Pickup truck reviews

• Chevrolet Colorado (2004) - sports car meets work truck
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (2010) — smooth, strong pickup truck
• Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid — true hybrid, big-truck exterior, big-car interior
• Dodge Dakota (2008) - little 302 hp V8 boosts the former midsize
• Dodge Ram 1500 Express (2011) — inexpensive Hemi action
• Nissan Frontier (2002)
• Ram 1500 (2009) - speed, cornering, luxury, and utility
• Ram 2500 diesel pickup — house-towing torque in luxury form
• Toyota Tacoma (2005) - fast muscle truck
• Toyota Tundra (2008) - king of the hill for one year

Older or discontinued pickups

• Chevy S-10 (2001)
• Chevrolet Avalanche (2002-04) - work truck or an upscale SUV?
• Chevrolet Silverado (2004) - good handling and amenities from a capable pickup
• Chevrolet SSR (2005) - Corvette-powered pickup convertible, boatloads of fun
• Dodge Dakota (2006) - full-sized capacity with a more liveable outer size and great V8 rumble
• Dodge Dakota (2001)
• Dodge Power Wagon (2005) - Perhaps the most capable off-road pickup ever made
• Dodge Ram 1500 (2004) - Hemi power and big capacity (see also Ram 1500 (2002)
• Dodge Ram Mega Cab (2006) - biggest pickup cab by a full foot!
• Dodge Ram SRT10 (2006) - America’s fastest pickup keeps its utility and comfort
• GMC Sierra Heavy Duty (2003)

Buying a pickup

Consider your needs carefully before buying. Some “small” pickups have high capacities and beds, yet are easier to park, load, and drive, and use less gas. Sometimes the full sized trucks are actually cheaper and there’s not much gas-mileage difference. There are many surprises; for example, one company’s big V8 gets better mileage than its V6 or little V8.

Trucks have a tremendous number of options which can bewilder buyers — and ill-informed salesmen. You can transform a comfortable vehicle that fits your needs into a bone-jarring fuel-hog; likewise, you can accidentally downrate a capable truck too far. Test drive vehicles that are set up the way you will order them, because the capacity and gearing greatly affect their feel. Some brief notes:

• Diesels are good for gas mileage and longevity; their low-end torque is helpful for towing and hill climbing. When you really rack up the miles, the diesel pays for itself; some also have very long maintenance intervals.
• A low axle ratio (e.g. 3:1) increases gas mileage, but cuts towing capacity. One expert said that the same truck (diesel, automatic) would get over 20 mpg at 65 mph with a 3.08 ratio, but only 15 mpg with a 4.10 ratio; lowering the speed to 55 mph could raise mileage by 15%.  
• If you can avoid getting a “heavy duty” pickup (e.g. 2500 or 3500), it’s usually worthwhile to stick with the “light duty” version, which usually has a far more comfortable ride and (unless you get a diesel) better mileage.
• Four wheel drive adds weight that takes a toll on fuel, braking, and acceleration, and adds more parts that can wear out.
• Pickups generally have available manual transmissions, which usually increase gas mileage.
• Larger cabs can be more comfortable, but by making the truck longer, it becomes harder to park and turn, and the added weight hurts handling, economy, capacity, and acceleration.

Though some trucks outsell others, many truck buyers tend to buy out of loyalty to one brand or another more than out of reasoned comparison shopping; and many are sold to fleets and commercial buyers who may be going for the lowest bid (or who want to limit the number of parts they need to stock). Your needs are your needs; buy the truck that fits you.