Whether hauling manure, driving to work, or heading into the backcountry, the S-10 LS can provide car-like comfort, even with four-wheel drive.

A bedliner, available as an accessory from the dealer, is good for keeping the double-wall pickup box safe from dents and scratches and helps things ride more quietly. The bed has four tie-downs, one at the upper edge of each corner. More tie-downs would be helpful, actually, in securing loads of various sizes.

Unlike many 4WD pickups, the standard 4x4 S-10 doesn't shout its identity. Aggressive P235/75R15 on/off road tires are a hint. The five-spoke aluminum wheels available only with four-wheel drive offer another clue. More important for those with work to do: The tailgate on the 4x4 drops for a 22.7-inch lift-over height, actually lower than the extended cab 4x2 S-10's load height; that can save on back strain.

From the radio dials to the dashboard, it's obvious Chevrolet spent a lot of time and energy into getting the appropriate feel, mostly soft-touch, for the interior appointments. The optional leather-wrapped steering wheel features a minipack airbag that affords a better view of the gauges and lets the steering wheel look like a steering wheel, not a pillow with hand grips. The S-10 has full instrumentation that's easily legible day or night, and a tachometer comes standard for 2002.

Radio and heating and air conditioning controls are large, legible and so easy to use that their respective sections in the owners manual may never be read. For 2002, air conditioning is standard on all S-10s. A cold climate package is also standard on all models sold in northern states.

Four-wheel-drive controls are fully electronic, push buttons easily reached on the dash. Although the system is part-time only, the system allows shift-on-the-fly into and out of 4-high. The truck must be stopped to shift the transfer case into 4-low, of course, 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.

Chevrolet joins most other extended-cab pickup builders in making the third door standard, a $295 option last year. Chevrolet puts the third door on its Silverado full-size pickups on the passenger side, presuming that the rear door will more often be used by passenger who will wish to exit on the curb side. The S-10, on the other hand, has its third door on the driver's side, the logic being that it would more often be used by the driver for stowing extra gear. But when dropping off someone at the curb, it means they must venture into traffic to get to any cargo. Chevy is correct, however, in presuming that the jump seat in the extended cab will seldom be used for passengers. It's cramped for an adult, and requires that the front passenger seat be moved forward to permit any kind of shoulder room. The extended cab sure is handy for carrying stuff you don't want in the bed exposed to the elements or thieves, however.

Need more passenger room? Check out the new Crew Cab. It doesn't have the rear-seat leg room of a Cadillac DeVille, but it can accommodate five actual adults.

We tested the 4x4 LS with an automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive gives the S-10 added traction in slippery conditions and makes it more capable when venturing off road, but its primary use is intended for paved or gravel roads. Four-wheel drive helps getting up slippery boat launch ramps, and is recommended for heavy-duty hauling.

The 4WD Chevy S-10 is definitely a truck. It has a live rear axle on leaf springs and a gross vehicle weight rating of 5150 pounds over a curb weight of 3616 pounds, and a heavy 4x4 drivetrain attached to the front hubs. So ride will be compromised. One can't expect a truck to ride like a car. And it doesn't. 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. That said, the S-10 rides well over smooth pavement and the Goodyear tires are quiet. A long trip on smooth asphalt would be a delight, but frost-heaved concrete would be a nightmare. Add 600 pounds of cinder block in the bed and the ride will be smoother and the cornering balance more even. The S-10 tracks well, with little correction required to maintain a straight line. And there's only a minimum of wind noise.

The V6 engine is smooth and quiet. It's silent at idle and quiet down the road, and not particularly loud at full throttle. Earlier examples of this engine have been thrashy at high rpm, but over the years it has been refined to where it is not as slick as, say, a BMW six, but you won't go reaching for your earplugs when you get in the truck.

The V6 is also responsive, whether accelerating to merge onto the freeway or to pass a semi on a two-lane road. With 250 foot-pounds of torque, it responds instantly to propel the S-10 through traffic.

According to EPA tests, you can expect 17 mpg in city driving and 22 on the highway with the automatic transmission.

A Chevy pickup is a safe buy, a known quantity with dealer service in every other town, which is nice to know even if you don't need it as much as you once did.