This unique four, five or six passenger sport utility truck offers versatility with a long wheel base like the Chevy Suburban and Cadillac Escalade, but it has an open pickup-up truck bed that features a midgate, which opens to the back seat with a folding panel and removable rear window when you need more hauling space. It features locking flip-top, self-draining ice chests behind each wheel-well that can be used for storage or stocked with your favorite beverages or camping food. The second generation GMT900 Avalanche went into production in 2007 that still has the mid-gate construction.

With a powerful Vortec V8 engine, it now features 'Active fuel management' that deactivates four of the eight cylinders, to make it more fuel-friendly. The Chevrolet Avalanche was originally marketed for the ability to change from a pickup truck to an SUV through closing the large plastic bed cover and utilizing the configuration of the mid-gate and removable back window.

It is a versatile pickup truck, especially considering its characteristic versatility in fuel economy or power hauling, pick-up truck or SUV and its ability to survive through the automotive changes that have hit the Pickup/SUV market and the American automakers from the price spikes in gas prices.

In an effort to continue to offer the full size luxury that Americans want in a pickup or SUV with the option to save fuel costs, the Chevrolet Avalanche is still a great deal with an MSRP that starts at $35,460. It comes in 8 different trim model and options packages with seven of them under the $45,000 mark and only one the goes slightly over.

According to Edmonds, "it is one of the more versatile vehicles on the road today. It successfully blends the comfort and passenger capacity of an SUV with the cargo flexibility of a pickup truck." That is exactly the market that General Motors has been hoping to capture with this unique design.

The removable wall the separates the cabin and the bed is something unique, but some don't like the limited vision and blind spots, which can make it hard to maneuver in tight spots. There is a little bit of work involved in the mid-gate/removable back window configuration, but most Chevrolet Avalanche owners like the flexibility anyway.

Both models of the Vortec V8 engine come in six speed transmissions, whether you choose the standard 5.3 liter, 310 horsepower or the optional 6.0 liter with 366 horsepower. It has predictable handling for a workhorse pickup but has a smooth and comfortable ride with precise steering, considering the massive, full-size.

Perhaps, General Motor's biggest mistake with its full size line of vehicles, including the Chevrolet Avalanche, was the fact they had not anticipated the huge increase in fuel prices that would make them almost unaffordable to drive.

To the fans of the Chevrolet Avalanche, it seems that most of them need the versatility and can't go without a work truck and the comfortable riding SUV combination, no matter what fuel prices are. The new 'Active Fuel Management' system certainly makes it a more affordable option for those that love everything else about it,

Perhaps known as one of the original full-sized SUV class, the Chevrolet Suburban was originally one of General Motors' most profitable and popular vehicles because of the station wagon and cargo hauling combination, which was originally known as the 'Suburban Carryall' when it first came out in 1937.

Today, it still is a full-sized SUV with three rows of seating, a full-sized pickup truck frame, and a V8 engine. It is 20 inches longer than the Chevrolet Tahoe, which makes it capable up seating up to 9 passengers. It is a full version of a workhorse, capable of hauling a family and their luggage for an extended vacation and can still tow a sizable trailer behind it.

When gas prices went through the ceiling, most Chevrolet Suburban lovers refused to give up their Suburban. Instead, they opted for a compact, second car for those short trips around town. Because the used Chevrolet Suburbans lost so much in value because of the drastic incentives offered to move the new ones, most people just held on to them, rather than lose a lot of money. Now that gas prices have come back down, you are seeing more of them on the road again.

Of course, it is a great work truck for those in construction and it is still more popular than most full-sized vans. Because you can get them in four wheel drive, it is a rugged, all-around, full-sized SUV that can handle whatever you need it for. The newer models since 2007 have been re-designed to be more aerodynamic and offer modern styling, like the Chevy Tahoes.

For the 2010 model year, it has been ranked as number one in the affordable full-size SUV class by US News and World Report. It has a premium interior package that has all kinds of nifty features like Bluetooth, tri-zone climate control and rear audio controls. With the 6.0 liter, flex fuel capability of the 2010 engine, it is catching up with the times, in an effort to survive the minimalist automotive revolution.

There are just many die-hard fans that can't bring themselves to drive something less powerful, capable, and versatile, no matter what the fuel prices are doing. It is rated the best of any four-wheel drive model, when it comes to towing capacity, capable of 9,600 pounds on the 1/2 ton models. With the power of the 403 horsepower engine, it can handle it with ease.

The 2009 Chevrolet Suburban received the NHTSA's best rating of 5 stars in the safety categories of frontal driver/passenger and side driver/passenger, tied with the Ford Expedition scores. Safety, handling, power, towing capacity, versatility, and the upgraded interior and exterior designs are what General Motors hoped to keep the legend of the Suburban alive. They originally slated a re-design for the 2012 model year, but that has been put on the back burner with General Motors' reorganization.

Regardless, the Chevrolet Suburban has the power you need when towing and plenty of interior space. If you need a passenger vehicle or a towing vehicle, you aren't going to find much better in a full-sized SUV model.

After a strong debut last year, the Chevy Malibu maintains its star status this year.  The 2009 Chevy Malibu model includes careful upgrades for better performance and to add useful new features, while at the same time not tinkering with the Malibu's excellent performance and handling characteristics that made it so successful in the first place.

New in 2009 is a six-speed automatic transmission for all trims except the base LS, increasing performance and gas mileage.  Stability Control is now standard in all trim levels.  Bluetooth connectivity allows for easier hands-free mobile phone use.  The power-adjustable pedal option has been removed, however.

The 2009 Chevy Malibu comes in four trim levels: the low-end LS, the midrange 1 LT and 2LT, and the luxury LTZ.  Some of the options on the more expensive higher-trim models can be added to the lower trim levels.

The standard engine available on all Chevy Malibu trims is a 2.4-liter V4 that produced 169 horsepower (hp) and 160 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque.  The LS equips this engine with a four-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.  The 1LT also has the option of a six-speed automatic transmission.  This engine provides very good fuel economy at 22 mpg (35.5 kpg) for city driving and 32 mpg (51.5 kpg) on the highway.

The 2LT and the LTZ have the option of a more powerful engine—a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 252 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque.  This engine comes with the six-speed automatic transmission.  Getting gas mileage of 17 mpg (27 kpg) for city driving and 26 mpg (42 kpg) on the highway, the fuel economy for the V6 engine is not as good as for its four-cylinder little brother.

Finally, a hybrid model is available, combining the already fuel-efficient four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor that does not need to be plugged in and recharged.  The hybrid model is only available with a four-speed automatic transmission.

The surprisingly powerful V4 engine provides decent performance, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (96.5 kph) in less than 10 seconds.  The V6 engine, on the other hand, is a muscle car engine in a midsize sedan, accelerating from 0 to 60 in 6.6 seconds.  At highway speeds, the cabin is surprisingly quiet due to excellent sound insulation and acoustic-laminated windows.  The Chevy Malibu has excellent handling, cornering precisely and providing a smooth ride even over rough pavement.  The Chevy Malibu's long wheelbase provides lots of leg room for passengers.  The comfortable and supportive seats are highly adjustable, making even long drives relatively easy.

Standard safety features on all trim levels include stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, and both front seat and side curtain airbags.  In government front and side impact crash tests, the 2009 Chevy Malibu earned a perfect five stars.

To find faults with the 2009 Chevy Malibu, one can to descend to the level of nit-picking.  There is no center arm rest, which may annoy some drivers.  Other drivers find the steering wheel to be too wide and the foot pedals to be inconveniently arranged.  A few key luxury features are not available, such as a GPS navigation system with a head-up display.  The Chevy Malibu can be equipped with OnStar, however, which provides "turn-by-turn" audio directions.  Overall, however, the 2009 Chevy Malibu remains one of the best cars available today in the family-oriented, midsize sedan market.