PHOTOS BY JOHN GILBERT
In the automotive industry, no vehicle class is more fiercely competitive than full-size pickup trucks. During the past decade, these vehicles have evolved from serving as farm, construction and towing workhorses into trendy transportation for both families and individuals.
As a result, domestic truck manufacturers have been battling for the business of average homeowners and DIY enthusiasts. The Ford F150 has been the No. 1 single vehicle model sold in the United States for 29 consecutive years. General Motors (GM) doesn’t make a big deal about the Chevrolet Silverado’s second-place rank in overall sales, but if the company were to combine the Silverado’s sales with those of the alternate-style companion GMC Sierra, the total would surpass the F150. After the Dodge Ram provided a third (and decidedly more macho) choice, Japan’s Big Three threw out a unique challenge to the U.S. Big Three by releasing their own lines of full-size pickups, and the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan and Honda Ridgeline have become major contenders against domestic trucks.
The Tundra was smooth-driving and sophisticated, but not quite big enough to get past the scorn of full-size-pickup buyers. The Ridgeline faces the same challenge, although its attempt to combine an SUV’s ride and handling with a pickup’s workhorse qualities makes it a remarkable overachiever that is more rugged than it appears. The Titan, meanwhile, stormed into the market as a big, bold, powerful entry, and the stalwarts are already copying some of its innovations.
For consumers, especially handymen, the current crop of pickups couldn’t be better, particularly if you’re an objective buyer who will evaluate all of the major players. (Of course, you must also be willing to part with more than $30,000, even for a basic model.) Although you can base your selection on personal preference without much risk of making an objective mistake, you’d be wise to look at each of the primary competitors.
Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra
GM used more than 180 simulations to improve its new models by 234 percent in torsional stiffness, 136 percent in lateral stiffness and 62 percent in beaming stiffness, indicating how desperate the need for revision was. New suspension, steering, bodies and interiors resulted in a stronger, safer truck, with five engines available: a 4.3liter V6 (195 hp/260 ft.lbs. of torque), a 4.8 V8 (295/305), a 5.3 V8 (315/338), a 6.0 V8 (367/375) and an upcoming 6.2 V8 (403/417).
GM also copied the competition’s best features, including two different interiors (similar to the F150), cylinder-deactivation at cruising speed (as in the Dodge Ram Hemi), a fold-flat rear door on extended-cab models (similar to the system found on the Nissan Titan), rear-seat storage room and foldable seats (like the Titan and Ridgeline) and a grooved channel for movable tie-down settings (similar to the Titan). Box lengths of 69.3, 78.7 and 97.8 in. are available with regular, extended and crew cabs, and optional towing capacity reaches 10,500 pounds.
Dodge Ram
The Ram continues to offer new variations, with the optional Mega Cab containing 143.2 cu. ft., room enough for sliding rear seats that recline and provide 44.2 in. of legroom. While the two-wheel drive model is outfitted with a 3.7liter V6 with 215 hp and 235 ft.lbs. of torque, the 4X4 Rams are available with a 4.7liter overhead-cam, flex-fuel V8 as well as a 5.7liter Hemi V8 with 345/375 hp/torque. The 4X4 also includes the very efficient cylinder-deactivation system that saves 20 percent on fuel economy. Much improved handling, with monotube shocks and tuned springs, allow the Hemi to fly through slalom tests.
Ford F150
It’s been almost four years since the 2004 Ford F150 raised already high expectations by including standard four-wheel disc brakes and ABS and higher-tech overhead-camshaft V8s and chassisstiffening advances such as through-rail crossmembers. After selling 900,000 F150s in 2006, Ford increased towing capacity to 10,500 pounds for the 2007 models and now offers standard, extended and SuperCrew cabs with box sizes of 5.5, 6 and 6.5 ft. in both Styleside and Flareside designs. Engines range from 4.2liter V6 to 4.6 or 5.4 V8s, with corresponding horsepower/torque of 202/220, 248/294 and 300/365, and the 5.4 has flex-fuel capability. Suspension offers a compliant ride, and the interiors are efficient yet stylish.
Honda Ridgeline
Honda aimed its truck at active families and designed the Ridgeline from a clean sheet, giving it Swiss Armyknife versatility to create a compromise between SUVs and pickups. A scratchproof composite bed contains a lockable, sealable trunk that can hold three golf bags or be filled with ice (it drains from the bottom) to create the ideal tailgating cooler.
In the full four-door variant, storage room beneath the rear seat can be expanded by folding up the rear seat cushion, making room for mountain bikes inside. Front-wheel drive adjusts seamlessly to all-wheel drive, and comfort, drivability and handling agility is better than almost all SUVs. The 3.5liter V6 (255 hp and 252 ft.lbs. of torque) easily pulls a 5,000pound trailer or hauls hefty loads. All told, the Ridgeline is the least expensive and most versatile option for buyers who prize amenities over heavy-duty construction.
Nissan Titan
The 5.6liter, dual overhead-cam V8 for the Titan offers 317 hp with 385 ft.lbs. of torque and flex-fuel capability. Introduced for the 2004 model year, the Titan offered more spacious utility in the rear seat area plus a clever double-hinged, 168degree rear-opening door that folds flush to the body on the King Cab (extended). Innovative aluminum grooves surround the 5ft.7in. or 6ft.7in. beds, with movable locking cleats to perfectly locate tie-down positions.
Toyota Tundra
Toyota has completely revised the 2007 Tundra, and it will never again be accused of being too small now that it’s 10 in. longer, 4 in. wider and 5 in. taller. Variants include the base, SR5 and Limited models in regular, double cab (replacing the extended cab in name) and Crew Max for the full four-door. Regular cab storage room exists behind the seats, and flip-up cushions on the reclining rear seats increase the Crew Max cab’s storage. Tundra also copies Titan’s innovative deck-rail tie-down anchors, but instead of copying Titan’s wide rear-opening door, the double cab’s rear door is front-hinged like a smaller Crew Max door, which provides a pillar for structural reinforcement but also limits rear-seat access.
Toyota’s engines range from the 4.0 V6 with 236 hp/266 ft.lbs. of torque to a 4.7 V8 (271/313) and a 5.7 V8 (381/401). Variable valve timing on the dual overhead-cam engines maximizes output, and the five-speed automatic has sequential manual control; there’s a new sixspeed for the iForce 5.7. An electronic control rather than a center differential allows changing from two-to four-wheel drive, and maximum towing capacity is 10,800 pounds. Four-piston, opposed-caliper four-wheel disc brakes feature antilock electronic brake distribution, stability control and traction control, and ATrac allows deactivation of some of the traction control to permit slight wheel spin for negotiating snow or mud.
Features include a fifth-generation navigation system with a rear video backup camera readout on the navigation screen, front and rear sonar for parking assist, dust and pollen filters on the climate control, a solar sensor that can automatically blow cooled air into a parked vehicle’s interior, a 10or 12speaker JBL audio system with six-CD changer, Bluetooth control that can broadcast phone calls through audio speakers, a 9in. rear DVD screen, a 115volt power jack and tailgates that are removable, lockable and designed to drop down softly.
For more than 35 years, John Gilbert has filtered the facts about new cars and trucks for various media outlets.
SOURCES ONLINE
Chevrolet (Silverado), www.chevrolet.com
GMC (Sierra), www.gmc.com
Ford (F150), www.ford.com
Nissan (Titan), www.nissanusa.com
Toyota (Tundra), www.toyota.com
Dodge (Ram), www.dodge.com
Honda (Ridgeline), http://automobiles.honda.com