2006 Ford F-150 Super Crew King Ranch 4x2If you ever wondered how competitive the truck market has become, take a look at the 2006 Ford F-150. We pointed out in our intro that normally we wouldn't have evaluated this truck because it hasn't been redesigned yet. But, we needed to beef up our story and thought it would be a great idea to include America's best-selling truck in the mix. Unfortunately, the somewhat refreshed '07 model was not available when we needed it, so we fell back on the '06. What a learning experience.
We touted the well-deserved merits of the newly redesigned F-150 just a few years ago, but, boy, how the market has changed. The F-150 may have set the standard, but almost every other truck we evaluated for this story had strong points that cast a harsh light on the now-tired F-150. We hope that the '07 F-150's changes-boost to a 10,500 lb max tow rating; cuts in price; and the addition of the FX2 and Harley-Davidson Super Crew models-will be enough to keep its numbers up until the redesign that might happen by 2008.
Our F-150 had a great interior and a nice ride, but was underpowered. It ranked just a step higher than the heavy and underpowered Avalanche on the quarter-mile. It's 5.4L got 14.08 mpg, which is slightly better than the Ram's 5.7L and a little worse then the Sierra's 6.0L. The King Ranch package is plush and distinctive in its styling, but we thought it worked better in the Super Duty we evaluated earlier in the year than in this model. Also, 2WD just doesn't jibe for the King Ranch's rugged-west motif, but we presume that Ford wouldn't offer it if nobody was buying it. Its brake performance stood in the middle of the pack; its cab was quietest; its interior was roomy but not the most; and its powertrain didn't stand out either. As it stands, our '06 F-150 King Ranch is more like an average truck, probably because everyone else has been gunning for it. Unfortunately, average is not quite good enough for today's tough fullsize market.
2007 Gmc Sierra Crew Cab Slt 4x4The redesigned GMC Sierra also was one of the strongest contenders for Truck of the Year. As the step-up brand in the GM truck line up, GMC tends to get crowded by Chevrolet both in the market and among our readership. But that doesn't mean that it isn't a worthy truck. It shares the same guts as the Silverado and is certainly built for work, but it's the truck that the owner of a construction company drives, while the Silverado is driven bine displacements that range from 4.3L to 6.0L (most run on gasoline and E85 and offer cylinder deactivation). The Silverado's offerings also include: a choice of two four-speed trannies, 2WD and 4WD; tow capacity of up to 10,500 pounds; two distinct "pure pickup" and luxury interiors; touchscreen navigation; satellite radio; rear seat DVD; power sliding rear window; standard traction/stability control; close tolerances between interior and body components; quieter cabs; ultrasonic rear parking assist; EZ lift tailgate; and more.
Our extended cab 1500 LTZ starts with nice standard features, but it wasn't packaged with many options. Its 5.3L V-8 put out it in the middle of the pack on the quarter-mile, but achieved a whopping 15.07 mpg-the best of the trucks. It drove well on the road, more than adequately off-road, and handled amazingly well for a fullsize truck.
The redesigned exterior combines Chevy's signature split grille with an assertive edge that looks cleaner and more refined then the Sierra (the Denali, though, takes that to the next level in both style and money), and certainly more so than the other trucks on the market. Its interior borrows the best from the luxury SUV models.
At the moment, the Silverado offers the widest range of capabilities on the freshest platform that exhibits the best-looking design for reasonable prices. Granted, the GMC is pretty close, but in our opinion you get enough from the Silverado and still walk away with some cash in your pocket. Plus, the Silverado is likely to have the greater impact on trends in the pickup market then the Avalanche or the GMC will, among both the OEs and the aftermarket. The Chevrolet Silverado is the Truckin' 2007 Truck of the Year.