Automotive News, Media & Press - Subjective Truck Shoot-out...excellent read

http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2008-light-duty-shoot-out.html

This is the link to it...I thought it was a good read (albeit long). The GM trucks with the 6.2L and 6-speed autos really impressed me. Overall, the Ford came out ahead even though it couldn't match the others in the performance department. While that does matter to me, I've always believed the F-150 was a very solid truck. It seems to have the "total package" for truck buyers.

Tundra isn't power king anymore and was bested by the GM's several times. Overall, the Tundra and GM trucks seemed pretty comparable. Not sure how much difference it makes, but the Tundra had a 4.30 rearend and the GM's had 3.42's. I'd like to see the results when the 3.73 option is available for the GM's.

Their testing was phenomenal, but the scoring system was pretty silly. That would be like scoring all scores in football as one point...touchdown, field goal, safety...all worth one point.

However their testing was pretty thorough, and if you read through it all, it shows why GM and Ford make the best trucks on earth. It's proven over and over again by guys who really use trucks. This is the kind of test that magazines like Car & Driver need to get back to. We don't buy trucks for interior comforts...as long as it's got heat and a cupholder, we're good. If we want comfort, we'll buy Cadillacs. When we buy trucks we want to do things with them...things like pulling around fully loaded (probably over-loaded) trailers, hauling heavy equipment, and moving stumps, logs, and big rocks out of our way. Headroom and legroom don't help us with those tasks at all. Things like 6.2L V8's and 6-speed transmissions do.

At least, that's my experience. Daily, in fact.

Their testing was phenomenal, but the scoring system was pretty silly. That would be like scoring all scores in football as one point...touchdown, field goal, safety...all worth one point.

However their testing was pretty thorough, and if you read through it all, it shows why GM and Ford make the best trucks on earth. It's proven over and over again by guys who really use trucks. This is the kind of test that magazines like Car & Driver need to get back to. We don't buy trucks for interior comforts...as long as it's got heat and a cupholder, we're good. If we want comfort, we'll buy Cadillacs. When we buy trucks we want to do things with them...things like pulling around fully loaded (probably over-loaded) trailers, hauling heavy equipment, and moving stumps, logs, and big rocks out of our way. Headroom and legroom don't help us with those tasks at all. Things like 6.2L V8's and 6-speed transmissions do.

At least, that's my experience. Daily, in fact.

With the Denali and LTZ you get a cadillac truck though that can do it all with that 6.2 :headbang:

With the Denali and LTZ you get a cadillac truck though that can do it all with that 6.2 :headbang:

Yeah i'm certainly not saying that's bad...i'm just saying that I really laugh when I see magazine truck comparos that declare a particular truck the winner because of it's interior. Nevermind that it got slaughtered in towing, hauling, offroad, and fuel range...nope...it's got more cupholders and more legroom, so it's the winner. God that's ridiculous!

The GM trucks are dominating towing, hauling, offroad, and getting great fuel mileage all at the same time...the fact that they now offer a phenomenal interior is just a small bonus.

In the test, the Ford had the best MPG while the Chevy had the worst. That's certainly something I'd pay attention to. However, that beautiful horsepower rating would sway me no problem. I wasn't aware that they didn't offer the AFM on the 6.2L in the SUV's and trucks?

I really dig those GM trucks with the 6.2L. :drive:
Must've been a warm day out or something...the Escalade with the 6.2L and 6 speed automatic has already gone in the 6s for 0-60 and in the 14s for the 1/4 mile in magazine tests. :nod:

Nice article! :nod:

I really dig those GM trucks with the 6.2L. :drive:
Must've been a warm day out or something...the Escalade with the 6.2L and 6 speed automatic has already gone in the 6s for 0-60 and in the 14s for the 1/4 mile in magazine tests. :nod:

Yes, I remember that. What gears does the Escalade come with?

I like seeing these kinds of tests. Way more subjective than the car&driver type reviews where all they care about is how the center console looks. To me, its impossible to find the ideal truck any more, since I like to have cloth interior, 8ft bed, single cab, 6cyl, 2 wheel drive, and a manual transmission. I haven't managed to get this setup since I sold my 86 F-150 with a diamond plate flatbed and 3/4ton suspension, best work truck I ever had.