A Review Of Pickup Trucks
Come on. Everyone knows only REAL men drive trucks. Not talking about those wussy mid-size pickups or SUV’s either. Talking about the full-size pickup trucks like the F350 Superduty or the Chevy Silverado.
Full-size pickup trucks were once the stalwarts of the work force. Trucks were only used for hauling dirt, construction materials, and other same-type things. Now with most working families unable to afford owning two vehicles have made the pickup truck the vehicle of choice for some soccer moms.
It used to be pickup trucks came with one uncomfortable bench seat, no air conditioning, and a cassette deck if you were one of the lucky ones. This year’s trucks offer a plethora of different options to choose from. Most buyers spend more time debating which options to get than they do worrying about engine size or if it has four-wheel drive.
It can be a confusing and daunting task finding which trucks might work best for you, so we’re going to help out a little. Here is a look at some of the full-size pickup truck models for 2007 with a breakdown of each by the respected experts at Car and Driver Magazine:
2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO CREW CAB - GM redesigned this truck inside and out for ’07, offering a vastly stiffer structure, a new coil-over front suspension, beefier brakes, a new rack-and-pinion steering system, standard stability control, more muscle, and bigger payloads. Pros: Impressive underpinnings, expanded roominess, upgraded interiors, enhanced work ethic, plenty of power, many choices. Cons: Four-speed automatic transmission, still thirsty in models with bigger V-8s.
2007 DODGE RAM SRT10 REGULAR CAB - Maybe we don’t need a 500-hp, V-10–powered pickup truck that can run to 60 mph in under five seconds, but its nice to know there’s one out there if we need it. Pros: A more brazen, decadent, and totally bad-ass ride can’t be imagined. It also handles well for such a big truck. Cons: This is not the vehicle you want to drive to the Earth Day festivities or to pick up Al Gore in the carpool.
2007 FORD F-150 SUPERCREW - The F-150 is quiet, comfortable, and car-like. It can be outfitted like a luxury car, with a DVD player, heated seats, and a power sliding rear window. Pros: Up to 10,500-pound towing capacity, classy interior, refined road manners, handsome exterior design. Cons: Extremely overweight and therefore slow, no stability control, horrible gas mileage.
2007 NISSAN TITAN CREW CAB - The Titan is the he-man of the full-size pickups. With a potent all-aluminum 5.6-liter V-8 producing 305 horsepower and 379 pound-feet of torque and fronting a standard five-speed automatic transmission, this bad boy can tow up to 9500 pounds and romp to 60 in 7.2 seconds. Pros: In terms of power, payload, performance, and price, this is a very attractive package. Cons: It lacks the posh interior of a Ford truck and the quiet refinement of a Toyota Tundra.
2007 TOYOTA TUNDRA REGULAR CAB - This truck finally makes a direct challenge to the full-size pickups from Ford, GM, and Dodge. For the first time, Toyota’s biggest pickup matches the domestics in size, power, and capabilities. Pros: Big-truck style and swagger, serious power from optional V-8, serious work ethic, Toyota detail refinement. Cons: Its in-your-face styling may be too much macho for some. They’re called sissies.
