Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Chevy Silverado: Battle for Pickup Truck Supremacy | Edmunds Video
Edmunds:
[MUSIC PLAYING]
NARRATOR: This is Edmunds
exclusive three-way comparison
of America's most
popular pickups.
We'll drive them on the
road, take them to our track,
tow an airstream trailer, and
even put a quad in the bed.
After all that, we'll tell
you which one is the best.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: This is the
all new Ram 1500 pickup.
We've been big fans of
the Ram for a long time
because last time around,
they added coil spring
rear suspension, which made
the ride just so supple,
and it made really
good towing stability.
This particular
example is a Laramie.
It's a nicely equipped truck,
it's not too expensive,
and from here, you can add all
sorts of interesting options.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
TRAVIS LANGNESS: And this is
the all new Chevy Silverado.
It's redesigned from the
ground up with different body
and frame materials.
It's longer, taller, and
wider than the previous model.
And what we've got here
is the LTZ trim level.
Now, this one's got
the 5.3 liter V8,
but it's also mated with
the new 8-speed automatic.
We picked it because we like it
right in the middle of Chevy's
line.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: The Ford F-150
is one of the top selling
vehicles in America.
It's well-known for its
lightweight aluminum
construction and a wide variety
of trim and engine options.
For our test, we have
the mid-level lariat
with a 3.5 liter V6 EcoBoost.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: We're going
to put these trucks
through their paces
to see which one
is the best one you can buy.
Let's get to it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Getting
into the F-150
is more like walking
into an apartment
than it is getting into a truck.
For me, the truck is
actually almost too big.
I feel like I'm
floating around in here,
and I can't reach all
of the soft spots.
But I can reach
all of the controls
very easily with the
exception of the trailer brake
adjustment, which
makes Dan really angry.
The interior looks really
nice from a distance,
but as you get
closer, the materials
aren't as nice as they look.
They're plasticky and hard.
Two things I really
like about this truck
that I think are very unique are
the way that the doors or cut.
It gives a lot of visibility
and it also looks interesting.
I also like where the
door handles are placed.
They're tucked away in here,
and you hit them from the top
rather than pulling
them from the side.
It's pretty cool and
they're really easy to use.
Overall, I think
that the interior
is nice, but not exceptional.
It's really something that's
best viewed from far away.
I bet it looks great in photos.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
TRAVIS LANGNESS: So
this is the inside
of the all-new Silverado.
There are some small changes,
some things that are nicer.
For instance, this
touch screen is new.
It's got new graphics
that looks pretty good.
And also this giant
center console is new.
And one of the things
I like about this is it
feels very at home for a truck.
It's simple and everything
is at an arm's reach.
One of the things
I'm not a huge fan of
is how far out this dash
feels like it sticks.
Feels like it intrudes in
the cabin a little bit,
and also intrudes on this
center console space.
And also this little
bin here, there's
not much to organize it.
Your things are just
going to slide around.
For instance, if your
phone is mounted up here--
you hit a curb, it's
just going to fall over.
But basically, this is the
Silverado's new interior
and I'm a fan, but
it doesn't wow me
as much as some of the
other competitors do.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: This new
Ram is really impressive,
and you see it the
moment you get inside.
One of the things I
really like about this,
and I'm surprised to
hear myself say it,
is this center
console is amazing.
All the actions here--
I mean, this is big.
You could put a couple of
purses and a laptop in here
at the same time.
You can put your drinks here.
Look at this, my
phone's plugged in,
but it snaps in there
with the cord attached.
The other thing I like
is the Uconnect system.
Now, Apple CarPlay,
Android Auto--
the 8.4 inch Uconnect and
this one both have it.
It's all really easy to use.
There's swiping, and pinch
zoom, and all of that stuff.
Another unique feature
is the sunroof.
I'm not a huge fan though,
because it's $1,300.
It's quiet when it's open, but
it does let in a lot of heat.
Overall, the Ram 1500's
interior is on another level.
The other two trucks feel
like they're catering
to their existing buyers.
This one looks like it's trying
to win over new converts,
and I think it will.
All of these trucks
are crew cabs.
Ram used to be third
place out of these three.
But this year they've
added four inches
to the wheelbase, four inches
to the length of the cabin--
they put all of it back here.
But what's really good about
the Ram is the seat back
angle is much more
pleasing, and they do this.
Ah-- the others can't
match this right now.
But also, if that
wasn't enough, we've
got a center console--
a pretty big one.
The whole center of
the seat folds down,
and there's a couple
of cup holders here.
The back seat area of the Ram
has the other ones covered.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
TRAVIS LANGNESS: One of
the main reasons people
buy full-sized trucks is so they
can carry around their toys.
We've got this 750
pound Honda Rubicon.
I'm going to load it
into all three trucks
and see how it goes.
All right, so let's open
up the Chevy power up,
power down tailgate.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Woo, fancy.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Well done, Trav.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Thank you.
So are you putting all the
ratchets in the front, Dan?
DAN EDMUNDS: I'm going to put
one on each side in the front.
And I'm going to go
for the lowest hook
down here just because
that seems to be
when I get the best angle.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: OK.
A lot of guys, if they
get this further forward,
they're going to bend it up
halfway and strap it down,
or a lot of people will
just roll with it like this.
DAN EDMUNDS: You could
buy a longer truck.
[LAUGHING]
This crew cab-- if
you get the quad cab,
you're going to
get a longer bed.
ELANA SCHERR: I never
realized that that
was what quad cab meant.
You can put a quad in it.
DAN EDMUNDS: Well,
I guess that's it.
Touche.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: All right.
Well, let's take
it out of the bed
here and put it in
the other trucks.
DAN EDMUNDS: Going to need this.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Thank you.
Safety first.
DAN EDMUNDS: All right.
ELANA SCHERR: Well done.
All right, Dan, let's get the
quad in the back of this one.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yep.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: So it's damped,
but it's not a power tail gate.
DAN EDMUNDS: Not power,
this is just dampened.
ELANA SCHERR: Also
(GRUNTING) no step on this.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: All
right, there we go.
All clear.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Woo!
TRAVIS LANGNESS: That
was a little fast, man.
ELANA SCHERR: You were
right earlier, Dan.
You said this bed
was a lot shorter,
and it really is-- like, you
have almost the entire tire
out.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: These tires
are completely on the tailgate.
Which one has a better system
in the back, you think?
DAN EDMUNDS: The
Chevy's lower tie downs,
I like that a little better.
But it's also got a
slightly longer bed.
Although neither one of them
was long enough for this ramp
to fit in with the
tailgate closed
without putting it in sideways.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Let's
take it out of the Ford
and put it in the Ram.
DAN EDMUNDS: There you go.
ELANA SCHERR: Oh, beautiful.
DAN EDMUNDS: Like butter.
ELANA SCHERR: Show
off for me, Dan.
(SURPRISED) What?
Magic.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, right?
If I had my hands
full from Home Depot,
I wouldn't have to
put anything down.
ELANA SCHERR: Yeah, but I
still don't have a step.
At least I have a little
handhold on this one.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: We're good.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Nice!
DAN EDMUNDS: All right,
that was a little better.
You only got a
little bit of air.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: The tie downs--
how well would you compare them
to Ford?
DAN EDMUNDS: Well, the
thing about the tie downs
is they're nice and
low, so I like that.
And they're really big.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Yeah.
Those are much larger than--
DAN EDMUNDS: Even the Chevy's
TRAVIS LANGNESS: --Ford
ones, especially in the rear.
And this is sitting almost
completely on the tailgate,
right?
ELANA SCHERR: I think
it's right in between.
I think the Chevy
had the most room,
and the Ford was the shortest.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Well, let's
take the quad out of the back
here and move on
to the next test.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Expert
level unlocked.
[LAUGHING]
So we successfully loaded
the quad in all three trucks.
Any of them would work.
Do you guys feel like there was
one that was a clear winner?
TRAVIS LANGNESS: Yeah.
I know it's the truck I
brought, but I like the Chevy.
The multiple tie
downs, and the fact
that you had that side-step on
the tailgate to get in and out.
I felt like that
made it the easiest.
ELANA SCHERR: I
definitely liked the step.
What about you, Dan?
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, I agree.
But I do like the Ram's hooks
because they're really low
and they're really big.
I was able to put two
straps on them with ease.
So, not bad, but yeah, the
Chevy's a little better.
ELANA SCHERR: Sounds like
the Chevy wins this one.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
To do a full-on tow test
on any one of these trucks
would take the whole episode.
But we wanted to illustrate
some of the tow tech
and how easy it is to use.
To do that, we've got
this Airstream 25FB--
it's the Flying Cloud.
And it's about 25 feet
long, about 6,500 pounds,
and it'll be great to showcase
what these trucks can do.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[BEEPING]
DAN EDMUNDS: I wonder
where Travis and Elana are?
They're leaving me to
do all the hard work.
Want a soda back there?
ELANA SCHERR: (GROGGILY) Wha?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: Good to go.
The Ford works pretty well.
The problem I found
there is they've
got this Pro Trailer
Backup Assist
system that they talk
about, which sounds great,
but it's theoretical because I
can't use it on this trailer.
This sticker is supposed to
go somewhere in this area.
And you can see the propane
tanks are in the way,
so I can't install this
on the trailer, which
means I can't use Pro
Trailer Backup Assist.
The Silverado, it's
got a lot of power,
but the camera
wasn't my favorite.
To me, the Ram is
golden because it's
got a much better camera
that's easier to use.
Time to roll.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
We then hit the highway and
headed for the nearest hill.
All three were able to pull
it up the grade easily,
but the F-150 felt more
willing, while the Ram
was the most stable in
corners and cross winds.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Well, the
F-150, or the F-series trucks,
are the best selling
trucks, right.
We talked about that.
And I can see why
people like them.
It's a really predictable
truck, it does everything
that you need it to
do, it's quite quick.
They have a ton of
different options
for engines and interiors, so
you can find one that you like.
The engine in this truck
it is never working hard,
which is not something I
normally say about turbo V6s.
Even if they have
a lot of power,
you're way on the throttle
to make that happen.
That is not how I feel here.
I feel like you can use just a
very small throttle application
and be right up
to cruising speed.
There's a little bit of
delay-- a little lag, mostly
if you surprise it, and that
might be in the transmission.
DAN EDMUNDS: Now, that
10-speed here is really clever.
I mean, you don't know that it
has 10 gears to choose from,
because it's really nice
at picking the right gear
at the right time.
So you don't feel like it's
shifting all over the place.
So this is a really
nicely sorted 10-speed.
ELANA SCHERR: This is an
extremely comfortable truck.
You get a little bit of
road feel, but not a lot.
In fact, I think Chevrolet
was a little more road feel,
and definitely more road noise.
One of the things that really
stood out to me in this truck
is how quiet it is in the cab.
I think it's a
good looking truck,
and they also did a pretty
nice redesign on the nose.
And so, it's very striking.
The lights in the grill are
integrated really beautifully,
and there's a lot
of small details
that you'll appreciate if you
spend a lot of time looking
at the truck.
DAN EDMUNDS: They've got
these huge mirrors, though.
They're a little too huge.
ELANA SCHERR: Yeah,
the mirrors are ugly,
and I already hit
a bush with them,
and not even on a small street.
If you put this truck
against the Silverado
and asked me which one was
more recently redesigned,
I would think this
was the newer truck
and that was the older one.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah.
ELANA SCHERR: I am
a little bit proud
that the truck
that I brought has
the best numbers at
the track, and it also
has the highest torque.
So it's a 375 horse, but
it is-- you ready for this?
470 torque.
That has all the
torques, and I win.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: [LAUGHING]
It's all the torques.
DAN EDMUNDS: Wow, you do win.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: That has
a lot to do with the fact
that this one is turbocharged
while the other trucks are
naturally aspirated.
And one of the
other things that's
interesting about the track
performance in these trucks
is all of them stopped from 60
to zero in our panic braking
test within feet of each other.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah,
that's pretty good.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: That's
pretty remarkable.
DAN EDMUNDS: Those numbers were
about five or six feet better
than they were the last
time these trucks were new.
So there's been
improvement over time.
And that's good to see
because trucks have always had
the longest stopping distances.
And they still do, but
now, the gap isn't so big.
ELANA SCHERR: Yeah.
I feel like all the
manufacturers are really
recognizing that
people use trucks
for a lot of different reasons.
I mean, towing
toys, towing horses,
but also just as daily drivers.
And they're really
working on making
them safer, and more
comfortable, and more
pleasurable to drive.
So that's nice.
It's good to know that the
audience is being heard.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: I
know this sounds weird,
but the Ford is the most
fun to drive for me.
The handling and the steering,
for me, are the best.
But those may not be things
that people that want a track
are concerned with.
DAN EDMUNDS: I like
the Ford's powertrain--
it's really powerful.
And the 10-speed
automatic is just
so nicely calibrated when you're
towing, when you're not towing.
I really like that.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Travis,
you've spent the most time
of any of us in this truck.
But to me, just getting in
it, it doesn't look new.
TRAVIS LANGNESS:
That's the impression
I not only got when I first
saw the truck, but after 1,400
miles in the truck from
Wyoming to Los Angeles.
It doesn't feel
completely redesigned.
And also, under the
hood it feels the same.
So the 5.3 liter V8 gets a
new fuel management system.
And now, it's paired to the
8-speed automatic instead
of the 6-speed, which has
a little bit faster shifts
and it's a little
quieter on the highway.
I like that it
doesn't rev as high.
ELANA SCHERR: Dan is going to
hate me for this because there
is no scientific
way to measure it,
but Travis how do
you feel the truck
jealousy is on this truck?
And you know what
I'm talking about.
It's like, who's looking at it?
TRAVIS LANGNESS: I do.
I do.
This one I feel
like is particularly
Chevy look in general.
It's got a lot of
chrome on the front end.
Some people love it,
some people hate it.
From the back on the
sides, some people
can't really tell
the difference.
And then, of course, the
power tailgate in the back.
You load all your stuff
and you press the button,
and they've got to push it up.
There's a little bit
of truck jealousy
there, just a small amount.
ELANA SCHERR: You
nailed it when you said
the front end is polarizing.
I mean, it's got these
weird origami folds,
and like slots and tabs,
which I guess are for aero,
but they are unusual looking.
DAN EDMUNDS: I mean, I
like the new Silverado,
but it doesn't feel like
a brand new Silverado.
It feels very evolutionary,
not revolutionary.
ELANA SCHERR: I'd
be happy to drive it
but I don't want to look at it.
[LAUGHING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
One of the things that I noticed
about the Ram when I got in it
was that the steering
felt a little heavier,
but in a good way.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, it
has really good feedback.
You really know which way the
tires are pointed at all times.
You get a really good
sense of straight
ahead when you're
driving straight.
You don't have to make
a lot of corrections,
you don't have to
think about it.
It goes where you want to go.
And in corners it feels nice,
when driving straight it
feels nice.
This is the best steering
of the bunch by far.
Whatever they've done,
it works, and I like it.
The ride comfort
is nicely damped.
It's quiet, there isn't
a lot of road noise.
The engine makes
a noise you like
to hear when you lay into it.
But when you just
cruise, it just
fades into the
background-- there's not
a lot of wind noise.
This thing is
really nice riding.
I mean, what you
see is what you get.
This truck has coil
spring suspension
which is really good.
There's less friction
when it hits a bump.
The other thing I
really like, the fenders
are cut down real tight
to the headlights,
and it's really easy to see
the corners of the truck.
It feels like I
could see it right
in front of it,
which is something I
can't say for the other trucks.
ELANA SCHERR: Is
this the biggest
engine you can get in a Ram?
DAN EDMUNDS: It is.
The 507 HEMI is the
top of the range.
There's two versions
of it, though.
They both make it
395 horsepower,
which is more than
the other to trucks,
and 410 pound feet of torque.
The 507 HEMI that we have here
does not have the new eTorque
system-- that's coming soon.
And that system is a mild
hybrid system that basically
improves fuel economy.
This one is good
for 17 MPG combined,
but the eTorque version will
be good for 19 MPG combined,
which is the same
as the 3.5 EcoBoost.
This is the 8-speed that
Ram introduced in 2014
in the last generation
truck about halfway through.
And we really liked it then
when it first came out.
We had a long-term EcoDiesel
with that transmission,
and it was perfect.
ELANA SCHERR: I can easily
imagine the Ram engineers
sitting together in a
room and really saying
what do truck buyers
want, what do they need,
and how do we give it
to them, because that's
what this truck feels like.
DAN EDMUNDS: To me, the Ram
is the best truck to drive.
I really like the steering,
the 8-speed transmission
does everything I need it to do.
There's plenty of power, and the
link coil suspension not only
rides nice, it's also really
stable when you're towing.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: It's definitely
a classy look that I enjoy,
not only parked in my driveway,
but driving it on the highway.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: All three of
these are solid trucks,
and fans of each brand
won't have any trouble
if they buy a new one.
But we've got to pick a winner.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: In third place,
we had the Chevy Silverado.
It's completely redesigned
and more capable than ever.
But in our tests,
it doesn't have
quite what it takes to edge
out the Ford and the Ram.
ELANA SCHERR: We really
liked all three trucks.
But from the very
beginning one stood out,
and it wasn't the Ford.
The F-150 might be the number
one selling truck in America,
but it turned out
number two in our test.
DAN EDMUNDS: That leaves the Ram
1500 as the winner of our test.
It's Edmunds top-rated truck.
The others may satisfy
brand loyalists,
but this one could
win some converts.
Well, that was fun.
TRAVIS LANGNESS: I
had a great time.
We got to do it again,
but first, dinner.
GROUP: Tacos.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: For more
videos like this,
be sure to subscribe
to our YouTube channel.
And check us out on
Instagram and Facebook.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Why GM And Ford Are Worried About RAM
CNBC:
American automakers take their
trucks extremely seriously.
And the ongoing battles for dominance
among the Detroit three are
often called the "Truck wars".
General Motors, the largest U.S.
automaker overall, sells the most trucks,
if you count full-size and
mid-sized pickups.
Ford F-Series is the best
selling line of full-size trucks.
But, third place challenger Ram has
made its own waves in recent
years, snagging major industry awards
and stealing market share from
rivals. Ram is killing it.
U.S. sales of Fiat Chrysler's truck
brand have roughly tripled in the
last decade, and the brand seems to
be taking food out of its rivals
mouths. After taking the helm
of Fiat Chrysler in 2018,
new CEO Mike Manley said he
wanted to make Ram the second-best
selling full-size pickup brand
in the U.S.
In the first three
quarters of 2019,
Ram surprised the automotive world by
passing Chevrolet in sales, and
some think Ram could very well
stay in second place, fulfilling
Manley's goal. To be fair, others are
quick to note the timing has
been in Ram's favor and that the
game is too early to call.
What is certain is that this upstart
is now posing a more serious
threat to its rivals
than ever before.
It's a stunning rise for a brand
some in the industry thought Fiat
Chrysler was foolish to create in
the first place. The
Ram brand was once actually part of
Dodge, but the two were separated
as Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy under
the oversight of the late
Sergio Marchionne.
The idea was that the split would
allow Ram to focus exclusively on
trucks while permitting Dodge to
focus on developing performance
vehicles, including its popular Challenger
and Charger, as well as
sport utility vehicles and
its long-running Caravan minivan.
Some in the industry questioned the
wisdom of spinning the Ram brand
out at a time when cross-town
rival General Motors was axing several
of its own brands.
First of all, the Ram name has
a long history with Dodge itself.
The company first started using the Ram
logo on its cars in 1932, and
it was still used on Dodge models
until FCA began rolling out new
logos sometime after the
brand's split in 2009.
As one of the four American
full-sized pickup brands, Rams sold
reasonably well, but were often
known as a more affordable
alternative to those offered
by GM and Ford.
The audio you're about to hear
is distorted due to recording issues.
They were less expensive, the
interiors weren't that great.
They were pretty basic.
It wasn't the kind of truck that
GM or Ford had on the road.
Ram simply could not compete with
the capability offered by rivals.
But after Fiat took over and
the company began to emerge from
bankruptcy, Ram came out swinging.
In 2010, GM and Ford were roughly
tied and pickup market share, each
with just over 38 percent with Ram
solidly in third place at just
14.6 percent.
But, over the next eight years, Ram
grew its share of the market to
more than 22 percent, while Ford lost
one percent of its share and GM
lost nearly five.
To be fair, Japanese import brand Toyota
also lost some share at that
time from 6.8
percent of the market to 4.9
percent and fellow Japanese maker Nissan
gained a sliver of market
share. But Ram is now threatening
to displace Chevrolet as these
second best selling full-size pickup
brand in the United States.
So how did it do this?
By offering something different,
say industry analysts?
So I think Ram's idea then was
OK, then maybe, our strategy should be
to build a really, really
good all around truck.
Let's make it comfortable.
Let's make the interiors nice.
Let's make the ride
quality really good.
Two areas where Ram really
shines our interiors and technology.
The interior of the truck
is just unbelievably great.
The technology is unbelievable.
They've got the biggest screen,
it looks like a laptop.
Ram made a bet that seems
particularly suited to the times.
Owners are more accepting of technology
than they ever have before.
There's examples of new technology being
put into pickup trucks that
kind of fell flat. General Motors
had a four-wheel steering system
for their pickup trucks,
which was terrific.
But the problem was that it was
an expensive option, and at that
time, pickup truck owners, their feedback
was, I already know how to
move my truck. I already
know how to tow.
I already know how
to do this stuff.
I don't need to spend the man's
money that you're asking to have this
technology help me do that.
But times have changed.
Now we have buyers of every demographic
that are far more willing to
let technology help them do things.
And as a result, the big screen in
the Ram has drawn a lot of
attention. As a result, some of
the technology that General Motors
has brought it to their Chevrolet and
to the GMC, there's a lot more
cameras on board.
There's ways to save your towing
of your trailer information to your
truck so that if you have three
trailers, every time you hook it up,
you just call up that information and
you don't have to reset it.
There's lots of things in both of
those trucks that make it easier to
work with them. And the Ram got
out into the market a little bit
earlier. One feature in the 2019 Ram
1500 truck that has had the
automotive world buzzing is the large
12 inch touchscreen in the
center of the console.
Ram boasted that the screen was the
largest found in any truck in its
class. If you asked a pickup truck
owner, before they had the big
screen in the Ram if they wanted
a big screen, they'd probably said,
no. I don't want that.
I don't need that. I
don't need to do that.
But now that it's there,
they're reacting to it strongly.
FCA's new strategy was well-timed.
The pickup market has changed over
the last decade as truck sales
have risen. Along with the boom
in sport, utilities and crossovers,
pickup trucks have become popular options
for drivers who might have
a wider range of uses in
mind then in previous eras.
For instance, there has been a rise
in the portion of four seat and
four door models in
the pickup market.
Ram said more than 50 percent
of its pickups are "family trucks".
FCA has also used a tactic
that some industry observers say has
contributed to the brand's sales success
- selling an outgoing model
along a newly redesigned one,
typically at a lower price.
Ram's rise is partly notable
because pickup truck buyers have
historically been considered among the
most brand-loyal in the
automotive market.
Ford buyers typically don't buy GM
trucks, and just the opposite, GM
buyers typically don't buy Ford
trucks, but what's interesting is
either one of those buyers
will consider a Ram truck.
Dealer
Don "K" Kaltschmidt, who sells both
Chevrolet and Ram and owns
products from both GM and Fiat Chrysler,
said that in some ways Ram
does outdo the Chevrolets, but he
thinks it isn't over yet.
The GM truck product is very,
very strong here for good reason.
It is important to understand the
timing has also worked in Ram's
favor. The Ram went into production
roughly eight months before the
Chevrolet product did.
So, there was a bit of a head
start and sort of building it and
having it online and having
it available for the dealerships.
Another element is that Ram has
kept the previous generation of
production longer than
Chevrolet has.
A spokesman for General Motors told
CNBC, the launch of our Chevrolet
Silverado has gone exceptionally well
and combined with the GMC
Sierra, we are quite pleased with
the quality of our market share.
As of November 2019, Ford said
its F-Series lineup outsold Ram by
225,000 trucks for the year, a lead
the company expected to widen by
the end of 2019,
a spokesman told CNBC.
Ford has so far been the best selling
line of pickups in the US for
the last 42 years.
The "Blue Oval" has also been
hyping its upcoming hybrid and fully
electric versions of the F-series.
Electric vehicles are important and
they're happening and they're
coming, but they're
also coming slowly.
That's kind of
important to remember.
Even as Ford and GM are
talking and start talking about electric
pickup trucks, once they're here, the
sales ramp up is probably going
to be a pretty slow.
Pickup truck battles are fierce in
ways that fights in other segments
are not. You get excited about a
pickup truck because it either helps
you feed your family,
or you're into horses.
It's an enabler to do something
that you truly care about.
And, that makes it much more
important emotionally than I'm going
back and forth to work and
it's just a mode of transportation.
There are also a huge
source of profits for automakers.
So industry watchers aren't expecting this
one to be over anytime
soon. If you think about building a
small car and you need so
much amount of steel or so much
amount of wiring harness, or so much
amount of leather or cloth to cover
the seats and you can charge
$20,000 for a small car.
You need more of all of those
materials to build a pickup truck, but
you're charging four
times the cost.
It's an interesting element
of the market too.
Smaller products are not as
profitable, as larger products.
Ford Ranger vs. Toyota Tacoma vs. Chevy Colorado: 2019 Truck Comparison Test | Edmunds
Edmunds:
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: For the
last several years,
the Toyota Tacoma and
Chevrolet Colorado
have dominated the
mid-size pickup market.
But we haven't seen a
Ford Ranger since 2011.
But now it's back.
JASON KAVANAGH: And we've got
all three pickups here today
at the same time, the
same place to find out--
where does new Ranger fit in?
ELANA SCHERR: But
before we find out,
we need you to subscribe
to the channel.
And visit Edmunds for all
your truck buying needs.
JASON KAVANAGH: These
trucks are all crew cab
4x4 configurations.
We've got a Ford Ranger XLT with
the FX4 package, a Chevrolet
Colorado Z71, and a Toyota
Tacoma TRD Off-Road.
Now, these are affordable
off-road packages
and not the top-dog offerings.
ELANA SCHERR: You know, I
gotta get in here and say,
I like big trucks
and I cannot lie.
But I might be willing to
be won over to mid-size.
I mean, I get it.
It's a lot more convenient
for daily driving,
and hey-- if they can play in
the dirt, that's even better.
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah, and
I've got a Le Mans race
car I have to tow,
but I live in a city,
so I can't deal with
a full-size pickup.
It's just too big.
For me, a mid-size pickup
is the only solution.
DAN EDMUNDS: As for
me, I go overlanding,
and off-road performance
is really important.
I'm willing to put up with a
truck that isn't perfect Monday
through Friday if it does
what I want on the weekend.
JASON KAVANAGH: You
might be wondering,
where's the Honda Ridgeline?
After all, it's our
top-ranked mid-size pickup.
The reason why is
because it lacks
some of the off-road capability
of these other trucks.
For example, it doesn't
have a locking differential,
low range, or even
some of the ground
clearance of these others.
For those reasons, we
parked it for this test.
DAN EDMUNDS: This
version of the Tacoma
has been around since 2016.
It's available with
a four-cylinder,
or what this truck
has-- a 3.5-liter V6.
It's pretty much a
4Runner pickup truck.
JASON KAVANAGH: The Ranger
is all-new to North America.
It's been sold in its
current form in Australia
and other places
for a few years now.
The difference is, we
get a unique engine
and transmission-- an
EcoBoost four-cylinder
with a 10-speed automatic.
ELANA SCHERR: The current
Colorado dates back to 2015.
It's got kind of a
big truck energy,
like a shrunken Silverado.
You can get it with a
four-cylinder, or a diesel,
or the gasoline V6, which
is what we're testing.
All right, I don't mean to
make a pun on the Toyota name,
but the inside of the Tacoma
is kind of like a toy--
in a good way, like one of
those old Playskool cars,
where it's big, chunky
plastic controls, big knobs,
and gauges and vents.
It's all really easy
to get to, easy to use.
The off-road controls
are all up here,
which is fantastic because you
don't need them when you're
driving around in the city.
And they're easy to get to
and very clear when you're out
in the dirt.
There's a lot of storage in
convenient places for both
the driver and the passenger--
very egalitarian in here.
I do wish that maybe
instead of 10 cup holders,
they'd had two USB
ports-- there's only one.
And there's also no Apple
CarPlay or Android Auto.
It's like, hi-- it's 2019.
If you don't like
that stuff, or you
don't care about
that stuff, you'll
really like the interior
because it's very friendly, very
on-brand for Tacoma.
I feel like Toyota
sort of forgot
about the comfort of the
passengers in the rear seat
when they designed this.
You sit up really high.
The seats are really flat.
And there's not a
whole lot of leg room
and definitely not
a lot of headroom.
That might be a little
bit because we've
got the optional sunroof.
But as it sits, I
certainly wouldn't
want to be off-roading
in the back of this.
There's also just not
a lot to do back here.
You don't even have an armrest.
As mentioned, you definitely
don't have a USB port.
Mm, you've got cup
holders though--
six of them.
Where the backseat of the
is in the usability
and flexibility
of its in-cab storage.
I'm going to show you.
There are a couple
of different ways
to use the storage back here.
First of all, no
matter what you're
doing there's a 60-40
split in the seat,
so you can fold down one and
let someone sit in the other.
First is the quick
and dirty way--
just fold up the seat bottoms.
Gets you a little
more space this way
and access to these bins.
They're connected, so you
can put, like, a fishing pole
or something in there.
To fully use the storage back
here is a little bit more
complicated, but I think
you'll agree it's worth it.
[LATCHING, RATCHETING]
Look at this nice,
big, flat shelf.
You can put a lot of stuff
here-- tie it down, plenty
of anchors.
Or maybe put a dog bed back here
and take your buddy for a ride.
JASON KAVANAGH: The
first thing that
jumps out about the Colorado's
cabin is the sense of space.
It's a pretty roomy cabin.
The controls are also
really well-placed.
You've got big, chunky
knobs, well-labeled buttons,
and the infotainment
system is really good, too.
It's got Apple CarPlay, Android
Auto, and four USB ports-- two
in front, two in rear.
And also, it looks like there's
a lot of in-cabin storage,
but it's kind of misleading.
For example, this center
console bin is huge
and it holds a ton of stuff.
But the downside is, it's
kind of just a big hole.
There's no storage
organization whatsoever.
And you look at
the door pockets--
it looks like you've got three
places to store stuff there.
But really, they're small
and they're hard plastic,
so if you put anything
in them, they're
just going to rattle
around and make noise.
So from a functionality
standpoint,
the Colorado's cabin
is kind of a mixed bag.
Like the front seat,
the Colorado's backseat
is pretty wide.
And you could fit three
people across back here,
and the person in
the middle is not
going to hate you afterward.
When they're not there, the
center armrest folds down
and there are two pretty
big cup holders here.
Backseat passengers will
also appreciate that there's
a 12-volt Power Point.
And did I mention
those two USBs?
One thing we noticed is,
you've got to be a little bit
careful getting in and
out of the back seat
because it's easy
to catch your toes.
But on the plus side, you've got
a couple of different options
when it comes to in-cab storage.
The backseat is split 60-40.
The seat bottom
folds up like this
to reveal some in-cab storage.
Alternatively, you can
flip the backrest down,
and that's super easy.
Boom.
The only downside is this
stack height is pretty high.
But overall, this
is simple and easy.
DAN EDMUNDS: Here in
the Ranger, there's
no mistaking you're
in a Ford truck.
And it's really spacious, too.
And I like the fact that it's
got Apple CarPlay, Android
Auto, and four USB ports.
And the controls are
mostly really near at hand
and easy to figure out.
But there are some
exceptions-- these HVAC
controls are
lookalike, and tiny,
and hard to see in low light.
The four-wheel drive control
could use a little hash mark
to tell me which one
it's in because I
have to shade it to see if
there's a lot of sunlight here.
And this touchscreen needs
a shortcut button or two
as you have to do everything
on the touchscreen.
As for the storage, there's
a couple of cup holders
but not much else.
This armrest is only really
good on the driver's side.
The passenger-- they
don't get anything.
Overall, the new Ranger feels
like a Ford truck, just not
a very new one.
And that's because
it really isn't.
Here in the backseat
of the Ranger,
things are a little
bit tight for me.
My headroom's OK, but my knees
are jammed up against the seat
here.
And the rear seat back angle
is a little bit vertical-- not
too bad, though.
Rear seat is cushioned well.
But what I really like are
there are two USBs back
here and a 110 outlet and
a little shelf for a phone.
And there's also
a center armrest
that you can fold down to
reveal a couple of cup holders.
But let's take a look
at the in-cab storage.
You've heard of 60-40
split rear seats.
How about 100-0?
In this truck, you can't
have three people in this cab
and carry cargo.
It's all or nothing.
And here it's really
kind of lumpy.
I don't think your pet's
going to want to lay on this.
This isn't too good.
Let's see what happens
when we fold the seat back.
Fold these here and
that's as far as it goes.
This is not a package platform.
It's just access for the jack.
I expected more, frankly.
They may have optimized
this for the US market,
but they didn't spend
much time back here.
For many people, these trucks
are a means to an end--
a way to haul their toys
out of town for the weekend.
If only we had a dirt bike.
[WHOOSHING, ENGINE REVVING]
Whoa!
Check it out.
Let's get it in the trucks.
The dirt bike fit in all
three trucks with no problem.
The differences between them
were the tie-downs, features,
and bed construction,
rather than the size.
ELANA SCHERR: The Tacoma
is the best equipped
in the bed department
and it all comes
standard on this trim level.
No need for an expensive
spray-in liner here.
Toyota uses a composite bed.
It's molded to include
110 outlet, two storage
compartments, and
two-tier loading.
You can throw a couple
of 2x6s in the notches,
and then throw a
sheet of plywood
across to make a second shelf.
There are plenty of
places to strap stuff
down with six tie-downs
and four movable cleats.
Other conveniences include a
damped locking tailgate, a bed
light, and a step-down bumper.
For me, the best thing about the
Tacoma is the lower bedsides.
Look, I can reach the D-rings.
JASON KAVANAGH: The Ranger's
bed is pretty basic.
It has six fixed
tie-down points,
an optional spray-in bed liner.
But what it doesn't have is
two-tiered loading or even
a damped tailgate.
What the Ranger does have that
the others don't-- a tailgate
that locks and unlocks
with the key fob.
DAN EDMUNDS: There's not
a lot to the Chevy's bed.
It's a basic steel box,
has pretty tall sides.
It doesn't come with
a bed liner unless you
opt for a spray-in one
like this truck has.
It's only got four
tie-downs even
though you can add more using
these optional holes here.
It's got a damped tailgate,
and it locks, but with a key.
But the thing I really like
is this corner bed step
and the handhold
that goes with it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: Dan, when
we were driving earlier,
you pointed out something
to me about Ranger.
DAN EDMUNDS: Oh, yeah--
Ranger.
You can chop letters off and
it keeps spelling a word.
Ranger-- range-- rang--
ran-- Ra-- r.
JASON KAVANAGH: Anger.
DAN EDMUNDS: Anger--
take the front one off
and spell something too.
ELANA SCHERR: So, guys--
it's not that
common that you get
carsick in the driver's seat--
DAN EDMUNDS: [LAUGHING] Right.
ELANA SCHERR:
--but somehow, Ford
has managed to make that
possible in this truck.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah.
This front end floats
around quite a bit.
And there's a
little bit of pitch
too-- more than I
would have expected.
JASON KAVANAGH: It's
not confidence-inspiring
in terms of ride quality.
It just doesn't feel like
there's a lot of control.
ELANA SCHERR: No, it's enough
that I'm actually a little bit
anxious going around corners.
I mean, it's the kind
of handling you'd
expect from, say, a '70s sedan.
DAN EDMUNDS: I feel
differently about the handling.
I think this thing
goes straight nicely,
and it goes around
corners pretty well
unless you hit a bump in
the middle of the corner.
But my biggest problem
with the handling
is there's no feel
through the steering.
In other words, as the tires are
loading up, you don't feel it.
So you don't have no confidence.
But it's actually
tracked pretty well.
ELANA SCHERR: You don't
have no confidence?
DAN EDMUNDS: I have confidence.
Well, maybe I don't.
JASON KAVANAGH:
Yeah, I'm with Dan.
The front end--
it feels too soft
and the steering is
too numb and too light.
ELANA SCHERR: The
engine and trans combo
are the best thing
about this truck--
super fun, super fast.
This engine doesn't have the
most horsepower, numbers-wise,
but it definitely has
the best response,
and it does have
the most torque.
DAN EDMUNDS: It has
plenty of punch.
And it gets off the
line really well.
And the transmission
seems to-- hey,
now you're just showing off.
ELANA SCHERR: [LAUGHING] Well,
why wouldn't you, because--
DAN EDMUNDS: Right.
ELANA SCHERR: --I
agree with you.
It's got-- it's the most fun,
in terms of acceleration.
And it also sounds the best,
which is sort of a surprise.
JASON KAVANAGH: It's
also really quiet, too.
But you're right-- you've
got that wall of torque,
which is great for any
kind of passing maneuver.
The only thing I'd
say is in D, it
tends to favor the higher
gears and the revs are too low,
and then it's constantly
having to downshift.
But if you put it in S,
it transforms that driving
experience.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, I think
that makes sense, though.
D for fuel economy and S
for having a little fun.
ELANA SCHERR: The
seats are adjustable,
but they could use, like, a
couple of notches in between
where they are, especially in
the angling of the back seat.
I don't feel like it's
super comfortable.
DAN EDMUNDS: Well,
this is the XLT
with the basic mechanical seats.
There's an upgrade
package that will give you
power seats with finer control.
ELANA SCHERR: Oh,
that would be nice.
DAN EDMUNDS: And then the Lariat
is the same, but with leather.
ELANA SCHERR: Oh yeah,
how is it back there?
JASON KAVANAGH: Well,
with this seat the way
it is for you, Elana, I've
got plenty of leg room.
And even Dan, who's 6'9"--
[LAUGHTER]
ELANA SCHERR: At least.
JASON KAVANAGH: I've got--
I've got knee room right now,
so it's not terrible right now.
Dan, is that chair
in a spot-- seat
in a spot where you'd
be happy on a long trip?
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah I could be.
I'd probably put it
back a little bit more,
but I wouldn't have to.
And by the way, I'm 5'14", OK?
Just for the record.
ELANA SCHERR: That's
a lot of math.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: The
thing that stands out
about this truck
to me the most is--
nothing stands out that much.
I mean, it's pretty
well-rounded.
I like the way it rides.
I like the way it steers.
It feels pretty civilized.
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah I agree.
The drive quality, especially,
is the most tied-down,
the most sorted of the bunch.
It just feels cooperative
and confidence-inspiring.
ELANA SCHERR: You
could go and just do
whatever fun thing you
wanted to go do in your truck
and not spend any time
worrying about any
of the elements of driving
to go do that thing.
Or just, like, around
town, you know,
running errands, or,
like, even date night.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, which is
going to be most of the time.
ELANA SCHERR: Yeah, 'cos
you go on so many dates.
DAN EDMUNDS: I meant around
town running errands--
Home Depot, usually.
JASON KAVANAGH: It's
pretty quiet overall.
I mean, you think about
road noise, wind noise,
engine noise.
All of these are
pretty well suppressed.
ELANA SCHERR: Yeah,
it's silent in here.
Like, I'm glad you're
not eating snacks
because I would
hear every crunch
and I'd be all
irritated with you.
DAN EDMUNDS: The seats
feel a little bit small
and a little bit firm, but--
JASON KAVANAGH: Well, that
works for me, especially.
I'm a narrow guy, pretty slim.
So the seats actually
worked in my favor.
DAN EDMUNDS: Well,
about three years ago, I
weighed about 40 more
pounds than I do now.
And then I thought that
seats were tiny and terrible,
but now that I've
lost a little weight,
I actually like them better.
JASON KAVANAGH: Now
you're in my camp.
All right.
ELANA SCHERR:
Bragging skinny guys.
DAN EDMUNDS: Another
thing I liked
about the Colorado that goes
along with everything else--
just the overall competence--
is the brake pedal.
It feels nice and firm.
You get good
response out of it--
easy modulation-- it
just feels real natural.
JASON KAVANAGH:
Powertrain-wise, we've
got a V6, normally aspirated,
and an 8-speed automatic.
Guys, what do you think?
DAN EDMUNDS: I think
it's just about right.
I mean, eight seems
to be enough gears.
And this engine doesn't have
the most torque in the world
but has good power, and
I don't find it lacking.
JASON KAVANAGH: And definitely,
I think, that Colorado
has the best on-road
manners of the bunch.
I'm really curious to see how
it stacks up off-road being
that, you're right, it doesn't
have a locking differential
or different terrain condition
response stability control
settings-- that kind of thing.
So we'll see.
DAN EDMUNDS: The
thing that stands out
about the Colorado is
nothing stands out very much.
There's nothing here
that I don't like.
It's got great
steering, handling,
and it goes down
the road smoothly.
The damping seems about right
over big bumps and small alike.
You know, I could spend a lot of
time behind the wheel in this.
No real weak points to speak of.
ELANA SCHERR: Said the driver.
JASON KAVANAGH: Hey-o.
[LAUGHTER]
ELANA SCHERR: I'm just kidding.
DAN EDMUNDS: I could use
a new passenger, too.
ELANA SCHERR: That
was really mean.
Jay is doing a good job.
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah,
why you gotta bag on me?
I'm just sitting here.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[CLUNKING]
ELANA SCHERR: Oof.
DAN EDMUNDS: Oh.
Ow.
ELANA SCHERR: You OK?
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah,
what was that?
ELANA SCHERR: That
was an attempt
to not be quite so
straight up and down,
but I didn't realize that your
knees were where they are.
JASON KAVANAGH:
All right, out here
on the pavement in the Tacoma--
this feels like the oldest truck
here for a number of reasons.
But the one that sticks out
the most is the powertrain.
The transmission always seems
to be in way too high a gear,
and there's not enough torque
down low for the engine
to be able to pull that gear.
So that's the first thing
that jumps out to me.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, it keeps
changing its mind, you know.
It dithers between
one gear and the next
at the slightest provocation.
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah,
it's a modern powertrain,
but it feels like
an old powertrain.
The engine's loud.
There's a lot of road noise.
And the steering, too--
it's really slow steering
that has, actually, some feel.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah,
I do like that.
JASON KAVANAGH: But it's
also weighted indifferently.
So the steering just kind of
doesn't work for me either.
ELANA SCHERR: I hate
a steering wheel
that doesn't care about you.
JASON KAVANAGH: Right?
DAN EDMUNDS: It
just feels the most
like a truck of any of the--
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah, this is
the "truck-iest", definitely.
DAN EDMUNDS: It's
the truck-iest one.
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah, although I
do prefer the ride quality here
to what we had in the Ranger.
ELANA SCHERR: No barfing.
JASON KAVANAGH:
A barf-free zone.
Yeah, let's talk
driving position too.
The floor in the Tacoma is
much closer to your butt
than in the other trucks, so
you have this legs-out driving
position.
The greenhouse in the Tacoma
also is shorter than the rest
as a consequence of the
floor being raised up.
And also, did you guys
notice the steering wheel
telescopes, like, maybe
an inch, inch and a half?
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, I need
another inch, inch and a half.
ELANA SCHERR: So the floor's
up and that's actually
what gives us all of the--
all the clearance
underneath that Dan's
so happy about
off-road though, right?
DAN EDMUNDS: Right.
It's a compromise Toyota
was willing to make.
JASON KAVANAGH: Yeah,
the Tacoma definitely
has more off-road inherent
goodness baked in,
so I'm curious to see
how that pans out.
ELANA SCHERR: I gotta say,
and this sounds sort of mean,
but I almost feel like
we've gone back in time
and are doing reviews of all
three trucks from like four,
even six years ago.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, this
truck was redesigned in 2016.
But its bones date
back beyond that.
The Colorado's a
fewer years old.
And the Ranger, you know,
has been in a similar form
in Australia back to 2011.
So none of them are all-new.
JASON KAVANAGH:
To me, the Tacoma
feels like the oldest
truck of the bunch,
and there's a number
of reasons why.
The steering is another
one I'm not crazy about it.
It does have feel,
but the weighting
is sort of indifferent and
the steering ratio is slow.
So if you're in a
parking lot situation,
you're just putting armful
after armful of steering input
into this thing.
DAN EDMUNDS: The brake pedal--
JASON KAVANAGH: Oh.
DAN EDMUNDS: --I noticed
that it has good braking,
but it's kind of really
hard to modulate smoothly.
It's kind of like
grabby and inconsistent
as you put on the brakes.
JASON KAVANAGH: In
summary, the Tacoma
feels the truck-iest
of the bunch, which
can be good and bad.
ELANA SCHERR: There's nothing
sophisticated about the Tacoma,
but it does feel like it
was designed for something.
I'm gonna find out
what that thing is.
DAN EDMUNDS: Yeah, and I feel
like whatever it's doing,
it's doing it on purpose.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JASON KAVANAGH: We just
moved from the pavement
in our off-road-oriented
trucks on to the first couple
of miles of our trail.
And Elana, what were
your impressions?
ELANA SCHERR: Well, all of the
trucks made it, no problem.
But they felt very different
as you were in the cab.
I think it's
probably easiest if I
describe that in a sort
of interpretive dance.
So first, the Ford Ranger--
DAN EDMUNDS: Pretty much.
ELANA SCHERR: Like a dolphin.
The Toyota-- sort of
jittery, but very stable.
The Colorado-- in
between the two.
A lot of up and down,
but again, very stable.
JASON KAVANAGH: Dan,
what do you think?
DAN EDMUNDS: Well, the
Toyota is the only one
with push-button start.
That doesn't sound like
an off-road feature,
but there were no
keys to the knees--
big difference.
JASON KAVANAGH:
Yeah, definitely.
The Tacoma, so far, feels
like it's the most capable
and the Ranger--
kind of squishy.
The Colorado is kind of
someplace in between.
Well, the more aggressive and
harder terrain is yet to come,
so we're going to hit the trail.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: So, unlike
Dan, who does this, sort of,
big, rocky, dirt
trail driving for fun,
I usually only end up on this
kind of road by accident.
Weet.
Oh.
[GASPS] I have no
idea what I'm doing,
and yet, the truck seems to
just, kind of, keep going.
I made it all the
way up the hill
in 4-High, like, I
never had to use 4-Low.
But I'm going to put it
into 4-Low for the way down,
partially just so I
know how to do it,
and also because then I can
use the gearing of the truck
to slow me down, rather than
sort of riding the brakes all
the way down.
The thing that's
making the Tacoma
so forgiving of my
inexperience off road
is that as long as I
don't drive it directly
into a ditch or a giant
rock, it has enough
articulation that the
suspension will move around--
drop into the
hole, or whatever--
without bringing the
tires up off the ground,
and so I still have traction.
And then I can just drive
myself out of a problem.
[RATTLING]
Whoop.
[LAUGHING] Or into a bush.
Maybe I'll start doing
like Dan and looking
for these roads on purpose.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: This
is pretty cool.
The map database knows
which trail we're on,
and I'm on a trail that
is a black diamond trail.
So far it's not black diamond.
I'm still in high range.
Four-wheel drive, of course.
All right, I think this is
where I put it into low range.
Well, let's see how it goes.
[GRINDING]
Uh oh.
I think I'm teetering
on two wheels.
All right, let's try
putting it in low range now.
It's not doing it.
All right, AdvanceTrac off.
Low range engaged.
Back to drive.
Did that help?
No.
It looks like I'm going to have
to lock the rear differential.
So push the rear
diff lock button--
and it's locked-- and
forward momentum restored.
Straddle the V and
go for the rock.
That wasn't much
of a frame twist
area that would get that
wheel that far off the ground.
That's surprising.
Yeah, looks like we're going to
get more of the same up here.
Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo
hoo-hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo.
Now, we've got the
wheel up in the air.
I want to see this.
Excuse me while I open the door.
[CHIMING]
Oh, yeah.
About six inches.
You know what I didn't
like is that somewhere
in there, this
thing automatically
shifted from 4-Low to 4-High.
So I came down that
section in 4-High,
and I never made that choice.
That's terrible.
I was going too fast.
I wasn't able to use the
transmission to slow me down.
If it goes into 4-High,
it's because I put it there,
not because the truck did.
Bogus.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JASON KAVANAGH: I'll go for
those bumps on top of him.
Straddle this crack.
Oh, oh, oh.
A little momentum goes
a long way sometimes.
That noise you hear is
the key bouncing around.
We're just kind of
walking over these rocks.
Traction control's
grabbing us a little bit,
but it's still
going up the hill.
Get my tire on that big,
giant boulder in front of us.
Get a little bit of speed going.
There we go.
And it's just doing it.
It's just going up the hill.
All right.
So we're just making our
way down in low range still.
It hasn't automatically shifted
itself into anything else.
So it's very faithfully
responding to my commands.
So even though the
Colorado doesn't
have a locking
rear differential,
it made it through the spot
that the Ranger got stuck in.
Its hood is pretty broad and
it can be hard to see over it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JASON KAVANAGH: I took
the Colorado off-road,
and it did better
off-road than I expected.
However, there's something
missing from this Colorado.
This thing is the
air dam that goes
underneath the front bumper.
If we left it on, we would
have tore that thing off
within 10 feet.
If you want to take
your Colorado off-road,
you're taking off the air dam.
ELANA SCHERR: I was actually
a little bit nervous
about taking my turn
behind the wheel.
I actually made Dan give me
a little bit of direction.
So we get up to
the top, and he's
like, all right, we're done.
Turn around.
I was like, we're
still in 4-High.
Aren't we supposed
to be in 4-Low?
He's like, you didn't
need any of them
because you never even
lifted a wheel up.
I'm really ready to go
straight up a mountain,
as long as it's in a Tacoma.
DAN EDMUNDS: The trail
wasn't even that difficult
and I was lifting
wheels off the ground.
The traction control
doesn't really
offer any help in low range.
So then I was forced to
lock the differential.
And I don't think
you should have
to do it on a trail that's
pretty much moderate,
not really that difficult.
It really needs more.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ELANA SCHERR: If this was
just an off-road test,
we'd have a unanimous winner.
We all loved the Toyota
Tacoma on the trail.
It was really good.
JASON KAVANAGH:
But this isn't just
a test of off-road ability.
We're looking for the
truck that is best on-road
and also has moderate
off-road ability.
That decision was
unanimous, as well.
The Chevy Colorado is
our overall winner.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAN EDMUNDS: So where does
that leave the Ranger?
After all, that's
the question we
wanted to answer when we
started this whole test.
Well, it was a split
decision, 2 to 1--
Colorado first, Tacoma
second, and the Ranger
bringing up the rear.
ELANA SCHERR: We're really
happy to see the Ranger
back on the market.
I mean, the more
competition, the better.
But for now, out of
these three, it's third.
DAN EDMUNDS: I mean, what
was up with that, Jay?
It rides like a pogo stick.
It won't stay in low range.
The backseat is just awful--
JASON KAVANAGH: I
heard this enough.
I'm done.
DAN EDMUNDS: [GRUNTING]
JASON KAVANAGH: There's a
lot more than just this video
if you head to Edmunds.
You'll find pricing,
features, ratings, and reviews
on all three of these trucks.
And if you want to see
more videos, subscribe.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
2019 Chevrolet Silverado - Review & Road Test
Kelley Blue Book:
When Chevrolet first revealed their
fourth-generation full-size Silverado
they dangled it from a helicopter onto a
massive stage.
Hey, our reveal is just as extravagant.
Okay so maybe we need more helicopter
budget, but we're on dirt and those used to be pine trees. So here it is the
fourth-generation Chevy Silverado.
Okay, I can't.
You know I'm not sure this looks that
different from the previous model. There
are four grille options, this is one of
them and it's bigger and beefier than
the previous generation, but other than
that it looks pretty much like a
Silverado. It does have a steeper
windshield and adds a roof spoiler for
better aerodynamics, but also rides an
inch higher than the third generation.
Thanks to its new bigness the second row
in the crew cab expanded. There are three
more inches back here of space for your
legs, but if you prefer to haul stuff
inside the 60/40 seats fold up. There are
a lot of cool storage spaces.
Check out that cubby. It's pretty neat.
This is bigger than some apartments I've
lived in.
Bed size also benefits from the
Silverado's expansion to the tune of
seven inches of width thanks to GM now
stamping the beds into pieces. It's also
stronger, which is a good thing for tough
payload.
Even the 12 standard tie-down loops are
stronger, and there's an optional power
tailgate, which we think is cool. The
Silverado comes in eight models. The Work Truck
comes with vinyl or cloth seats
and 17-inch wheels, remote keyless entry,
a USB port, seven-inch touchscreen and
Chevrolet's Infotainment 3 system with
Apple CarPlay and Android Audo. Optional
safety features include front and rear
parking assist, lane change alerts with
blind zone warnings, and rear
cross-traffic alerts. Those are some good
options for a base model truck. The
Custom trim adds 20-inch aluminum wheels
and LED tail lights. The Trail Boss adds
a 2-inch lift and the optional Z71
off-road package, which of course
requires four-wheel-drive and includes a
locking rear differential, skid plates,
and 18-inch Goodyear Duratrack tires
for off-roading. Step up to the LT trim
and there's the aforementioned
optional off-road equipment, an
eight-inch touchscreen comes standard as
well as a step up to the 8-speed
automatic transmission from the 6-speed
in lower trims. Hill descent control is
also a good option for when you're
coming down from all those mountains
you're driving over. The LT Trail Boss
includes the off-road capabilities of
the custom Trail Boss. Looking for a
sporty or Silverado the RST trim
includes body coloured exterior trim LED
lighting and 22s.
This high country is at the top of the
Silverado trim mountain, and it is swank
at the summit. Everything is covered in
leather and it's pretty comfy in here in
a truckie kind of way. Both front seats
are heated and ventilated and the
driver's side has 10-way power
adjustment including lumbar. Micah!
It's wireless charging capable and the
storage in the center console is so big
you could probably fit a whole bucket of
fried chicken in there.The Bose audio
system is awesome, you know what, if I
went camping I would probably just stay
in here. Six powertrain choices are
offered on the Silverado. Those larger
two are new options and include GM's new
dynamic fuel management system which is
able to use as few as two cylinders
cutting fuel to the rest for improved
fuel economy. The diesel option is new too. Some EPA numbers weren't available for
various power trains at the time of this
videos making, but here are those that
are.
The 4.3-liter V6 offers up 285
hp and 305 pound-feet of torque.
The 6.2-liter V8, which is in this High
Country crew cab I'm driving has 420
horses and 460 pound-feet of torque. With
a curb weight of 5,000 pounds, a payload
capacity of a little over 2,100 pounds,
and towing capabilities of 12,000 pounds
I'd say that power is going to come in
really handy. That's cute.
Incidentally that's less towing capacity
than a similarly powered Ford F-150 but
more than the RAM 1500 and the same as
the GMC Sierra, which makes sense because
they share power trains. But how does it
drive I hear you ask? You know what? I
have a really good way to find out. Why
thank you.
On the road the Silverado feels sturdy
and solid but surprisingly un-trucky. It
actually drives like a much smaller
vehicle. That might be thanks to Chevy
shaving off up to 450
pounds depending on which Silverado you
drive. The Silverado makes easy work of
curvy mountain roads and is maneuverable
enough to not get you in too much
trouble when parking in relatively tight
spots. The High Country's more refined
road manners are partly due to a 10-
speed automatic transmission with which
it is equipped. Shifts are quick and
smooth. It's tight ratios keep the engine
closer to peak power when at full
throttle. It also makes for easier
operation when towing. It's too bad this
transmission is only an option on the LT
trim and above with the diesel or 6.2-
liter engine. The cabin is quiet. I don't
hear the road and there's no notable
vibration or noise coming from the
engine when that DFM system is doing its
thing. You know if someone was looking
for a midsize crossover alternative with
more utility and towing capacity then
the Silverado drives nicely enough that
it should be considered an option.
Base price on the Work Truck will cost
you around $31,200 including
destination. Our tricked-out High Country,
which is at the top of the spending
spectrum is more like $67,000. This one
also has the Deluxe package that
includes safety features like forward
collision alert, lane keep assist with
lane departure warning, low speed forward
automatic braking. It also has a sunroof,
all-season tires, as well as the Tech
package that gives us the surround
vision camera and head-up display. Those
safety features come in handy especially
in a big truck like this. Sometimes
little things like Miatas or cyclists
are really hard to see. You know, I kind of
feel like the blind spot warning is
pretty much on all the time in this
thing.
The purchasing sweet spot though is
probably the LT trim that starts at just
under 40 large and comes standard with
the 5.3-liter engine and the 8-speed
transmission, but is optional with the
diesel engine mated to the 10-speed. It
also opens up more optional packages
that include tilting and telescoping
steering wheel and navigation. If you're
in the market for a full-size truck the
fourth-generation Silverado has a lot of
competition to check out including the
F-150, Sierra, Ram 1500 and even the
Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra,
but the Silverado has a lot of great
qualities to consider. It's well equipped,
nicely powered and a good-looking truck
that rides nicely on the road. See no
splashy helicopter entrance necessary.
Rescuing Richard From Lone Wolf Mountain | Top Gear | Series 22 | BBC
Top Gear:
2015 Chevrolet Silverado is better than the Ford F-150 Winnipeg, Manitoba
Vickar Community Chevrolet:
today we're looking at the all new 2015
Chevrolet Silverado
and i am going to tell you why it's better than
the Ford F 150. My name is Devin Cuscito
coming to you from Vickar Community
Chevrolet. It is not all fancy electronics
that makes the silverado one of the best
trucks out there
GM spent a lot of time and money an
effort and
making the vehicle aerodynamic which
makes it fuel-efficient
One of things GM does is shape
the mirrors
of the truck for the way the wind
blows over it. So everything from the mirrors
to the rake of the windshield to the
inlaid doors on the truck
making the win passed by the doors not
only keep it quiet
because it allows us to but tripled or
seals on the inside the door
but also keep the cabin interior quiet
and
it's the fuel efficiency in the vehicle
we also have
the reflectors in front of the wheels on
the bottom here
but also the flight went away from the
wheels again
to not create drag. The all-new
Silverado has a completely aluminum hood
this hood compared to our hood on our
previous truck saved a seventeen-count
a huge weight savings in the truck
contributing the fuel economy
by having a lighter aluminum many
options on the truck made to
save you money one of those things is
the dura-life
GM patient rotors on this
truck here
are made with the hydrogen in rich metal
GM has made in patent itself
it will prevent corrosion but not only
that they will ask you twice as long
as a typical wrote on your vehicle
making less less maintenance on the
truck
new on the new Silverado here their new
crew cab model
GM has move the b-pillar of the Silverado
up four inches
that allows for us to have two more inches
for customers in the back seat here
I just to get the more room and more
comfort for the back seat passengers
here
I one other thing they do well at the
rear doors here has also give you two
levels towards on the door here
that enables you if you have a kid to
the car see their have their own place
for their own cup holder their own toys
there
this weather and all over the truck to
get an easy place to retrieve them into
the back
let's face it there by a truck can use
it as a truck
so GM has come up with a few different
options here to make it easy for you
and your cargo and to access your cargo
in the back in the truck box here
I'll new for 2015 is GM's rear corner
step bumper
the corner said bumper allows you to
step into the box without having to hop
up on the tailgate
I'm not only will just put your foot but
also for the steel toe boot
to assist you in getting into the box
also is a handle
up in the top of the box here for
comfort to pull yourself into the back
of a truck
so it's easy to lift and grab cargo the
box with cargo sometimes they're also
going to have a handful
It won't be easy to just pick up drop the
tailgate put it in the truck
that's been GM's easy lift and lower
tailgate comes into hand
GM has installed the torsion bar in a
rotary damper
on the tailgate so if you do have a
handful it's not a matter unlatching
the tailgate allowing the tailgate to
fold down
once it is folded down and you put you're
cargo in heads as easy as just a couple
fingers to put it back up
and close it because the torsion bar one
other thing about the box and the
silverado here
it's constructed with what they called
formed steel
allows you to use a lot higher strength
steel to make for a stronger box
in here. Compared to the Ford F 150
the silverado box its clamps are welded
underneath the box and then bolted
on the Ford F 150 the bolts go through the top the box that the
risk of corrosion down the road
the bolts just may not hold so I am
with the silverado box him between the
length and between the walls you got over
five feet
this allows you to haul the most common
building materials in the back without
having to prop it up on an angle
or quad if you happen to be a
recreational vehicle user
we are here in the all-new 2015 Silverado
interior
so far as highly functional redesigned
interior
looks and feels like a truck the whole
dash
is supported by a beam spanning the with
the cab with the beam to the floor to
make an even stronger than ever
this will avoid a vibration when you're
driving on a little bit bumpy roads
becuase lets face it you're driving a truck
you're going to be off the road a little
bit us over autos new Driver Information
Center on the dash for the truck
has a colour screen that can relay
all the same information here that you're
radio stereo will as far as your
phone contacts your radio even text
messages
vehicle will show you your text messages
from your cell phone
the eight-inch my link radio screen
is one of the biggest in its class
and that's what really sets it apart
its easier to use than Ford SYNC system
and you push where you want to go
the phone you push the phone
wanna go to radio you push the radio
simple as that no fancy menus to go
through press for you wanna go
the new my link radio will not only
receive text messages but new for 2015
in conjunction with GM's on star system
it also provides wireless
internet in your vehicle I mean that if
you're traveling with kids
you're traveling at a town where you have no
cell phone reception you have wireless
internet
in your vehicle to access on any tablet
or smartphone or computer for that
matter
if you need to get some information on the
road. now if you think wireless internet
the vehicle is great
you have to see Silverados onstar remote
link. we are looking here at my cell phone
here at the OnStar remote link app
for five years on every Silverado you
purchase
you get access to GM on stars remotely
this enables you
open your vehicle up you can unlock
unlock your door but not only that you
can remote start your vehicle
from wherever you have cell phone
reception guess that means wherever
you're halfway across the country you can remote start vehicle back home as long as
your cell phone reception
not only can you remote start your
vehicle but you can go back
and you can take a look at the status of
your vehicle see how much will you have
in the tank
an update on your oil life monitor tire
tire pressures on the truck
keep you updated with all your regular
up some you're maintenance on the vehicle. some of you will use the
Silverado for work
some for personal income for pleasure so
what GM has come up with a some great
ideas here
to help you out help your family
out in order to keep organized
most important keep charged. GM center
console
that is available with the truck comes
with ample
charging ports and AC/DC
plugs in order to charge anything got
in the truck. on top of that
it still has a couple charging plugs here
and in the center console here you are not limited to just those you have a
couple more USB
and an SD card slot and auxiliary plugin.
now if you are one of the ones that use
it for worker one of the ones I like to
keep organized
you notice to you that GM's consul also
provides a space
for file folders this where you can hang
your bills hang your seat n your
invoices
everything keep 'em organizing your
truck because let's face it
the truck in your office that we're
going to be be all the time.
my name is Devin casino coming to you
from Vickar Community Chevrolet
if you happen to be in the Winnipeg
Manitoba area or its surroundings
I invite you to stop by Victor Community
Chevrolet or call us at
204-661-8391 come on by to take a look at
this great truck!
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500: First Look – PickupTrucks.com
Cars.com:
this is our first chance to see the 2020
Chevy Silverado heavy duties right next
to me is a 2500 LTZ and you can look at
it and tell that this is an all-new
pickup truck powertrain design interior
everything has been completely redone as
far as powertrains the carryover Duramax
diesel is gonna come to the new 2020
Silverado HD s what you have here are
some Auto Show cables so it might look a
little bit different but still the exact
same carry over engine 445 horsepower
910 foot-pounds of torque but now has a
10 speed heavy-duty Allison transmission
made it up to it also the big news in
all-new 6.6 liter direct injection v8
engine 401 horsepower 464 foot-pounds of
torque now that new gas engine is also
made it up to a revised six-speed
transmission and also one thing to
consider here if you're doing any work
on your engine on these new heavy duties
they're a little taller than they were
before so when you're trying to reach
for this hood it's a little difficult
inside everything is going to be very
familiar to the Silverado half-ton
pickup truck regular extended and crew
cab is going to be larger more legroom
especially for rear passengers but the
inside - very very similar to what we've
already seen on the half tons dual glove
boxes this is the LTZ package very nice
organic looking center console plenty of
storage here in the middle and also a
uniquely designed gauge cluster for the
driver another feature we like an
all-wheel drive capable transfer case on
a heavy duty vehicle that's a segment
exclusive here at the back of the truck
we love the fact that it's got the rear
view cameras push button tailgate drop
does it automatically you also have four
fifth wheel or gooseneck hitches you've
got the 4 and the 7 pin hitches here on
the inside also a three-prong 120 volt
plug here on the opposite side and then
you've got almost 7 inches of extra
width in the beds and the longest beds
in the segment no matter what the cab
configuration
and then because this has the auto
dropout a lift tailgate one push button
and it'll send the tailgate right back
up and closed
there's obviously tons to talk about
with this new vehicle and we will be
talking more about this after we get
some time behind the wheel but to call
out just two features that we really
like the DEF tank is right here at the
fuel filler and the fact is that every
single duly equipped Chevy heavy-duty
Silverado 3500 with the diesel will be
able to tow over thirty five thousand
pounds for more information go to pickup
trucks.com
you
2018 Ford F-150 – Review and Road Test
Kelley Blue Book:
If you think modern full-size pickup
trucks are big and dumb
you're only partly right. Case in point, this F-150. It might be big but it
is not dumb. Quite the contrary
Ford has approached this generation
F-150 as a literal test bed, switching its
bed and cabs construction from steel to
lightweight aluminum helping improve
fuel economy and performance. Inside the
aluminum body is a seriously functional
cabin. The seats are comfortable and
supportive, the armrests are well
positioned, even though that one is way
over there, there's lots of door storage
space, and a really huge bit of storage
here in the center console. Look there
goes the medical tape. Up front you've
got a couple of itemized spots where I
guess I can put my wallet with more
space than I really need. Up top
yet another - storage bin. The F-150 is a
little like an industrial loft. It is a
great place to live and work.
Buyers can spec their F-150 in regular,
super cab, and super crew layouts but for
carrying people the super crew is
definitely the play. Legroom is
outstanding, unlike the cozier super cab. A flat floor means sitting in the middle
position is not some sort of punishment
and easy flip up seats mean you can
store your gear safely inside away from
the elements and thieves, Tim. And these
channels look like they're expertly
crafted to carry, I don't know, large
shipments of wine. Maybe my mom needs an f-150. Sorry, mom.
Of course cabin plushness varies by trim. The basic XL trim comes drenched in easy
to clean plastic but higher trims offer
increasingly luxurious appointments.
Nothing caps a hard day on the job like
cooled and massaging seats...I'm assuming.
Reviewing cars isn't a real job
Speaking of real jobs if you plan to
haul more than just air you've got three
choices. A six and a half foot bed or
optional 8 foot cargo box
come on the regular and super cab models while the super crew offers bed lengths
of five and a half and six and a half
feet.
The F-150's bed is a perfectly functional
space to haul stuff but it should be
noted that a damp tailgate does not come
standard. F-150, dropping at old school.
Also, the optional tailgate step does
make it easier to get in and out of the
bed but this one doesn't have it so roll
the b-roll while I parkour my way into
the bed.
For easier bed loading check the option
sheet where you'll find pop-out side
steps, integrated loading ramps, a bed
extender / divider, and a damped remote
release tailgate or an assistant closing
tailgate with an integrated step.
As a big capable truck you might expect
the F-150's road manners to be unrefined
but that's not really the case. Okay
there are the normal live rear axle
jitters over bumps but otherwise ride
quality is good. The brakes feel
confident, interior noise is suppressed
unless I'm making my bag bounce around
in back, and outward visibility is
surprisingly good in all directions. A PT
Cruiser! I'm so sorry.
A slow steering ratio and comparatively
wide turning circle make confined maneuvering a challenge but if you've got
the dough the option list makes nearly
every aspect of driving much much easier. Ok, not this one.
All the others. And, I'm up over the curb. There's a 360-degree camera system for confident
parking, automatic Park Assist for
effortless parking, and Pro trailer
backup assist that makes backing up a
trailer as simple as turning a knob. On
top of that there's full range adaptive
cruise control, pre collision assist with
pedestrian detection, Lane Keeping Assist,
and blind spot monitoring that even
accounts for a trailer. Clever. Where
engine choices are concerned there are
plenty including an eager and reasonably
efficient 3.3 liter V6, a 2.7 liter
EcoBoost v6, a 3.5 liter EcoBoost v6, and
for those who hate forced induction a
naturally aspirated 5 liter V8. The base
V6 features a 6-speed automatic but the
rest of the lineup uses a 10 speed unit
that knocks out nearly undetectable
shifts. Standard on all engines is a fuel
saving automatic engine start/stop
system though you'll need to deactivate
it on hot days to keep the
air-conditioning working at stoplights.
To exploit the F-150's 13,200 pound
maximum tow capacity choose the 3.5
liter but for less extreme towing we
highly recommend the 2.7 liter EcoBoost.
The two-seven will tow 8,500 pounds, it
costs a modest 995 dollars versus the
base engine, and it returns the best fuel
economy in the f-150 lineup...at least
until the 3 liter turbo diesel finally
shows up.
Before moving on we should mention the
$51,000 f-150 Raptor whose wide track,
high output 3.5 liter EcoBoost v6, and
Baja-worthy suspension enable
unsurpassed off-road thrills. Seriously
don't you wish this was you?
For more-grounded off-road adventures non-Raptor f-150s can be equipped with
four-wheel drive and an FX for off-road
package. MSRP for a regular cab XL trim
with six airbags, trailer sway control,
manual AC, an am/fm radio, and a backup
camera with dynamic hitch assist begins
below 29,000 dollars including $1,300
worth of destination chargers. However we think the volume leading XLT is a
worthwhile upgrade. It starts around
$34,000 for a regular cab with power
windows and mirrors, a power tailgate
lock, and a six-speaker audio system
featuring bluetooth and USB ports. Budget an extra $2,900 for
the Super Cab and $5,200 for the super crew. With even
more budget you can nab an intuitive
eight-inch Sync infotainment system,
navigation, heated rear seats, inflatable
rear seatbelts, LED headlights, LED box
lighting, a factory spray in bedliner, and
passive entry with push-button start, a
feature inexplicably not offered by GM
and Toyota. Spend lavishly and you can spec
an F-150 limited trim to the tune of
$67,000 though
prices for pickup trucks are frequently
incentivized so shop around. Given the
loyalties of truck buyers you probably
already have a brand allegiance but if
you're curious the full-size pickup
truck field includes the GMC Sierra and
Chevy Silverado twins, the RAM 1500 with
its smooth riding coil spring rear
suspension, the Nissan Titan with its
standard 390 horsepower v8, and for
resale value enthusiasts and Toyota
devotees the Toyota Tundra. Each entrant
has its strengths but the Ford stands
out as exceptionally well suited to the
needs of truck buyers.
The Ford F-150 is smart, capable, and
ruggedly-styled. In essence it does all
the things a pickup truck should do and
it does them really well. It's also a
handy reminder that innovation comes in
all sizes.
GMC Ford Dodge Chevrolet Dynomax Builders Bundle VT Muffler Valve Technology Truck 88346
JEGS Performance:
Matt: You're a big guy, you can carry that,
come on.
Bruno: Welcome to Truck U, I'm Bruno Massel.
Matt: And I'm Matt Steele.
Bruno: Now today, we've got this 2006 1500
Dodge truck in the shop and one of the complaints
from the owner was the fact that there was,
the muffler. He said that, from the day he
got it, it always had an annoying drone when
he got up to cruising speeds. And, that's
a common complaint with these trucks. So,
we took out the exhaust system. I took out
the exhaust system and I found another issue.
I found an exhaust leak. So, this is the first
thing we need to address.
Matt: Well, we also know that this truck has
a little over 60,000 miles and he's a little
bit heavy on the brake pedal. I mean, you
take a look at this, you can almost see through
the rotor. I mean I'm, a sheet of paper back
there I could read through it almost.
Bruno: That's bad.
Matt: We need to address that and there's
gonna be a couple of other issues as well,
I'm sure.
Bruno: You know, one of the things we like
to do here, is rather than throwing factory
parts on a factory vehicle, we like to take
it up a notch. For just a little bit more
money, you can go much better than stock.
Matt: Did you say better than stock?
Bruno: Yes.
Matt: Check this out, what do you think of
this?
Dramatic Announcer Voice: Better than stock.
Bruno: What is that?
Matt: That is a little something unique that
I bring to the table, right? That's what I
do, I spice it up.
Bruno: You bring something.
Matt: Yeah, exactly. You don't like it?
Bruno: I dunno, it's just a little weird.
Matt: Let me give this a try. Check this out.
Dramatic Announcer Voice: Sunday, Sunday,
Sunday!
Bruno: Now that I can get on board with.
Matt: I thought you would like that. Now,
this guy does good work and he's cheap. He's
gonna grow on you, give it some time.
Bruno: I hope so. All right, now let me get
rid of this, we can get to work.
Matt: All right.
Matt: Today's fun starts right here with the
DynoMax Builder's Bundle. The cool thing is,
we got everything we need for the entire exhaust
system for this particular truck. Now, the
Builder's Bundle actually will fit the vast
majority of your domestic, later model, light
duty trucks that are on the road today. And,
it's got everything, like I said, from the
pipes, to the muffler, to the brackets, tips,
it's all here.
Bruno: Well, the cool part of this whole system,
the coolest part I should say, is the DynoMax
VT Muffler. Now, what's great about it, first
and foremost, it's a high-flow, high-performance
muffler. You're gonna get that aggressive
sound you want, you gonna get the full characteristics
you're looking for in a performance muffler.
But the magic happens here, with this control
valve. What it does, it actuates at that critical
RPM range where the drone comes into play.
This kills the drone, and allows you to get
all the performance you want out of a high-flow
muffler.
Matt: Can I just say, once again, that I love
cut-aways. I love being able to see what's
going on. Man, that is so cool. But, like
I said, look at the construction of this.
It's all fully welded, 409 stainless down
the pipes. Man, this is gonna last. 304 stainless
on the tips, those look nice. The mounting
hardware, like I said, it's all here man.
Bruno: And, it comes with a 90-day sound and
performance guarantee, as well as a lifetime
limited warranty. So, all we gotta do now
is, get it in the truck.
Matt: Guess we need to get to work, don't
we. You need to get to work.
Bruno: This one might be a little noisy. I'll
take this one.
Matt: You need a hand with that or you good?
Bruno: Oh, I'm always doing the heavy lifting.
I'm used to that.
Matt: You are, man, and that's one of the
things I like about you. All right, so the
first thing we had to do with the old system
was cut it off and get it out of the way,
right? So, we made that cut as close to the
muffler as we possibly could. The reason we
did that was, we weren't sure where everything
was gonna lay in, so we needed to kinda get
an idea of that. And we wanted to leave ourselves
plenty of pipe right here to work with, because,
if we have to make any cuts or adjustments,
it's a lot easier to come up here and cut
some off than it is to try to make this longer,
you know?
Bruno: Yeah, to say the least. Now, our first
measurement was telling us, you wanna take
off about 7 inches. Now, the problem with
the 7 inches is, it put us into this flange
and the two would butt up into each other.
So, that's not a good scenario. So, we left
it an inch longer here, this way it'll connect
it good on this side and it should be about
an inch off. And that looks about right on
the back end, so we'll cut these an inch off
here and we should have about the right length
we need, to button this whole thing back up.
Matt: That's the beauty of the Builder's Bundle,
is that it's a universal kit, so whether it's
us, or whoever's installing the system, they
make a couple cuts, and that baby's gonna
fit like a glove. Now, DynoMax also has direct
fit kits, that are tailor made for individual
vehicles, so if you want to tackle this project
by yourself, you can do it and you don't even
have to make any cuts. That's the beauty of
it man, you got options.
Bruno: Here, take this and chop saw.
Matt: All right. Well, you're gonna cut it,
right?
Bruno: I gotta do everything.
Matt: You do.
Now, we needed to make up some hangers and
we can use these stock insulators, which are
good. But, we'll bend these up to what we
need, weld them on, it'll hold everything
in place.
All right, we'll tighten up a few more things
and this baby's installed and this job is
done, this is good.
Bruno: Yeah, this guy's gonna be stoked, because
this new DynoMax VT series muffler's gonna
kill that annoying drone he's been complaining
about and this whole Builder's Bundle's all
tightened up. You know, we had a few obstacles
we had to clear, with the rear-end and the
spare tire, but it is done. Just a little
more buttoning up and we're ready to go, which
means, it's a good time for us to take a break,
and-
Matt: Hold on now, wait, woah, woah, listen.
We've got that handled, right? Listen. You
ready?
Bruno: Oh, that's right.
Matt: Hit it:
Dramatic Announcer Voice: We'll be-
Matt: Keep the noise down, we paid this guy,
we wanna use him.
Bruno: All right, fair enough.
Dramatic Announcer Voice: We'll be right back.
Bruno: I think you paid him too much.
Matt: He's really good.
2019 Full-Size Pickup Truck Comparison
Kelley Blue Book:
Have you ever poked a hornet's nest? On a
related note, full-size pickup truck fans
are a passionate Bunch did you know that
the top three best selling vehicles in
America are the Ford F-series, Ram pickup
and Chevrolet Silverado? Given their
prominence it's smart to compare these
titans, sorry Nissan, knowing full well
the outrage and truck related zealotry
such a comparison might inspire. Oh man,
the comments section is gonna catch fire
on this one. All right let's poke that
nest. The Chevrolet Silverado is all new
for 2019. Given the subjective nature of
style you might love or hate its design,
but the latest Silverado has many
objective improvements worth
highlighting. Built atop an all-new frame
that's lighter and stronger with a four-
inch longer wheelbase, this bad boy
steers with improved accuracy returning
a firm but pleasing ride. While not
radically different from the previous
version, the cabin is hushed, functional
and spacious thanks to that lengthier
wheelbase. For payload duty every
Silverado includes 12 tie-downs and a
high strength steel bed that's easily
accessed too thanks to corner bumper
steps. Fill that bed and you'll
appreciate the optional digital rear
view mirror for towing. Chevy includes an
app with checklists and a helpful
trailer light tests feature. We wish the
option sheet also offered adaptive
cruise control or blind spot warning
that accounts for a trailer, but there's
no arguing with the Silverado's varied
engine choices. For 2019 there's a 4.3-
liter V6, a turbocharged 2.7-liter
4-cylinder, 5.3 and 6.2 liter V8s and
later in the year a 3.0-liter inline six-
cylinder turbo diesel, and no, details of
the diesel we're not available as of the
making of this video. Add countless trims
to cab sizes to bed lengths and plenty
of cool options and there's a Silverado
for nearly every taste. Where the
Silverados tow capacity peaks at 12,200 pounds the RAM 1500
can lug up to 12,750 pounds. Assuming you're
cool driving the smaller Quad Cab.
Does an extra 550 pounds of capacity
really matter? To most drivers and
probably not, but it does to those who
tow or to those who like to lord their
truck's numerical superiority over others.
Either way
while the Silverado is a veritable
buffet of trucky choices, the RAM 1500
offers a more focused menu. Engine
choices are limited to a 3.6-liter V6
and a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, each paired
with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Standard on the V6 and optional on the
V8 is e-torque, a mild hybrid system that
imparts brief bursts of supplemental
torque along with a reasonable bump in
fuel economy. Like the Silverado, the 2019
Ram also rides on a new lighter and
stronger frame that does good things for
the 1500's already plush ride. Seriously
the Ram's rear coil springs and optional
air suspension work wonders. Matching its
on-road refinement is a classy interior
with smartly placed controls and a
superbly spacious crew cab blessed with
massive rear seat legroom. We'd linger on
those details but the optional 12-inch
infotainment screen is super distracting.
It's a dazzling centerpiece for a
welcoming interior, but for daily
usability we actually prefer the
physical controls included with the
smaller 8.4-inch Uconnect system. Back
to work!
The Ram 1500 handles hefty payloads with
these. If you're willing to sacrifice
some space optional Ram boxes adds
lockable storage for smaller items. KBB's projected five-year cost to own
data suggests the Silverado and F-150
are more economical long-term
investments, but for daily livability and
robust capability the Ram 1500 is a
worthy choice. Rounding things out we
have the Ford F-150. It's the only
carryover model in this little test.
You'd think the F-150 would be stuck
playing catch-up, but by the numbers the
F-150 is still the one to beat. It has
best in class towing and best-in-class
payload capacity. The F-series is also
the best-selling vehicle in the US, so
clearly Ford is doing something right.
Where engine choices are concerned the
F-150 provides a Silverado-like buffet.
And here we go again. There's a 3.3-liter
V6, a 5.0-liter V8 EcoBoost V6 is in both
2.7- and 3.5-liter variants. There's a
high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost featured
in the F-150 Limited trim and Raptor and
finally a turbocharged 3.0-liter
diesel V6 that delivers up to 30 Highway
mpg
according to the EPA. Ah all these
engines are gonna wear out my voice. Then
there are the three body styles, regular
super cab, and super crew along with
three bed lengths plus trims ranging
from elementary work trucks up to this
fancy King Ranch, to my beloved Raptor,
which looks like this when it's jumping.
That's fun. During our little test the
F-150 hauled and towed with great
competence. That accessibility is eased
by the optional bed step, though GM's
multi pro six function tailgate utterly
obliterates the F-150 where usability is
concerned. Can't wait for that little
wonder to find its way onto the back of
the Silverado. Anyway, for trailering
Ford's Pro Trailer backup assist lets
the driver steer rearward using a simple
dial, radically reducing the likelihood
of a YouTube worthy fail. We also love
that just like the RAM 1500 theF-150's
blind-spot warning system accounts for a
trailer. The F-150 is a value rich,
flexible, capable pickup truck offered at
a range of styles. It also won Kelley
Blue Book's pickup truck Best Buy award
for 2019,
so yeah we like it. Then again, there are
so many variables in the world of pickup
trucks, depending on your preferences and
priorities, either the RAM or Silverado
might be the better buy. If you'd like a
deeper look at any of these sweet rigs
mosey on over to kbb.com.
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