New Car Test Drive Review: The 2008 Ford F-150 lineup offers a plethora of models for virtually every occasion or occupation, starting well below $20,000 and climbing beyond double that. The F-150 line offers something on the order of 75 permutations, more than some car companies' entire lineups. All are capable of work or play, even those models with luxurious interiors, and all have four doors. With one of the deepest beds in the half-ton pickup segment, the F-150 has generous cargo volume out back and a maximum payload rating of 3,050 pounds. A properly equipped Regular Cab F-150 is rated to tow up to 11,000 pounds; other models max out in the 9000-pound range. The Ford F-150 is among the heavier trucks in its class, contributing to a solid feel and none of that empty metal box bang-and-clang that characterized pickups of old. There's an impression of substance and tight construction regardless of the road surface or the model; Ford attributes some of this to its laminated Quiet Steel panels in the bodywor   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive Review: The Chevy Silverado was lavished with product awards when it was totally redesigned for 2007. For 2008, Silverado gets some detail improvements and minor pricing adjustments. The Silverado is, of course, available in a range of cab styles and bed lengths with a wide variety of engines, drivetrains and suspensions designed to meet every need. Upgrades for 2008 include revisions to instruments, seats, radio, a new integrated brake controller option, and more reds in the color palette. The 2008 Chevy Silverado is available in several trim levels: WT, LT1, LT2, and LTZ. Engines include a 195-hp 4.3-liter V6 engine; a 295-hp 4.8-liter V8; a 315-hp 5.3-liter V8 in gasoline or flexfuel (gasoline and E85 ethanol, about $600 extra and deduct 4-5 mpg) versions; and a 367-hp 6.0-liter V8. Naturally, not all engines are available in all models (for example, and LS crew cab is 4.8-liter only) but they all come with a four-speed automatic. Safety features on all Silverado models dual front airbag   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive Review: Never before have trucks been more capable for hauling and towing nor more competent at coddling passengers. Moreover, today's trucks make bold styling statements. But it was the Ram that started the high-style-truck trend back in 1994 when Dodge took a risk with a bold, retro big-rig design. That truck transformed Ram from a bit player with staid styling to a big-stage event. The Dodge Ram has run with the big boys ever since, sometimes leading, sometimes trailing, but always solidly on the bill. Whether the '08 Ram is merely as good as the trucks listed above, or somewhat better, is more a matter of personal preference than anything else. The Dodge Ram 1500 light-duty pickups are smooth and refined. Their cabs are comfortable and convenient, among the roomiest in their respective classes. The Quad Cab is handy for hauling friends and family but even the Regular Cab is roomy. Arguably, the Ram is the best-looking truck on the market. Its styling is bold and handsome, even more so i   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive Review: The Sierra is built on a stiff platform for a smooth ride and sharp handling. The GMC Sierra shares platforms with the Chevy Silverado but its exterior styling is quite different. Sierra interiors offer a choice of two dashboard styles. The 2008 GMC Sierra is offered in a Denali version, which makes for a comfortable, luxurious, pickup with the emphasis on performance rather than payload and towing capacity. The Sierra Denali offers the same sort of higher-line content as GMC's upscale Yukon Denali sport utility. Safety features include dual front airbags and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Optional head curtain airbags automatically inflate when sensors sense a severe impact to provide extra protection in the event of a rollover or secondary collision. Also available: driver and front-seat passenger side-impact air bags; anti-lock brakes, StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology, Autotrac active transfer case, ultrasonic rear park assist, OnS   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive Review: With its full-size Toyota Tundra, Toyota has finally unleashed a no-holds-barred, light-duty truck that shows no deference to those from Chevy, Dodge or Ford. The Tundra doesn't just run with the big dogs. It is, plain and simple, one of the biggest. It might be no surprise, then, that this Tundra has more than doubled Toyota's share of the big pickup market, compared to the previous-generation, slightly-less-than-full-size model. But double is not enough. Toyota has invested huge in its big pickup, and not just in the vehicle itself, but by re-configuring its assembly line in Indiana and adding a second pickup plant in Texas. So for 2008, Toyota has added more models to the Tundra line and priced the truck more aggressively. When the Tundra was launched for 2007, the only really basic, no-frills model was the conventional Tundra Regular Cab, with its single-row seating for two or three. In 2008, buyers can choose the most popular Tundra versions, the Double Cab and CrewMax, with a   << collapse text

Toyota Tacomas are well-regarded in the mid-size pickup segment, as evidenced by their traditionally strong resale values. For 2008, all three of the typical pickup body styles are offered: regular cab, Access Cab (extended cab), and Double Cab (crew cab). The 2.7L four-cylinder versions are available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The regular cabs are only available with the four-cylinder. The 4.0L V6 is available with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. All body types are available with a six-foot composite bed, and the Double Cabs also offer a shorter five-foot bed. Model offerings range from the workaday four-cylinder two-wheel-drive regular cab, starting at less than $15,000, all the way up to the V6 four-wheel-drive Double Cab that can be optioned north of $32,000. Within that range, there's something for nearly everyone with an interest in this size pickup. With the 2005 redesign, the Tacoma got substantially larger, moving firmly   << collapse text

The 2008 Chevy Colorado is available as a regular cab, an extended cab, and a crew cab, and can be configured with either two- and four-wheel drive. Two engines-a 2.9L inline four-cylinder that produces 185 horsepower and a 3.7L inline five-cylinder engine that creates 242 horsepower-join three different suspensions, and two pickup bed lengths, permitting consumers to create the pickup that best suits their needs. A number of different trims help buyers further choose the price and level of equipment they desire. Rack-and-pinion steering, intermittent wipers, air conditioning, a tilt steering column, cruise control, and folding exterior mirrors are all standard on the Colorado. In addition, Insta-Trac is included on the 4WD models. The Z71 Off-Road Package provides distinguishing visual indicators to supplement its suspension differentiation. The Colorado can be ordered as a basic work truck, the mid-level LS, or the top-of-the-line LT. The LS adds cloth seats, while the LT adds desirable equipment such as   << collapse text

Like its much larger stablemate, the F-150, the 2008 Ford Ranger pickup spans a broad price and equipment range and can be equipped to suit a wide range of uses. There are three different cab configurations (regular cab, and two- or four-door SuperCab), two different bed lengths (six- or seven-foot), three engines with rear- or four-wheel drive, and a bewildering array of four different trims, many of which are available in multiple combinations. Three different engines are offered on the Ranger. A 143-horsepower, 2.3L four-cylinder engine is standard on XL and XLT two-door SuperCab 4x2 and regular cab 4x2 models. The four-cylinder provides the highest fuel economy of any pickup truck on the market, at an EPA-rated 21 mpg city, 26 mpg highway. On other models, a V6 engine is standard-either a 148-horsepower 3.0L or a 207-horsepower 4.0L. All three engines have a five-speed manual transmission standard and five-speed automatic optional, and both V6 engines are optional for a modest amount on lower-trim models   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive Review: The Nissan Titan gets two noteworthy additions and a host of detail improvements for 2008, delivering more of the truck capability while taking off just enough of the tough-guy truck image to appeal to a broader range of drivers and occupants. New long-bed models have been added, and are longer than most competitors, along with more bed space, payload, and fuel capacity. Inside, the 2008 Nissan Titan sports a thoroughly redesigned interior that is at once more attractive and user-friendly. There's plenty of room for a growing family of five or four big sportsmen off for weekend recreation. Titans range from utilitarian models with crank windows to leather-lined cabs befitting a luxurious sport-utility. Titan's proven and powerful V8 and automatic is the only choice, and it's a stout engine raced at more than twice its street-legal 317 horsepower. Nothing like this gets good gas mileage and if you have no plans to haul stuff around or tow anything, the Titan will be overkill and you   << collapse text

The mid-size 2008 Nissan Frontier pickup comes in two cab styles, King Cab and Crew Cab. The King Cab has smaller, rear-hinged rear doors, and the Crew Cab has full-size, front-hinged rear doors and a larger rear-seat area. The King Cab is available in a single bed length, but the Crew Cab is now available in standard bed and long bed versions; the new long bed is 13 inches longer. The Frontier shares its basic layout, including the suspension and other components, with the larger Titan pickup. The suspension combines a double-wishbone front setup with a solid-axle and leaf springs at the rear. The base XE and SE Frontier King Cab 2WD trucks have a 152-horsepower, 2.5L four-cylinder engine. All other Frontiers are powered by a 4.0L V6 engine, making 261 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. The predominantly aluminum, double-overhead-cam engine has continuously variable valve timing, variable induction, and a number of attributes for smooth operation and efficiency. Four-cylinder models have a five-speed manu   << collapse text