| MORE TEST FEST COVERAGE |
| SUV / CUV over $60,000 | Nov 14, 2006 |
| SUV / CUV $35,000 - $60,000 | Nov 13, 2006 |
| SUV / CUV under $35,000 | Nov 11, 2006 |
| Convertible | Nov 10, 2006 |
| Sport / performance car over $50,000 | Nov 9, 2006 |
| Sport / performance car under $50,000 | Nov 8, 2006 |
| Prestige car over $75,000 | Nov 7, 2006 |
| Luxury car under $50,000 | Nov 6, 2006 |
| Family car over $30,000 | Nov 5, 2006 |
| Family car $22,000 - $30,000 | Nov 4, 2006 |
| Small car over $18,000 | Nov 3, 2006 |
| Small car under $18,000 | Nov 2, 2006 |
| The most coveted parking space in the country | Nov 1, 2006 |
| Writers' predictions for the best new cars of 2007 | Nov 1, 2006 |
Once again, Testfest (and Auto123.com) handed me one of my favourite categories to evaluate - pickup trucks. It's a small but diverse group, each with its strengths and weaknesses.
2007 Avalanche Gone is the plastic cladded ugliness, with its truncated wheel wells and ribbed vinyl flying buttresses. The new Avalanche is a streamlined and far more attractive vehicle. Interior is plain, dark charcoal, with blunt, workmanlike and easily understood ergonomics. Seats were firm, and felt
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| (Photo: General Motors) |
wierdly inflated, but comfortable. Steering was excellent - perfectly balanced and weighted accordingly for the bulk of the vehicle. The tight suspension handled turns with confidence and minimum body roll. Most impressive was the silence of the vehicle -- vibration, road and wind noise were almost imperceptible and there was next to no rattle or squeak over the roughest of pavement. That the Avalanche is equipped to use Flex Fuel, is a nod towards environmental conscientiousness, but the reality is that these fuels are not yet readily available. However, the 5.3 litre V8 engine has an Active Fuel Management system that seamlessly switches from eight-cylinder to four-cylinder mode, saving fuel. The Avalanche is known for its innovative "Midgate" system. The truck's cargo area can be extended by flipping down the rear seats and dropping a gate in the back wall of the cab. The resultant space is rugged and heavily lined.
2007 Cadillac Escalade EXTBuilt on the Chevrolet Avalanche platform, the Cadillac Escalade EXT is the most luxurious pickup truck on the market. While under its pearlescent skin may lie the bones of a Chevy Avalanche - it's garnished with an extra $40,000 worth of bling. An enormous Cadillac badge graces its prominent chrome-grilled prow. Chrome fender vents are reportedly inspired by the
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| (Photo: General Motors) |
Sixteen concept car. The tester rode on "double deuces" - 22-inch chrome rims. Inside soft, supple leather upholstered chairs have deep bolstering. Centre stack, door panels and console are burled wood. High quality materials met with no gaps. The cockpit abounds with expected gadgetry - NAV system, DVD entertainment unit, BOSE sound, satellite radio, a beautifully refined instrument panel, and, for those who shouldn't be driving a vehicle this size in the first place: a back-up assist camera. Side mirror located signal indicators are a nice touch. I found the steering on the light side for such a big vehicle. Incredibly quiet - as you'd expect a Cadillac to be -- there's a glorious exhaust note -- the product of a 6.2 litre aluminum V8, producing 403 hp and 417 lb ft. of torque. It's quite maneuverable despite the huge gobs of power and massive size although suspension is too soft for spirited on-ramp travelling. Surprising as it may be that an $83,000 pickup truck might actually perform like... a pickup truck, the test vehicle came with a tow package, and the same heavy duty lined bed and fold-down midgate system as the Avalanche. It was however, equipped with AWD, lacking the 4-Hi and 4-Lo of its stablemate.
