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2002 Truck of the Year Contenders
From the April, 2002 issue of Truck Trend
By The Editors of Truck Trend
Photography by John Kiewicz
| Cadillac Escalade EXT |
| Base engine | 6.0L/345-hp OHV V-8 |
| Opt engine | None |
| Drivetrain | Front engine, AWD |
| Fuel economy, mpg | 12/16 |
| Price range | $49,990-$52,490 |
| What’s Hot: | Excellent ride, loads of hp and torque, La-Z-Boy-like seats |
| What’s Not: | High price, poor mpg, overactive Stabilitrac system |
| What’s New: | First Caddy truck shares Avalanche platform, high-output V-8, AWD, lux interior, and semi-active suspension from Escalade SUV |
| Chevrolet Avalanche |
| Base engine | 5.3L/285-hp OHV V-8 |
| Opt engine | 8.1L/340-hp OHV V-8 |
| Drivetrain | Front engine, RWD or 4WD |
| Fuel economy, mpg | 14/18 (5.3L 2WD), 13/17 (5.3L 4WD) |
| Price range | $30,245-$39,924 |
| What’s Hot: | Folding Midgate, good suspension tuning, smooth powertrain |
| What’s Not: | Square wheel arches, plastic body cladding, cab unsecure with Midgate down |
| What’s New: | Based on Suburban—not Silverado, Midgate folds to haul long items, 1500 gets rear coil springs, 2500 leaf springs hurts ride |
| Dodge Ram |
| Base engine | 3.7L/215-hp SOHC V-6 |
| Opt engines | 4.7L/235-hp SOHC V-8, 5.9L/245-hp OHV V-8 |
| Drivetrain | Front engine, RWD or 4WD |
| Fuel economy, mpg | 15/21 (V-6 manual 2WD), 11/16 (5.9L auto 4WD) |
| Price range | $17,670-$36,915 |
| What’s Hot: | 20-in wheels, tight chassis feel, adjustable pedals |
| What’s Not: | V-8 engines lack hp, dated interior materials, trans shifting |
| What’s New: | Completely redesigned—little carryover, rigid hydroformed frame rails, more interior space, two or four full-size doors |
 | From the onset, we knew the Avalanche was a solid Truck of the Year contender. We continually gravitated back to this new Chevy for its potent powertrains, commodious interior, feature content, aggressive styling, workaday capability, and innovative convertible cab. |
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