Is it a work truck, a second car with a handy pickup bed, a “Country Cadillac” or what? That’s up to you — depending on what you need, want and how it’s outfitted. Chevrolet’s S-10 4X4 Crew Cab pickup can be all these things — a serious work truck right down to the vinyl seats and full-floor vinyl covering or a second family car with all the sedan-like amenities like velour seats and premium sound — not to mention roominess, and the added extra benefit of the utility of a pickup.

Whether hauling tools, materials and up to five people out to the job, lumber for a home improvement project, or just driving to work, hauling the kids to soccer practice or heading out into the backcountry, the S-10 Crew Cab offers car-like comfort and truck utility.

The S-10 Crew Cab comes in two basic trim levels: the rubber-floor mat base model, and the upscale LS, which offers all the creature comforts.

Although the Chevy S-10 line is offered in a number of cab, bed and power configurations, the Crew Cab is only offered as a 4X4, and comes standard with the 4.3 liter Vortec V6, which is tuned to produce 190 horses and 250 lb.-ft. of torque.

The S-10 Crew Cab rides on Chevy’s Z85 Increased Capacity Suspension that includes twin tube shock absorbers, a heavy-duty front stabilizer bar and rugged P235/70R15 on/off-road tires, to deliver a firm but comfortable ride. P235/75R15 tires are optional.

A standard, factory-installed bedliner protects the 4-foot, 6-inch cargo bed from dents, dings, scratches and all the other abuses pickup beds are usually subjected to. There are also four cargo tie-down loops, a rear step bumper and two-tier loading capability. In fact, the tailgate drops to a 27.2-inch lift-over height, which is actually lower than the long box and extended cab 4x2 S-10s.

Interiorwise, the LS interior comes with a nice premium cloth that resembles velour. Our Army-Green test truck had a charcoal-colored interior that looked like it would stand up pretty well under regular use.

Instrumentation is easily readable day or night and situated well. The entire dashboard and all the controls have a “soft-touch” kind of feel to them and are large, legible and easy to figure out immediately.

Our test truck also had the optional leather-wrapped steering wheel with the minipack airbag. This gives the driver a much better view of the gauges and allows it to look like a steering wheel instead of hand grips attached to a pillow.

The Insta-Trac four-wheel drive system, which features handy push-button actuation, is part-time only, but allows shift-on-the-fly into and out of 4-high. There is a 4-low for more demanding conditions such as climbing steep grades or trekking through deep mud or snow as standard equipment, however, the truck must be stopped to shift the transfer case into 4-low. But it still only requires pushing a button. A neutral position is also available that allows the truck to be flat towed without disconnecting driveshafts.

The 4WD Chevy S-10 Crew Cab is definitely a truck. It has a live rear axle on leaf springs and a heavy 4x4 drivetrain attached to the front hubs. So ride is compromised a bit, but not seriously. After all, you can’t expect a truck to ride like a car, and this one doesn’t, but the S-10 does ride pretty well over smooth pavement. There is a bit of understeer, which actually suits a pickup well, as adding a load shifts weight the balance to the rear.

Out on the open road, the engine is smooth and not really loud under acceleration, and there’s a minimum of wind noise, so the ride is fairly quiet all the way around. The Vortec V6 is not only quiet, but strong. Earlier versions of this engine left something to be desired at higher rpm’s, but over the years it has been refined so the excessive noise is a thing of the past.

According to the EPA, you can expect 17 mpg in city driving and 22 on the highway — which isn’t too bad for a 4X4 truck.

Whines: You can feel the front wheels trying to continue to bounce after hitting a bump, and the load-carrying rear springs not wanting to compress over minor bumps in the road. The bed has four tie-downs, one at the upper edge of each corner. More would be helpful.

Applause: This is a very versatile vehicle with numerous uses and outfitted accordingly with a variety of choices to suit most needs. With an MSRP in the Mid-20’s fairly tricked out, the S-10 Chevy Crew Cab pickup is a known quantity where both value and serviceability are concerned — with dealers and service available in just about every town in America.

Bottom Line: The Chevrolet S-10 Crew Cab is a 4X4 truck. It rides and drives like a 4X4 truck. But as a 4X4 Crew Cab truck, it has cargo room as well as the passenger room of most mid-sized sedans. If that’s what you want and/or need, you probably won’t mind a ride that will never compare to that of a car — and isn’t meant to. That being the case, for many buyers, the S-10 Crew Cab will fit the Northwest lifestyle like a velour-lined glove.