Our “right now” weekly driver is a Ford Maverick, the newest and smallest pickup truck model in Ford’s fleet. Introduced earlier this year, the 2022 Maverick is a compact model in a segment that has not been served since the 1990s. That is when manufacturers upsized their smallest trucks to … Read more
Car manufacturers are running away from V8 engines at a steady clip or at least it seems that way. This week, we learned that Nissan will replace the 5.6-liter V8 powering its Armada SUV with a twin-turbocharged V6. We cannot say for certain if the Titan pickup truck will be … Read more
One of the most hotly anticipated new pickup truck models is not the in-production GMC Hummer EV nor is it the Rivian R1T. It even is not the Tesla Cybertruck, a model that has been promised and delayed for several years. Instead, the model is the Ford F-150 Lightning, an … Read more
Once again, Ford is dropping a model. This time it is the EcoSport, which is its smallest and most cost-effective utility vehicle. Yesterday, we enumerated the reasons why that is happening, particularly with Ford shutting down its Indian manufacturing base. Ford also builds the EcoSport in Romania for the European … Read more
Ford considers a way to move unfinished models closer to customers. The auto industry is in a world of hurt due to the global semiconductor chip shortage. In the U.S., some manufacturers are suffering more than others, with the shortage reducing the output of certain models by half or more. … Read more
Ford goes crossover with its all-new small Maverick truck. Ford’s worst-kept rumor is now a reality. Or at least the automaker has confirmed what we knew was coming. Today, the automaker introduced the all-new 2022 Ford Maverick compact pickup truck, the smallest model of its kind in America. Notably, the … Read more
An F-150 Hybrid is a production reality. The Ford F-150 remains the top-selling pickup truck in the world, but the Ford Motor Company is not resting on its laurels. Indeed, this year’s model launches yet another new generation. Furthermore, the model line now includes its first-ever hybrid version. By 2022, … Read more
Lightning strikes the F-150 range. Well, the Ford Motor Company has done it. After hinting about a full-electric pickup truck for several years and finally settling on a name this month, the introduction of the F-150 Lightning EV at a global news conference last night brought the hype to its … Read more
The compact pickup truck market disappeared by the mid-1990s when small models from Toyota, Nissan, and others were replaced by midsize varieties. That loss left only mid- and full-size trucks for consumer consideration as the tiniest models were locked out of the market, largely due to the infamous “Chicken Tax.” … Read more
Raptor rapture returns in the form of this latest-generation performance pickup truck. The range-topping Raptor is back, an all-new model based on the current generation Ford F-150. This week, Ford introduced its capstone model, set for an early summer debut as a 2021 model. While some of the engine details … Read more
The NACTOY jurists choose winners for three categories. The North American Car of the Year (NACTOY) awards is one of the most highly anticipated honors bestowed by auto industry experts. A juried panel of journalists evaluates the many new models available before narrowing their choices to three in each category: … Read more
Pictured Above: The Ford Super Duty with the available Tremor Package navigates the Sandhills of central North Carolina. Maximized off-road capabilities are its strong suit. Tremor shakes things for the Ford Super Duty, but in a good way. America loves her pickup trucks with millions of units sold annually. The Ford … Read more
Ram debuts the 1500 TRX, its answer to the Ford F-150 Raptor. Billed as an “apex predator,” Ram claims the new model is the “quickest, fastest, and most powerful mass-produced truck in the world…” The long-awaited Ram 1500 TRX made its debut on Monday, the brand’s answer to the Ford … Read more
We get behind the wheel of a diesel-powered Ram 1500. All-new for 2019, the 2020 and fifth-generation Ram 1500 returns with new or updated trim and options packages. The big news is that the available turbo-diesel engine has more horsepower, torque, and towing capacity that rivals the optional V8 gas … Read more
We test the latest-generation Ranger pickup truck. The Ford Ranger is back, giving the blue oval brand a midsize complement to the full-size and segment-leading F-150. The latest version rolled out in 2019, ending an 8-year hiatus. The current Ranger is the largest we’ve seen thus far and is no … Read more
Pictured above: Summit White and Onyx Black Harley-Davidson GMC Sierra Branded Harley-Davidson pickup trucks have been quite a commodity for motorcycle enthusiasts and longtime patrons. At the beginning of production in 2000, early versions of cross-branding were done with the Ford F-150 to highlight customer appreciation for trucks. The relationship … Read more
The all-new 2019 Ram 3500 comes with single or dual rear wheels. The Ram brand has been on an upward trajectory ever since it was separated from Dodge beginning in 2009. Ram Trucks represent a variety of utility-type vehicles, but its flagship product has always been its line of full-size … Read more
Raptor sport truck antics, part two. Give someone a Raptor and their lives are forever changed. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but then the Ford F-150 Raptor isn’t your typical pickup truck. That point was driven home to me last year when a 2017 Raptor showed up. … Read more
On the road with the Titan of all trucks. Pickup trucks are the meat of the auto industry, supplying the profits manufacturers need to shore up their operations. This fact is much more pertinent to the traditional US truck manufacturers — GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler — than to competitors … Read more
Find the right truck at the right price. If you are in the market for a new pickup truck, you may be considering a brand you are already familiar with. That’s a sensible approach as pickup truck buyers are typically brand loyal. In particular, they are more likely to stick … Read more
An all-new Ford Ranger debuts at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Following an eight-year hiatus, the Ford Ranger pickup truck makes its return. The new model was unveiled over the weekend at the Detroit auto show, coming in larger than before. It will join a segment … Read more
Nissan’s all-new Titan strikes a responsive chord. Of the six major automakers with a presence in the US, Nissan is easily outpacing the other five. General Motors, Ford, Fiat Chrysler, Toyota and Honda looked on in envy last year as Nissan posted double-digit sales gains. Even as the market begins … Read more
Is the US automotive market at its peak? The dust has settled following June’s US auto sales manufacturer reports, giving analysts ample fodder to examine the current auto trends. As you probably already know, light truck and utility vehicle sales are up, while car sales are down. Yet, there are … Read more
Two surveys show very different American-made vehicle winners. The US automakers have traditionally held up the red, white, and blue as reasons for buying their cars. Trouble is, not every Ford, Chevrolet or Chrysler is made in America. And for those vehicles built here in the good ‘ole US of … Read more
Ford Super Duty benefits from Novelis aluminum. “Vehicle lightweighting” is one of those industry buzzwords that doesn’t easily roll off the tongue. Outside of the auto industry, few people are familiar with the term. But if you mention “Ford F-150” then the recognition is instantaneous — nearly everyone knows the … Read more
Plastic has long been used in automotive manufacturing. These days, an assortment of composites are helping to reduce weight, save fuel, and decrease the number of parts used, including in the all-new Ford F-150. Vehicle lightweighting is one of the more commonly aired terms used to describe how car manufacturers … Read more
An all-new 2017 Ford F-450 Super Duty at work. In an absolutely expected move, the Ford Motor Company is dressing the 2017 Ford Super Duty with an aluminum body. Soon, all models bearing the F-Series name will use this lightweight material, with the heavy-duty truck coming in up to … Read more
The Ford F-Series is the indisputable sales leader by model, but GM has the upper hand in overall pickup sales. Looming changes in the segment, including the dissolution of the “chicken tax” may shake up the market further. Chevrolet Silverado sales are outpacing the market in 2015. It has been … Read more
Within the past year I’ve had the opportunity to drive six pickup trucks produced by General Motors: three Chevrolet models and three GMC models. The differences between these trucks was small, except where size comes in, such as with the full-size Silverado versus the midsize Colorado. Z71 It Is This … Read more
The Chevrolet Silverado offers rock solid performance with three new engines to show for it. The Silverado is the type of truck is fit for both work and family with three cabin choices available. Chevrolet and its GMC consort provide the only compilation of heavy-duty, full-size and midsize pickup trucks … Read more