If ever there were such a thing as an elegant pickup truck, Chevy's 2007 Avalanche would qualify.

Like the company's Suburban and Tahoe, the Avalanche went under the knife this year and emerged from its makeover a totally new truck in a lot of ways.

I had my first look at the Avalanche and the styling is clearly a home run. While it has some of the flavor of the older design, the new model is more formal looking with clean flanks, chunky chrome block lettering and a steeply raked windshield. This class act of the pickup field is almost too nice to put to work!

Another thing that I noticed right off the bat is how quiet this truck is. When you're inside with the windows rolled up, you can't hear a thing. Even with the windows down, there's not much noise.

The rear suspension system has been redesigned and the front suspension has coils over shock absorbers. The steering feels particularly well balanced and responsive thanks to a new rack and pinion steering system.

When I recently tested the Chevy Suburban, I said that it seemed to require much less space to turn around than other trucks do -- the same is true of the Avalanche. The turning radius has been reduced to 43 feet from 43.3 feet.

Inside, the materials, fit and finish and general look ranks up there with the best -- meaning Toyota and Nissan. The seating position feels more car-like partly because the dashboard has been lowered, as is the case with all of Chevy's new trucks and SUVs. The dash itself is a classy, hooded design with simple, logical gauges and controls.

There's plenty of power, too, with a new 5.3-liter, 320-horsepower V-8 that Chevy says will get 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. You'll also be able to get a 355-horsepower, 6.0-liter V-8 if you'd like even more power. Four-wheel drive also is available.

Getting in and out is a snap because the doors are wide enough for easy entry. And Avalanche also features the Midgate, which can be lowered to make room for lengthy cargo -- or just because you want more fresh air.

The main problem is the same one you would have with any big pickup: Sheer mass trying to make its way through traffic. Parking is a challenge but, thanks to a rear parking assist feature, it's not as difficult as it could have been.