First look: 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche.(Evaluation)

New for 2002, the Chevrolet Avalanche is one of the latest models in a move toward five-passenger crew-cab pickups that include four regular doors and two full rows of seats. Some crew cabs have been dubbed "SUV/pickup hybrids," a marketing gimmick intended to capitalize on the high demand for SUVs. However, the Avalanche (and its more expensive cousin, the Cadillac Escalade EXT) comes closest to fulfilling that hybrid role because of its passenger/ cargo versatility and innovative body design.

Unlike other pickups, the Avalanche (and Escalade EXT) features a novel two-piece partition that separates the passenger compartment from the cargo bed. Called the midgate, it consists of a …