When it first hit the streets in 2002 the Chevrolet Avalanche was considered ground breaking. With the ability to lower the panel separating the bed from the cabin to increase cargo space, while still looking like a sport/luxury truck, the Avalanche caught the eye of many a truck buyer when it first hit the market.

Initial sales in 2002 and 2003 for the Avalanche were just over 90,000 units per year. However, a little over ten years later, sales numbers for the Avalanche are struggling to break the 20,000 unit mark. With crew cabs becoming the norm on almost all truck lines, and various other innovations from the competition, the Avalanche feels more than a little outdated now. To celebrate its retirement, Chevrolet is releasing a black diamond edition Avalanche. It will include special badging, custom trim levels, backup cameras, parking sensors, remote start, fog lamps and adjustable pedals. It is always sad to see what was once an innovator put out to pasture, but the time has come. Now we will just have to wait and see if Chevrolet has anything up it sleeve to replace it.

As far as recalls go this is an odd one. Toyota is recalling certain 2012 Toyota Tacoma pickups that were distributed by Gulf States Toyota. As of last count only 672 models are affected by this recall.

The recall item in question is the spare tire placard. The placard could list the incorrect tire size and tire inflation information for the vehicle. Affected owners will not have to bring their vehicles to a Toyota dealer to remedy the situation. Instead, a new placard will be mailed to the owner. Gulf States Toyota is already in the process of notifying the affected owners. However, if you have any questions or want to know now if your Tacoma is affected, you can contact Gulf States Toyota directly by calling 713-744-3465 or the NHTSA at 888-327-4236. I know nobody likes recalls, but at least this one is definitely on the minor side. Don’t remember to get Tacoma running boards & nerf bars from Automax Styling.

Finding new markets to deliver products to is a key strategy for companies when the world economy is as volatile as it has been. Car manufacturers have been trying to expand their market presence in new areas for some time now, but we have really seen a strong push for world market concepts the past couple of years, and now even niche ideas are starting to trickle through. With that in mind, allow me to introduce the Jeep Wrangler Dragon concept that was just unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show.

Take a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, add an all black paint job, gold and bronze highlights on the emblems, around the headlights and grille combined with a three piece hard top, and then finish it off with a bronze Chinese character on the side. They have also added embossing on the leather interior along with some other interior dress up additions. The Dragon sits on 35″ off-road tires mounted on 18″ rims. There is no word on the power plant yet, since it is just a concept and not slated for production at this time. Will this grab enough interest in China to justify bringing this package to Chinese consumers? We will just have to wait and see. Get a pair of wrangler nerf bars from Automax Styling to make the package more complete.

The folks at Subaru have issued a recall for 275,000 Forester models made from 2009 to 2012. The recall has been issued after a findings report from the NHTSA found the rear seat belt system to be a problem.

The issue at hand is the automatic locking retractor in the seatbelt assemblies of the rear center seat. This could cause a child safety seat to not be properly restrained or anchored and could result in a serious injury or fatality in the event of a crash. Subaru has already begun contacting owners of affected vehicles to schedule a free repair at their newest Subaru dealer. If you have any questions or want to double check if your vehicle is affected you can contact Subaru directly at 1-800-782-2783.

First Jeep showed us the Altitude Edition Grand Cherokee, Patriot and Compass. Now, not to feel left out, the Wrangler is getting the Altitude treatment.

The Altitude Edition Wrangler exterior is available in either black paint with black trim or Silver Metallic, Cherry Red and Bright White with black trim. The interior gets the black berber floor mat treatment, black leather with red hand stitching, and a black trimmed dash. All of this sits on custom 18 inch wheels with black spokes. The matching body color hard top and Altitude badges seal the deal. There will only be 4,500 Wrangler Altitude models made and will be available starting in May. So hightail it over to your Jeep dealer now before they’re all gone.

Remember to get some Jeep Wrangler accessories such as Jeep Wrangler Running Boards to equip your Altitude with Attitude.

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The Honda Pilot might at first glance look like yesterday’s news—like the kind of ruggedly styled, truck-based SUV that’s gone out of favor. But in truth, it’s one of the better choices for everyday, on-the-road family use—especially if you’re the type to eschew minivans—and the overtly boxy body yields an especially roomy interior.

For 2012, Honda has given the Pilot what amounts to a mid-cycle refresh, doing away with the oddly framed, grille introduced in 2009 and instead substituting a more tasteful grille that we see, simply, as a more vertical take on the brand’s passenger-car front ends. Back at that last redesign, the Pilot became even more macho, creased, and imposing, with a chunky look that we liked, other than garish grille, so we’ll consider that a victory. Interior themes are also a bit gimmicky and overwrought in a chunky, macho aesthetic.

A five-speed automatic transmission is paired with the familiar 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 in the Pilot, and it altogether keeps with Honda’s smooth, responsive, and sweet-sounding reputation for these powertrains, while improving the highway rating on front-wheel-drive models by 2 mpg, to 25 mpg—making it the most fuel-efficient three-row eight-passenger vehicle, according to Honda (now 17/24 mpg with 4WD or 18/25 mpg with front-wheel drive). A cylinder-deactivation system remains to help cut fuel consumption while coasting or cruising, and we’ve found real-world ratings to be on the high side of those estimates. Handling is much better than the tall silhouette suggests, and once you get past the initial surprise of the tall driving position, you’ll find handling to be reasonably crisp, with good maneuverability.

With a carlike unibody design, bolstered structurally with some of the benefits of an SUV, the Pilot is able to draw from the best of both worlds. Ride quality is on the firm side, but the optional four-wheel-drive (actually all-wheel drive) system has a Lock mode and is a champ in deep snow or mud. Four-wheel-drive models can tow up to 4,500 pounds.

The Pilot’s interior is roomy and functional, and it’s one of few vehicles this size to have a third row that’s spacious enough for adults—though headroom is tight in the far back and you’ll sacrifice cargo space to use it. Front seats are generously sized and excellent for long road trips, while the second-row seats slide fore and aft for easy access to the third row or to get just the right balance of legroom between rows. Both the second and third rows fold forward and are split 60/40, and overall, the interior just brims with functionality in the form of cubbies and bins. The only common criticism from our editors is that the dash feels cluttered, and there are too many hard plastic surfaces just ahead of the driver. However otherwise the Pilot feels very refined and quiet—and Honda has made further improvements in this area for 2012.

Family safety is probably a top priority for the Pilot’s family shoppers, and here it’s reassuring but not exactly top-notch. Side-curtain bags cover all three rows, and its feature set is just as good as any vehicle in this class; test results have been pretty good, and the Pilot is a Top Safety Pick, but features like a rearview camera aren’t available on base versions.

From a feature standpoint, the big news for 2012 is top-and-center on the dash; Honda has brought the information screen it terms i-MID—a color LCD screen that shows trip computer and audio functions up more in the line of sight. It also includes enhanced steering-wheel controls. But as anyone who’s shopped Honda before will know, desirable features are kept for more expensive trims, and that new display is only on EX-L models. The Pilot is available in four different trim levels—LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring—each of which is offered in 2WD or 4WD. You’ll need to step up to EX-L or Touring trims to get upgraded leather upholstery. That said, base 2012 Honda Pilot LX models come with rear air conditioning, keyless entry, cruise control, and a seven-speaker sound system, while the top-of-the-line Touring includes a host of tech features, such as a nav system, a rearview camera, a Bluetooth hands-free interface, a USB audio plug, backup sensors, and available rear DVD entertainment. Also for 2012, the navigation system has been updated and includes 15 GB of media storage.

Don’t forget to check out the coolest Honda Pilot accessories such as Honda Pilot Nerf Bars or Billet Grilles.

One of the most tired discussion topics in the automotive world is the “one vehicle that can do it all”. For some, a vehicle like a Lotus Elise can suffice as a daily driver, while others insist on a 9-passenger Cadillac Escalade ESV. Somewhere in the middle are reasonable folk who pledge alegiance to the Subaru Outback.

Pickup trucks are regarded by a significant portion of the country (read: blue-state pantywaists with NPR locked on the radio) as a wasteful endeavor favored by chronic spouse abusers and manual laborers. But that won’t stop me from nominating the Ford F-150 Platinum as the “One Vehicle To Rule Them All”.

With the F-150 being the best-selling vehicle in North America since the dawn of time, there must be something to this statement, and Ford’s huge range of configurations means that there really is an F-150 for everyone. Recently we were given an F-150 Platinum to test, a trim level meant for the owner of the contracting company rather than one of the grunts. None of our usual truck experts were available and so the task of reviewing this machine fell to me, a pickup truck virgin, who found himself pleasantly surprised at just how cushy – and expensive – these trucks can get.

FULLY-LOADED AND PRICED TO MATCH

The F-150 Platinum isn’t the top dog of the F-150 lineup (that would be the impossibly vulgar F-150 Harley Davidson edition) but it does occupy the upper echelons. Our test truck was loaded to the mammary glands (as pickup owners are fond of saying, albeit not so clinically) with a SuperCab configuration, a 6.5’ pickup bed, 4 wheel drive, and a 3.73 limited-slip rear axle. We also had other limp-wrist options like an in-dash navigation system, a stowable bed extender, moon roof, tailgate step, skid plates (for trips up the gravel driveway at the lake house) and metallic red paint, for a whopping price tag of $54,380. To put that in perspective, that’s $6,180 more than a Porsche Cayenne.

EASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ECOBOOST ENGINE

Ironically, our Platinum edition came with the smallest displacement engine available, a 3.5L Ecoboost V6. With 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, the Platinum never lacks for power, and displays minimal lag during acceleration, all the while making cool turbo noises more reminiscent of a diesel-powered pickup truck. We saw about 17 mpg in mainly city traffic, one mpg better than Ford’s 16 mpg rating. Various outlets have reported 0-60 mph times in as low as 6.5 seconds, which feels positively rapid for an enormous pickup truck. With 90 percent of the Ecoboost’s torque available at 1900 rpm, grunt is never lacking, and we never once pined for a big V8, soundtrack be damned.

Living in the urban core of a large city, the F-150 looked comical when parked in my on-street spot, and more than one neighbor had a good laugh as I waited for the power retractable running boards to come down as I entered the big red rig. But haters were soon silenced, as less than 24 hours after I got the truck, calls came in from friends wanting help moving, requesting trips to the garden center and all points in between.

It would be nice to be able to brag about using the 3,060 lb payload capacity or the 11,000 lb tow rating, but the most that the F-150 hauled was a bunch of boxes, a full-size Weber barbecue and some large plants. Truthfully, it felt a lot like bringing a rocket launcher to a paintball match, but the integrated tailgate step and handle won big praise from a middle-aged couple who are no longer as limber as they once were, and provided easy access to the pickup bed and its contents.

IT’S NOT LUXURIOUS FOR A PICKUP, IT’S LUXURIOUS

Aside from the up high driving position, the F-150 Platinum has an interior that would shame the entire Lincoln lineup (something that Ford should be fixing, ASAP). Outfitted in an earthy brown leather interior, the EcoBoost bowled us over with the quality of the leather and dashboard materials. Some of the brushed aluminum trim was a little off, but on the whole, we were stunned at the level of craftsmanship in the F-150’s interior. Then again, we’re used to work trucks with grey cloth, no A/C and a single bench seats. Other “premium” automakers should examine the Platinum’s interior for a lesson on how to do an upmarket interior without pretense or unnecessary complication. Its aesthetic sensibilities may not be as avant-garde as some import brands, but it’s miles ahead of most of the other domestic manufacturers, save for something like the new Chrysler 300’s cabin.

Of course, Ford’s still glitch-ridden SYNC system makes an appearance, in conjunction with the typical Sony head unit. Sound quality is excellent as always, but we ended up being frustrated with the SYNC’s finicky touch screen unit despite being very familiar with its workings. Most impressive is the sheer amount of leg room available in the rear seat – enough to shame a long-wheelbase Lincoln Town Car. Even a pair of 6’4” friends had enough room to extend their legs 180 degrees while sitting in the back seat.

THE VERDICT

With the ability to sprint to 60 mph, tow a horse trailer and carry five oversized adults in comfort, the F-150 Ecoboost doesn’t fail to live up to its jack-of-all-trades billing. Ferrari once remarked that the Jeep was America’s version of a sports car, but given the technological stagnation of that off-roader, and just how far the pickup truck has come with the F-150 Platinum, it can now assume the title. If the Ferrari is a thing of beauty, with function following form, then the F-150 is the opposite, an eminently practical, utilitarian beast that lacks nothing in the way of creature comforts or performance.

The only question in our mind is that of durability – a V8 pickup is a sure bet to rack up hundreds of thousands of reliable miles, but turbos are more complex than a simple small-block. An owner that’s negligent with repairs may find himself saddled with hefty repair bills, though this won’t be the fault of Ford’s engineering. Then again, if you can afford the steep entry price for the Platinum, a few quarts of oil and regular servicing doesn’t mean much to your pocket book.

Ford’s toughened up F-150 SVT Raptor has been a hot-seller since its launch back in 2009 and to keep things bubbling along we’ve seen a few major updates made in the meantime, although the winning formula of a purpose-built off-road performance pickup has stayed true.

We now have a new 2012 Ford F-150 Raptor, once again demonstrating Ford’s focus on raising the bar for off-road capabilities in a production truck, offering plenty of extras and all the toughness that we’ve come to love in the F-150 SVT Raptor line.

A new Torsen front differential is one such upgrade, helping to increase grip significantly on the front end of the truck and improve its capabilities in handling obstacles, slippery conditions and steep grades–even when the traction is split between the front tires.

It relies on an internal helical gearset, which is used to help force torque from the wheel that is losing traction to the wheel with traction. The system is set with a torque bias ratio of 2.5:1 to help multiply torque from wheel to wheel and the preload is set to zero to help minimize steering feedback.

There’s also a new off-road front camera system designed to give drivers a view of what’s happening in front of their truck. Activated through the main 4.2-inch LCD screen, the system also uses the secondary 8-inch navigation display and helps drivers see what’s directly in front of the vehicle, even when the view from the driver’s seat might be blocked.

Power still comes from the 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque 6.2-liter V-8 made standard last year, ensuring that the 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor remains the most powerful half-ton pickup on the market.

Other standard F-150 SVT Raptor specs include 13.4 inches of usable travel in the rear suspension and 11.2 in the front. The vehicle also features a seven inch wider track, electronic locking differential, and a hill descent control system.

In addition to this, the F-150 SVT Raptor also boasts a unique position sensitive damper system that allows its shock to become significantly stiffer as it travels, preventing the truck from bottoming out. The wheels are 17-inch cast aluminum units shod with 35-inch tires.

Visually, 2012 models can be distinguished by new available body side graphics featuring gloss, matte and textured black finishes.

Additionally, a new matte anodized blue interior color accent package will replace the existing one, which will be available with every paint color except for a newly offered Race Red. The package includes accent leather-trimmed front seats with unique leather inserts and accents on the center stack, rear seat inserts and door panels. Aluminum trim also is used on the instrument panel and flow-through center console.

Finally, Ford has also added cooled seats to the optional luxury package and a new Euroflange wheel for 2012, the latter featuring weights on the inside to better protect from off-road debris and obstacles.

New and refreshed vehicles, including the new 2013 ILX sedan, will help attract younger buyers to the Acura brand — and boost its overall sales. Automotive News reports that Acura plans to focus on “Generation Y” buyers in a bid to boost sales by as much as 46 percent in 2012.

Acura had previously eliminated its sporty entry-level car, the RSX, which had replaced the Integra, in a bid to move the brand upmarket. That move failed when the credit crunch hit, causing customers to be more prudent and careful with their car purchases. However, Acura hopes its all-new ILX sedan will appeal to younger, more rational buyers who want a taste of the luxury-car segment.

“People are making more rational purchase decisions, taking pride in the deal they strike,” Acura general manager Jeff Conrad told Automotive News. “Generation Y [buyers aged 19 to 31] aspires to luxury, but they need a little help getting there.”

Many of those customers will be drawn to the ILX sedan, which will reportedly be priced around $27,000. Acura expects to sell 40,000 units of the ILX, and expects total 2012 sales of 180,000 cars. Last year, Acura sold a total of 123,299 vehicles here, down 8.0 percent compared to 2010. The company’s volumes were hurt by supply disruptions in the wake of Japan’s earthquake; without the natural disaster, Acura believes it would have sold 150,000 cars in 2011.

Following on the launch of the ILX, Acura also will launch redesigned versions of the TL sedan and MDX crossover for 2013. Acura also already has 3500 buyers whom are interested in the all-new 2013 RDX.

“We’re remaking the entire lineup over the next few years,” Conrad explained. “We’ve had a pretty strong reliance on sport-utilities and we want to bolster our sedans.”

Acura also must work on winning and keeping loyal customers. The brand’s loyalty rate is reportedly only 45 percent, below the 49-percent industry average. However, the age of the company’s average buyer is below that of competing brands.

To help draw in younger Generation Y buyers, Acura will focus on a few key areas coveted by those buyers: environmental responsibility, attractive styling, and in-car technologies like Bluetooth and Internet radio.

Don’t forget to get Acura accessories from Automax Styling.