2008 Chevrolet Avalanche Safety Review

November 5, 2008

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Five stars, front and side impact protection; three stars, rollover resistance
NHTSA

Side curtain airbags are now standard
Cars.com

rear-quarter blind spots hinder maneuverability
Edmunds

The 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche earns great safety scores and carries a long list of safety features as standard equipment.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Avalanche five out of five stars for front and side impact protection. It did not do as well, receiving only three stars, in rollover resistance tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not performed tests on the 2008 Avalanche.

Cars.com reports "curtain airbags are now standard," as well as "all-disc antilock brakes and an electronic stability system with rollover mitigation." The Chevrolet Avalanche 2008 "rollover mitigation feature senses impending rollovers and can apply individual brakes in an attempt to stop them." In addition, the 2008 Chevy Avalanche is equipped with "GM's OnStar emergency communications system," according to Edmunds.

Where the 2008 Chevy Avalanche falls short is in visibility. Edmunds reports that the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche's "large size and rear-quarter blind spots hinder maneuverability in tight spots." ConsumerGuide notes "the tall tail restricts vision directly aft." While the 2008 Chevy Avalanche "rear obstacle detection and rearview camera are helpful...the camera distorts distances, compromising its usefulness."

Conclusion

The 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche has some visibility issues, but it performs exceptionally well in crash tests.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:Five stars, front and side impact protection; three stars, rollover resistanceNHTSASide curtain airbags are now standardCars.comrear-quarter blind spots hinder maneuverabilityEdmunds The 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche earns great safety scores and carries a long list of safety features as standard equipment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Avalanche five out of five stars for front and side impact protection. It did not do as well, receiving only three stars, in rollover resistance tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not performed tests on the 2008 Avalanche. Cars.com reports "curtain airbags are now standard," as well as "all-disc antilock brakes and an electronic stability system with rollover mitigation." The Chevrolet Avalanche 2008 "rollover mitigation feature senses impending rollovers and can apply individual brakes in an attempt to stop them." In addition, the 2008 Chevy Avalanche is equipped with "GM's OnStar emergency communications system," according to Edmunds. Where the 2008 Chevy Avalanche falls short is in visibility. Edmunds reports that the 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche's "large size and rear-quarter blind spots hinder maneuverability in tight spots." ConsumerGuide notes "the tall tail restricts vision directly aft." While the 2008 Chevy Avalanche "rear obstacle detection and rearview camera are helpful...the camera distorts distances, compromising its usefulness." ConclusionThe 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche has some visibility issues, but it performs exceptionally well in crash tests. 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 ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

When you look at this list of competitors, they are the usual suspects one would find when comparing only pickups. The 2008 Chevy Avalanche functions well as a pickup, and offers towing capabilities that are more than competitive with any of these rivals. What the Avalanche offers over these challengers is that rare combination of five-passenger comfort with an eight-foot bed, something that you won't find in most pickups--at least, not at the same time. All the others are similar full-size trucks with no midgate, but a choice of engines, transmissions, box lengths, and drivetrains.

Next Steps:

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See the Chevrolet Avalanche in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

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