I know that America is clearly divided by brand when it comes to trucks. There are Ford guys; Chevy guys and some Dodge guys. I also know that this loyalty is much deeper than any car loyalty and is even passed down generation to generation. I have actually seen grown men go toe to toe over their truck brand.
So I know I am wading into some very troubled waters by doing a blog on trucks. I recognize that I could end up with death threats on this one but I hope at least it will be an interesting read. So here goes.
When we look at the full size truck field we have the big three American brands - Ford. Chevy (GMC) and Dodge (now just RAM). Then we have the "foreign manufacturers" - Toyota and Nissan( I have left out Honda because their truck is not really full size.) I say foreign manufacturers but in actuality their trucks are made here in the US. Actually more F150 Fords are assembled outside the US than both Toyota and Nissan trucks. So the field is small in comparison to the car side of the fence which has hundreds of brands.
Lets look at each and see what we can learn.
CHEVY (including GMC)
The second highest selling full size truck in the US was the Chevy brand (based on 2012 sales). Sadly this also applies to many years going back nearly a decade. Ford sold 645,316 F series trucks and Chevy sold 418,312 Silverado series. Heck if you even add the GMC truck sales of 157,185 Ford still came out ahead by nearly 70,000 units. In February Ford again leads the field with 54,487 versus Chevy at 41,643. In comparison Dodge (RAM) only sold 293,363 in 2012 and 23,287 in February. However, Ram is the biggest gainer with increased sales percentages above both Ford and Chevy.
So Chevy is the number two truck producer. They have four Silverado models excluding the utility version for construction. They offer many engines even a Hybrid and a V6 as Ram and Ford do. Their V8 engines are very solid, tried and tested. I know many Silverado owners with over 200,000 miles on their trucks. The Chevy power train(engine and transmission) are very dependable. Their HP and torque are comparable to all the trucks in the field with their V8 engines. They are down on power in their V6. All engines come with a choice of 2 or 4 wheel drive. They offer a strong diesel engine line up and have a good history of reliability.
Their trucks come in a wide variety of trims and configurations. Regular cab, extended cab and crew cab each with choice of short or long bed. The trim levels in order of cost are WT,LS, LT,XFE and LTZ. I doubt anyone knows what they mean but I am thrilled they use my initials so much! The fit and finish has always been a short coming of the Chevy trucks (less so GMC). They are very plastic and don't seem to have the materials or construction of a Ford or Toyota. They are however, very functional.
Where I live in California farming is the primary industry and farmers do love their trucks. I would have to say that Chevy seems to have at least as strong a following as Ford. Also I see many older Chevy's still on the job everyday. They are a tough truck.
Styling is obviously a personal choice and many people like the look of the Silverados. Chevy has just unveiled the new 2014 Silverado. It claims a heavy redesign but like Ford they have made small exterior styling changes- why mess with the second best selling vehicle in the USA. No details on new engine or power train choices yet but it goes non sale in the summer.
RAM
This slice of Dodge is now their best seller. It has been renamed Ram supposedly to reflect their focus on the trucks. I like the name and always have - its manly and tough. Unlike the the other two US players Ram really went to work on their offering. The new Ram won Truck of the Year this year and has seen the biggest jump in sales of all three manufacturers. It is clear that as with Jeep the Italian ownership is paying off big time.
Fiat is not just donating buckets of money but rather truly leveraging the entire technological and design team worldwide. It shows in all the cars and trucks and is why Chrysler is actually making money. I see it most in the interiors of these vehicles. The fit and finish in the Jeeps and trucks is excellent and high quality.
Ram like Ford and Chevy offers a strong line of trucks with several engines, trims and configurations. They boast the best in class fuel economy at about 25 mpg. If the number is true they do beat Ford and Chevy. They have short and long beds, regular, quad and crew configurations and four engines to choose from. They too offer 2 and 4 wheel drive. While Ram is synonymous with the Dodge Hemi engine it is their new V6 and small V8 that are the best performer when fuel economy is considered along with HP, torque and towing capacity. Their V6 like Ford's beats Chevy's all day long. Ram also offers a very strong diesel engine with along and storied history.
Where I think they have appealed to US buyers is in the interior of the trucks. The radical improvements they made is so evident. From the leather to the knobs. It is all Euro tight and feels like quality. From a visual perspective they are big and bold with prominent grills in chrome. The rumble of the Hemi and the stance of the upper end models is very attractive. I am not sure how they do as an everyday work truck because I don't see them on the farms and ranches as much as I do Chevy's and Ford's. But the folks who have new ones seem to really like them. I applaud them for their work and congratulate them on Truck of the Year and growing sales.
Toyota
The Tundra is Toyota's only full size truck. It is manufactured here in the US and even has its engines built here. It is a true competitor and while not selling nearly as many units as the US players they are no slug either. They sold 101,621 trucks last year and are up in sales this year through February.
Toyota took a huge risk in 1999 entering this highly competitive market with such loyal buyers. At first they failed. Their T100 was not a big success and while the Tundra was well accepted its sales never took off till some years later. They did a redesign in 2006 with a bolder and bigger truck. It seems to have captured a following and sales have grown. Most of the attraction seems to be around the reliability of Toyota although Toyota has marketed primarily on its toughness and prowess.
I personally liked the older style better than the new but again it is all a matter of personal taste. They offer an array of body, engine and configurations like their competitors. Actually they offer 3 bed lengths, 3 cab styles, 3 engines and 4 wheel bases. They offer a V6 and 2 V8's. Their towing, HP, and torque is competitive with the US brands. Actually, their V6 also beats the Chevy V6 handily. They don't offer diesel engine yet.
Their reliability has not disappointed and they have proven to be tough as well. I have a 2000 in my family right now and other than a few squeaks it is strong as ever. We also had two other Tundra's pre the style change and never had a lick of trouble with either (other than the boys running into things). So I can personally attest to their strength and functionality.
Sadly their starting price point is above both Ford and Chevy and this I think hurts them in the total units they sell. Many folks wanting a "work truck" are not willing to pay extra for perceived value. As with the new Ram I think many of the buyers are not "worker" but rather white collar folks who want a luxury truck. Toyota has built a great truck and I would recommend it to anyone depending on their finances and needs.
Nissan
The Titan is Nissan's entry into the full size truck market. It was introduced in 2004 has not changed a great deal since. It sold a mere 21,576 units in 2012 which is down from the prior year. It is manufactured here in US and uses a common chassis with the Armada and the Infiniti Q56. Clearly Nissan is not using this truck to beat any of the US players but rather just wants a small slice of the huge US truck market.
The Titan has several configurations but not nearly as many as the top competitors in this space. All Titans come with a V8 and there is only one. They come in Crew or King cab - no regular cab. They do offer 2 and 4 wheel drive but only have 2 bed length options and only on one cab not both.They offer a 5 speed transmission versus the newer models with 6 speeds or even the Ram with an 8 speed. They don't offer a diesel.
In short the Titan is a basic truck with Nissan quality and a few customizations. It is rarely seen as a work truck but rather an option to main market leaders.There is debate as to whether the truck will continue to be produced. In 2011 there was a deal a foot with Ram where the new Titan would share many parts including engines and chassis. The deal fell through. At about 20,000 units a year production may cease to be fiscally possible in the future.
By the way these trucks look great in black, with black after market rims and big tires. They are an off road favorite at some of the sand dunes around California especially with the younger crowd.
FORD
The name Ford I think conjures up a truck. While Ford makes lots of good cars the F Series trucks have been the backbone of the company for more than three decades. The first was introduced in 1948 and they have been a staple of American history ever since. Ford F series trucks again were the best selling vehicle in the US in 2012 beating everything else - again! They sold over 645,000 of these beauties and over 54,487 of them in February. What is Ford's secret to all this truck success? I think it is a number of critical things - quality, price, choices and innovation.
Ford F series is a large selection of trucks - many styles, sizes, engines, cabs, bed lengths and trim packages. Actually there are so many I could not cover them in this blog. Suffice it to say that every configuration of truck that is on the market to day Ford has one to compete (at least in the full size pickup arena). Ford has had strong V8 engines all along (including 2 new ones in 2011) but the big news last year was the Eco Boost V6. Yes, Ford took a risk and placed a turbo charged V6 in their best selling truck. With a loyal following that was weened on big Ford V8's or Power Stroke diesels this new power plant was a gamble. But Ford knows its buyers and they developed the engine to meet their needs.
The Eco Boost is remarkable. it competes with all the small V8 and V6 offerings in the market and beats many in HP, torque and towing capacity. It beats all V8's in fuel economy and except for Ram's all new V6's. (the Ram V6 claims 25 mpg and Ford is at 23mpg - however, the Eco Boost has much more torque and HP than the Ram V6). It is an amazing power plant. Driving an F 150 with it feels just like a V8 model. Actually it is faster. Yes, it costs a few bucks more but pays for itself at the pump very quickly.
As with all things Ford Quality is job one. The fit and finish of the F series trucks has continued to improve year over year. They are far better than any Chevy and only now can Ram claim to compete. Their styling cues are again a personal choice but I like the new ones as they are bold but not flashy. The configurations can meet the needs of any truck buyer. The top of the line Platinum series F 150 with an Eco Boost engine is my favorite. Luxury, power, fuel economy and great looking. Get it with 4 wheel drive and you have one special truck.(although not cheap). Of course if you want the ultimate truck you can get the 6.2 liter V* monster called the Raptor. This beauty is fast and can do things off road that remind me of a race truck. Plus they have an all matte black option that is just Bad to the Bone.
So have I angered anyone yet? Look I love trucks and we are blessed with so many great choices not to mention after market accessories. With gas prices at over $4 in the west I sure am glad that some powerful V6 engines are available. I still think my choice for a new truck would be a Ford but I am biased because they were the only US car maker not to take bail out money from the government (really us) and I admire that. Also it appears I am not alone as Ford is still number ONE in truck sales and they produce great trucks. So whether you choose a Ford, Chevy, Ram, Toyota or Nissan the US truck market is loaded and lots of fun.
Till next time - keep the rubber on the road.
So I know I am wading into some very troubled waters by doing a blog on trucks. I recognize that I could end up with death threats on this one but I hope at least it will be an interesting read. So here goes.
When we look at the full size truck field we have the big three American brands - Ford. Chevy (GMC) and Dodge (now just RAM). Then we have the "foreign manufacturers" - Toyota and Nissan( I have left out Honda because their truck is not really full size.) I say foreign manufacturers but in actuality their trucks are made here in the US. Actually more F150 Fords are assembled outside the US than both Toyota and Nissan trucks. So the field is small in comparison to the car side of the fence which has hundreds of brands.
Lets look at each and see what we can learn.
CHEVY (including GMC)
The second highest selling full size truck in the US was the Chevy brand (based on 2012 sales). Sadly this also applies to many years going back nearly a decade. Ford sold 645,316 F series trucks and Chevy sold 418,312 Silverado series. Heck if you even add the GMC truck sales of 157,185 Ford still came out ahead by nearly 70,000 units. In February Ford again leads the field with 54,487 versus Chevy at 41,643. In comparison Dodge (RAM) only sold 293,363 in 2012 and 23,287 in February. However, Ram is the biggest gainer with increased sales percentages above both Ford and Chevy.
So Chevy is the number two truck producer. They have four Silverado models excluding the utility version for construction. They offer many engines even a Hybrid and a V6 as Ram and Ford do. Their V8 engines are very solid, tried and tested. I know many Silverado owners with over 200,000 miles on their trucks. The Chevy power train(engine and transmission) are very dependable. Their HP and torque are comparable to all the trucks in the field with their V8 engines. They are down on power in their V6. All engines come with a choice of 2 or 4 wheel drive. They offer a strong diesel engine line up and have a good history of reliability.
Their trucks come in a wide variety of trims and configurations. Regular cab, extended cab and crew cab each with choice of short or long bed. The trim levels in order of cost are WT,LS, LT,XFE and LTZ. I doubt anyone knows what they mean but I am thrilled they use my initials so much! The fit and finish has always been a short coming of the Chevy trucks (less so GMC). They are very plastic and don't seem to have the materials or construction of a Ford or Toyota. They are however, very functional.
Where I live in California farming is the primary industry and farmers do love their trucks. I would have to say that Chevy seems to have at least as strong a following as Ford. Also I see many older Chevy's still on the job everyday. They are a tough truck.
Styling is obviously a personal choice and many people like the look of the Silverados. Chevy has just unveiled the new 2014 Silverado. It claims a heavy redesign but like Ford they have made small exterior styling changes- why mess with the second best selling vehicle in the USA. No details on new engine or power train choices yet but it goes non sale in the summer.
RAM
This slice of Dodge is now their best seller. It has been renamed Ram supposedly to reflect their focus on the trucks. I like the name and always have - its manly and tough. Unlike the the other two US players Ram really went to work on their offering. The new Ram won Truck of the Year this year and has seen the biggest jump in sales of all three manufacturers. It is clear that as with Jeep the Italian ownership is paying off big time.
Fiat is not just donating buckets of money but rather truly leveraging the entire technological and design team worldwide. It shows in all the cars and trucks and is why Chrysler is actually making money. I see it most in the interiors of these vehicles. The fit and finish in the Jeeps and trucks is excellent and high quality.
Ram like Ford and Chevy offers a strong line of trucks with several engines, trims and configurations. They boast the best in class fuel economy at about 25 mpg. If the number is true they do beat Ford and Chevy. They have short and long beds, regular, quad and crew configurations and four engines to choose from. They too offer 2 and 4 wheel drive. While Ram is synonymous with the Dodge Hemi engine it is their new V6 and small V8 that are the best performer when fuel economy is considered along with HP, torque and towing capacity. Their V6 like Ford's beats Chevy's all day long. Ram also offers a very strong diesel engine with along and storied history.
Where I think they have appealed to US buyers is in the interior of the trucks. The radical improvements they made is so evident. From the leather to the knobs. It is all Euro tight and feels like quality. From a visual perspective they are big and bold with prominent grills in chrome. The rumble of the Hemi and the stance of the upper end models is very attractive. I am not sure how they do as an everyday work truck because I don't see them on the farms and ranches as much as I do Chevy's and Ford's. But the folks who have new ones seem to really like them. I applaud them for their work and congratulate them on Truck of the Year and growing sales.
Toyota
The Tundra is Toyota's only full size truck. It is manufactured here in the US and even has its engines built here. It is a true competitor and while not selling nearly as many units as the US players they are no slug either. They sold 101,621 trucks last year and are up in sales this year through February.
Toyota took a huge risk in 1999 entering this highly competitive market with such loyal buyers. At first they failed. Their T100 was not a big success and while the Tundra was well accepted its sales never took off till some years later. They did a redesign in 2006 with a bolder and bigger truck. It seems to have captured a following and sales have grown. Most of the attraction seems to be around the reliability of Toyota although Toyota has marketed primarily on its toughness and prowess.
I personally liked the older style better than the new but again it is all a matter of personal taste. They offer an array of body, engine and configurations like their competitors. Actually they offer 3 bed lengths, 3 cab styles, 3 engines and 4 wheel bases. They offer a V6 and 2 V8's. Their towing, HP, and torque is competitive with the US brands. Actually, their V6 also beats the Chevy V6 handily. They don't offer diesel engine yet.
Their reliability has not disappointed and they have proven to be tough as well. I have a 2000 in my family right now and other than a few squeaks it is strong as ever. We also had two other Tundra's pre the style change and never had a lick of trouble with either (other than the boys running into things). So I can personally attest to their strength and functionality.
Sadly their starting price point is above both Ford and Chevy and this I think hurts them in the total units they sell. Many folks wanting a "work truck" are not willing to pay extra for perceived value. As with the new Ram I think many of the buyers are not "worker" but rather white collar folks who want a luxury truck. Toyota has built a great truck and I would recommend it to anyone depending on their finances and needs.
Nissan
The Titan is Nissan's entry into the full size truck market. It was introduced in 2004 has not changed a great deal since. It sold a mere 21,576 units in 2012 which is down from the prior year. It is manufactured here in US and uses a common chassis with the Armada and the Infiniti Q56. Clearly Nissan is not using this truck to beat any of the US players but rather just wants a small slice of the huge US truck market.
The Titan has several configurations but not nearly as many as the top competitors in this space. All Titans come with a V8 and there is only one. They come in Crew or King cab - no regular cab. They do offer 2 and 4 wheel drive but only have 2 bed length options and only on one cab not both.They offer a 5 speed transmission versus the newer models with 6 speeds or even the Ram with an 8 speed. They don't offer a diesel.
In short the Titan is a basic truck with Nissan quality and a few customizations. It is rarely seen as a work truck but rather an option to main market leaders.There is debate as to whether the truck will continue to be produced. In 2011 there was a deal a foot with Ram where the new Titan would share many parts including engines and chassis. The deal fell through. At about 20,000 units a year production may cease to be fiscally possible in the future.
By the way these trucks look great in black, with black after market rims and big tires. They are an off road favorite at some of the sand dunes around California especially with the younger crowd.
FORD
The name Ford I think conjures up a truck. While Ford makes lots of good cars the F Series trucks have been the backbone of the company for more than three decades. The first was introduced in 1948 and they have been a staple of American history ever since. Ford F series trucks again were the best selling vehicle in the US in 2012 beating everything else - again! They sold over 645,000 of these beauties and over 54,487 of them in February. What is Ford's secret to all this truck success? I think it is a number of critical things - quality, price, choices and innovation.
Ford F series is a large selection of trucks - many styles, sizes, engines, cabs, bed lengths and trim packages. Actually there are so many I could not cover them in this blog. Suffice it to say that every configuration of truck that is on the market to day Ford has one to compete (at least in the full size pickup arena). Ford has had strong V8 engines all along (including 2 new ones in 2011) but the big news last year was the Eco Boost V6. Yes, Ford took a risk and placed a turbo charged V6 in their best selling truck. With a loyal following that was weened on big Ford V8's or Power Stroke diesels this new power plant was a gamble. But Ford knows its buyers and they developed the engine to meet their needs.
The Eco Boost is remarkable. it competes with all the small V8 and V6 offerings in the market and beats many in HP, torque and towing capacity. It beats all V8's in fuel economy and except for Ram's all new V6's. (the Ram V6 claims 25 mpg and Ford is at 23mpg - however, the Eco Boost has much more torque and HP than the Ram V6). It is an amazing power plant. Driving an F 150 with it feels just like a V8 model. Actually it is faster. Yes, it costs a few bucks more but pays for itself at the pump very quickly.
As with all things Ford Quality is job one. The fit and finish of the F series trucks has continued to improve year over year. They are far better than any Chevy and only now can Ram claim to compete. Their styling cues are again a personal choice but I like the new ones as they are bold but not flashy. The configurations can meet the needs of any truck buyer. The top of the line Platinum series F 150 with an Eco Boost engine is my favorite. Luxury, power, fuel economy and great looking. Get it with 4 wheel drive and you have one special truck.(although not cheap). Of course if you want the ultimate truck you can get the 6.2 liter V* monster called the Raptor. This beauty is fast and can do things off road that remind me of a race truck. Plus they have an all matte black option that is just Bad to the Bone.
So have I angered anyone yet? Look I love trucks and we are blessed with so many great choices not to mention after market accessories. With gas prices at over $4 in the west I sure am glad that some powerful V6 engines are available. I still think my choice for a new truck would be a Ford but I am biased because they were the only US car maker not to take bail out money from the government (really us) and I admire that. Also it appears I am not alone as Ford is still number ONE in truck sales and they produce great trucks. So whether you choose a Ford, Chevy, Ram, Toyota or Nissan the US truck market is loaded and lots of fun.
Till next time - keep the rubber on the road.