$34,179.83	5.3L/325	Gas/Ethanol V8
4WD Crew Cab LT w/2LT	11	14	$37,355	$34,179.83	5.3L/325	Gas/Ethanol V8
4WD Crew Cab LT w/3LT	11	14	$37,355	$34,179.83	5.3L/325	Gas/Ethanol V8
4WD Crew Cab LTZ	11	14	$37,355	$34,179.83	5.3L/325	Gas/Ethanol V8

provided by

2008 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE STYLING | [7 out of 10]

Edmunds: "Versatile midgate-based body style"
ForbesAutos: "a cross between a full-size SUV and a full-size pickup truck"
Car and Driver: "Decent interior"

From its debut as a 2002 model, the Chevrolet Avalanche has been defined by its unique Midgate and the one trick it performs: flipping down its Midgate to extend its pickup bed inside the cabin, turning it from a short-bed pickup to a sort of long-bed truck with a partial roof covering its bed. Cadillac builds a similar vehicle dubbed the Escalade EXT.

ForbesAutos deftly describes the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche as "a cross between a full-size SUV and a full-size pickup truck." Cars.com says the Chevrolet Avalanche 2008 "closely resembles the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe up front, though with an overall length of 221 inches it's nearly as long as Chevrolet's full-size Suburban SUV." Edmunds comments favorably on the 2008 Chevy Avalanche's "versatile midgate-based body style," while Kelley Blue Book notes that the Chevrolet Avalanche 2008's "monochromatic exterior features wraparound fascias that eliminate bumper-to-body gaps," adding that a "sleek windshield angle extends into a smoother roofline, the front air dam is low and wide and prominent fenders with integrated wheel flares complement the bulging power-dome hood." Edmunds complements the "sleeker exterior styling" in this generation. "The previous Avalanche's body cladding is gone, replaced with integrated rocker panels and bumpers," Cars.com says. "Key elements of the previous model remain--namely the triangular pillars descending from the cab's C-pillars to its bed."

(see full review)

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche

See more 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche cars