What's the pros and cons of the F150, Silverado, ram and Sierra? Thinking about getting one and trying to decide which one to go with. I'll be pulling a camper so it will have the super extended mirrors
Recommend a pickup truck
- Thread starter CJ Beat Hard
- Start date
Car and Driver: New Car Reviews, Buying Advice and News
Covering the automotive industry since 1955 with in-depth reviews and analysis, features, auto show reporting, and advice for car owners and buyers.
They’re the most reliable trucks around with the least depreciation, but they don’t have transmission coolers and they truly suck on gas mileage.
Ford. Get the 3.5 liter twin turbo. It has serious balls.
It’ll halve your range, and there’s this,
Towing with an Electric Pickup Might Pose Charging Challenges
While the EV powertrain is capable, without pull-through charging stations, electric trucks with trailers are going to be a challenge to charge.
That thing burns more fuel than a Tundra when towing. It’s great for Raptors, but expect 8-9 mpg with a camper.
It’ll halve your range, and there’s this,
Towing with an Electric Pickup Might Pose Charging Challenges
While the EV powertrain is capable, without pull-through charging stations, electric trucks with trailers are going to be a challenge to charge.www.caranddriver.com
Needs more charging stations.
meh, I’m not concerned about mpg’s when it comes to my truck. Its a tool more than anything for me.
Yeah cause stopping every 100 miles for 45 minutes will be great.
Borrowed my BiL's late teens Silverado quad cab 4x4 for a week after the derecho. 5.3L engine. I hauled two overflowing bed loads of fresh cut wet as can be heavy ass wood a total of 380 miles. That bed was stuffed full of wood. I got 23.5 mpg doing so. And while hauling, I swear I could not tell it was loaded down at all.
Engine had more than enough grunt...I was surprised how fast it was off the line for how big it is. Handled fine for a truck too once I got used to how it handled corners and bumpy stuff. Still a truck as far as handling is concerned, but it always felt in control.
One thing it passed with flying colors...coming into and out of Guttenberg on the south end, you have to pass thru the Millville/Turkey River valley, which has two "widowmaker" hill climbs. The engine and transmission gearing never flinched. Had it set at 60, it held 60 the entire way - if the AT shifted, I never noticed it doing so.
Seats were leather/comfortable and very adjustable, cab had room to spare and lots of storage. Stereo was more than good enough once I got used to how the screen menus laid out and fine tuned the audio. I wouldn't call it luxurious and it has its fair share of plastic...but it wasn't "displeasing". I also liked the switchable DIC in the instrument pod...made Sirius XM channel changing a breeze and also could switch over to engine metrics etc. I also thought it kept wind and road/tire noise out very nicely.
I'm hard to please with vehicles. That Silverado was very impressive. Wish I could afford one.
Engine had more than enough grunt...I was surprised how fast it was off the line for how big it is. Handled fine for a truck too once I got used to how it handled corners and bumpy stuff. Still a truck as far as handling is concerned, but it always felt in control.
One thing it passed with flying colors...coming into and out of Guttenberg on the south end, you have to pass thru the Millville/Turkey River valley, which has two "widowmaker" hill climbs. The engine and transmission gearing never flinched. Had it set at 60, it held 60 the entire way - if the AT shifted, I never noticed it doing so.
Seats were leather/comfortable and very adjustable, cab had room to spare and lots of storage. Stereo was more than good enough once I got used to how the screen menus laid out and fine tuned the audio. I wouldn't call it luxurious and it has its fair share of plastic...but it wasn't "displeasing". I also liked the switchable DIC in the instrument pod...made Sirius XM channel changing a breeze and also could switch over to engine metrics etc. I also thought it kept wind and road/tire noise out very nicely.
I'm hard to please with vehicles. That Silverado was very impressive. Wish I could afford one.
I have a 2020 Ram Eco diesel. Gets 27+ MPG on the highway. Mine has the lower 3.92 gears so the 3.21 will do a bit better than that. My last tank averaged 24.5 MPG. My question is if you are towing, why would you want a half ton? Mine has a 12500# tow rating but I would consider towing a camper more that once or twice a year. A half ton will just be a white knuckle ride. They just don't have the stability that a 3/4 ton has for towing.
Tundra. Easily best reliability for that size. Gas mileage isn't great, but you save it and then some in lack of visits to the shop.
Tow package will get you a tranny cooler. Mine has it. Tow up to 10k or thereabouts. 4.3 gear, 5.7 liter. Hauls pretty well.
Last edited:
Tundra's come with 38 gallon tanks. Plus if you're better equipped to tow, the vehicle won't work as hard, thus not burning as much gas.
But if you're all about towing, I'd get a 3/4 ton diesel. Generally better drive trains than their gas 1/2 ton counterparts. (especially with ford)
I have a steel body 2014 F-150 5L V8 and it’s been trouble free. Rides and handles great. We tow a smaller camper and don’t need mirror extensions, but a wider camper might. We got ours 2 years old w 12,000 miles in pristine condition for $28,000. Saved $10,000. You might be able to get 0% new, but there’s plenty of lease turn backs and low interest used truck loans out there.
The aluminum body F-150 w twin turbo V6 has been out long enough (2015) to confirm they’ve got a winning combo there. Over 700 lbs lighter with more torque than mine.
I've seen guys try to gas up the Teslas that was being talked about there. You might fit right in.
I bought a Sierra because my wife's name is Sierra. Then I banged Sierra in the back of my Sierra. Hope this helps.
I have a 2016 3.5 Twin turbo crew cab. Really enjoyable vehicle to drive. Mileage sucks anytime you’re driving over 65. Been on a couple long haul ice fishing trips where it struggled to get 10mpg and I wasn’t pulling anything. Turbos constantly running use a ton of fuel
Oh my! I thought they would do much better than that. My Ram drops to around 24 at 80.
Appears you're right. Mine is older. Eh, believe you can add in an aftermarket solution.
Yeah, I’d do that if I towed more. I have a Tundra and I love it. Just want to be honest about the drawbacks. MPG is the biggest, especially if you leave it in beast mode.
Wow. Yeah it’s a joy to drive but mileage sucks. With normal city driving I’m around 17mpg.
What do you consider beast mode? I get 17-18 on the interstate in Iowa doing around 70.
Any pickup with wide ass side mirrors is money. Wider the better bro.
Getting a new engine option in 2021.
new Tundra will have a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter hybrid V6 borrowed from the Lexus LS 500h. Its output should be in the neighborhood of 450 horsepower (335 kilowatts) and 500 pound-feet (677 Newton-meters) of torque, and gas mileage could be around 30 miles per gallon, or better.
Of course the first year of a redesign and then I wonder about the longevity of turbocharged v6. 30mpg would be stupid, though.
That’s a bit disappointing. I thought they were in low 20s. I get 16-17 mpg w the steel body v8.
Pic of your Sierras?
Got my kid a '15 Silverado for his 18th bday. The thing is a beast. Runs great. Have grown up on the farm with Chevrolet Silverados and cannot remember one time that it left us stranded. We'd haul livestock and grain with it. I'll never look at anything other than a Silverado. Def no foreign jobbie for a truck. Wtf
