2009 Chevrolet Avalanche User Reviews

Pros

Very comfortable truck to drive. Decent fuel economy in town and on the hiway.

Cons

Not enough power for hills. Weak air conditioner. Does not slow when foot lifted off gas.

Purchased As New

I like driving this truck as it is comfortable and looks good. The drop gate for extending the bed is a very fine idea and have used it several times. The hard tonneau covers are useful in that they will support a lot of weight and snap in nicely. The auto locking tailgate is a nice feature. Decent fuel economy in town and on the hiway.
What I don't like is the truck is underpowered for long hills, the transmission shifts up and down. This is hard on a transmission.
It either needs more power or better programming.
Driving in town, the transmission 'hunts' for the right gear unless you put your foot into it. This is annoying.
The air conditioning is weak, my old Ford would freeze you out. I took it back to the dealer and he said the air was fine. Hmm.
The windshield defroster is poorly designed. Does not clear the windshield well from a cold start. The defrost vent is in the center of the dash so warm air doesn't get to the side of the windshield.
The duel climate controls are difficult to adjust while driving.
Overall, I like the truck, but will need to spend several thousand more 'tweaking it' to get it to my liking.
ie: duel exhaust, cold air intake, computer performance program.
This vehicle does not slow when your foot is taken off the gas. So end up having to use the brakes more often. It's like it freewheels.
This is an LS model with lots of upgrades. Back up sensor and camera. Very useful. Dual climate control. Nice.
Trailer package: nice feature on the shifter to hold shifts longer.
Locking tailgate with the key fob is great. Rubber bed liner really holds stuff from sliding around.
This truck is a nice urban unit. 4 wheel drive selector is very convenient. Has an auto position so 4 wheel engages only when slippage is sensed. 4 wheel high and 4 wheel low go in and out easy. I wouldn't buy this for a working pickup though.
Having the drop gate to extend the bed shortens the wheelbase for a 4 door crew cab. So this truck has a really decent turning radius.
Overall, I'm happy with it. Just think Chev could have done a bit better job and made this a great truck instead of just good.