Half-ton pickup comparison at Pickuptrucks.com

[haven]

The folks at Pickuptrucks.com just reported the results of an in-depth
comparison of 2009 full size half ton crew cab 4x4 pickups. Read the
report here:

http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2008-light-duty-shoot-out.html

Results:
first place: Ford F150, 61 out of 99 possible points
second: Chevrolet Silverado, 58 points
third: Toyota Tundra, 56 points
fourth: Dodge Ram, 54 points
fifth: GMC Sierra, 50 points
last: Nissan Titan, 47 points

The Ford scored high in driving impression, fuel mileage, and comfort and convenience features. The Chevy scored high in the power and towing performance.

The methodology of the test is flawed in the way they awarded points. In the power and fuel mileage tests, they rank ordered the trucks, so one truck got 6 points, the next got 5 and so on down to 1 point.

Since these tests were objective measures of time, distance and mpg, the results should have reflected the actual differences between the results, not a rank order.

For example, the Ford got six points for recording 16.8 mpg, while the Chevy got 1 point for 14.77 mpg. Ford should be applauded for achieving 14% better fuel mileage, but that five point difference took Chevy out of first place overall.

 

[haven]

Of interest to ExPo readers, here is the off-road section of the test. The Nissan was the most impressive here, according to the authors, but all trucks performed well.

http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2008/11/offroad-test.html

And here is the page that talks about the traction control test.

http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2008/11/extreme-tractio.html

The setup was to start up on a 20% grade in rear wheel drive, with one wheel on a slippery wet surface, and the opposite wheel on a dry surface with good traction. The electronic traction control in the Ford and Toyota handled this test the best. A couple of the trucks had to resort to 4x4 to make it up the hill.

 

[Curmudgeon]

The falacy of the whole thing is that with a different set of testers, there would likely be a completely different outcome. I could be very satisfied with any one of those trucks.

Of course, none of them has the sheer charisma and cool factor of my old Scout, even though it would probably score about a 30 and come in last place.

 

[Sportsman Matt]

I like how these test come out and they always favor one over another.

Of course I had my truck graded at a car show 2 months ago, except for the mileage (35,000) and one little puck mark the size of a dime in front of the driver side rear wheel well, and missing the factory spec sheet in the window, it placed 92 points out of 100. 8 points for 3 things, 1 for the spec sheet, 2 for the puck mark, 2 for the mileage, and 2 because it is a daily driver.

Now what does all that mean to me, absolutely nothing. If I'm looking at a truck, I look at what it offers and what it does for me, something these test scores don't reflect.

Good post though, and very informative report if you avoid the scores.

 

[haven]

The editors of Truck Trend participated in the same test, and saw the results a little differently. Truck Trend had Chevy Silverado first, then Ford F150, then the GMC Sierra.

http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests...truck_comparison/speclfications_and_data.html