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The Motor Trend Truck of the Year award is a battle for working-class boast rights. No vehicle embraces Americana more than the full-size pickup truck, and Motown knows it.
For 2019, three of the four major truck brands has greatly regenerated their musicians in the full-size segment. From mild-hybrid powertrains to multifunction tailgates and connectivity-laden luxury trim packets, the 2019 Truck of the Year showdown was full of new technologies that are reimagining the truck game.
Ram transmitted five a few examples of its 1500, Chevy gave us three Silverados, and GMC handed us the keys to two Sierras. Of course, America’s best-selling vehicle was also present–this time Ford mailed an F-1 50 with its first diesel engine.
With 11 variants at this year’s TOTY, our judges and testing crew were busier than ever. Under the searing early-August sunshine, we hooked up trailers while the test team assembled every byte of data during two days at FCA’s Arizona Proving Ground in Yucca. Our “frustration tests” continued the next day where reference is towed a John Deere excavator up and down Davis Dam, assessing acceleration on the way up and cruise restraint overrun each truck let on the way back up, followed by looping every truck on a circuit with freeway stretches, winding roads, and altitude changes.
Although we had a big selection , none of the automakers mailed their base simulate, leaving us with a pretty extravagant group. The median cost was a hefty $60,265. The less expensive of the pack was the Ram 1500 Big Horn V-8 Quad Cab 4×2 at $46,240, while the Ram 1500 Longhorn Crew Cab 4×4 traversed the checkout counter at $68,385, the best price here.
As you can imagine, with these payments come new technologies. The mild-hybrid powertrains of the Ram 1500 induce FCA the first automaker to bring a 48 -volt mild-hybrid system to a truck in North America. We had a chance to test eTorque in both the base 3.6 -liter V-6 and the 5.7 -liter V-8; we likewise tested a 5.7 -liter V-8 with no eTorque.
Three off-road variants equipped with fancy suspensions and rock-crawling chops also made their direction to TOTY. The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss–with its indignant seems and off-road Rancho shocks–made a strong suit against the 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel, which was equipped with a locking rear differential and a 4×4 off-road parcel. The all-new 2019 GMC Sierra AT4 likewise proved up with a 2-inch suspension raising and a two-speed transmit case.
Both GMCs were armed with the same powertrain–a 6.2 -liter V-8 engine mated to a 10 -speed automatic. The Chevy Silverado Trail Boss and RST trimmings were set up with the 5.3 -liter V-8 coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. At the opposite purpose, the High Country, Chevy’s most opulent Silverado, was equipped with the same powertrain as the GMCs.
On the other side of the ring, the defending Truck of the Year champion returned with its firstly diesel engine. The Ford F-1 50, propelled by a 3.0 -liter Power Stroke V-6 diesel that deploys 250 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque and its own deviation of the Ford/ GM-developed 10 -speed, has been unable to tow up to 11,400 pounds. Naturally, this was the light-duty truck that was rated to tow the most at this year’s TOTY.
The competition was ferocious, but after driving each truck for more than 800 miles and packing a week with instrumented testing, only one framework is likely to be named Motor Trend’s 2019 Truck of the Year.
The Judges
Ed Loh, Editor-in-Chief
Kim Reynolds, Testing Director
Chris Walton, Road Test Editor
Scott Evans, Features Editor
Christian Seabaugh, Features Editor
Miguel Cortina, Managing Editor, Motor Trend en Espanol
Kelly Pleskot, Associate Online Editor
READ ABOUT 2019 SUV OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS:
BMW X2 BMW X3 BMW X4 Cadillac XT4 Ford EcoSport Ford Edge Hyundai Santa Fe Infiniti QX50 Jaguar E-Pace Jeep Cherokee Lexus RX L Mercedes-Benz G-Class Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Nissan Kicks Subaru Ascent Toyota RAV4
READ ABOUT 2019 SUV OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:
Acura RDX Ford Expedition Hyundai Kona Jaguar I-Pace Jeep Wrangler Lincoln Navigator Range Rover Velar Subaru Forester Volvo XC40
READ ABOUT 2019 CAR OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS:
Buick Regal Ford Mustang Ford Transit Connect Hyundai Accent Hyundai Elantra Honda Clarity Kia Forte Lexus ES Lexus LS Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class Nissan Altima Toyota Avalon Toyota Corolla Hatchback Volkswagen Jetta
READ ABOUT 2019 CAR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS:
Audi A6 Audi A7 Genesis G70 Honda Insight Hyundai Veloster Volvo S60 and V60
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Read more: motortrend.com
