Compact 2WD Ext Cab Pickup
Winner: Toyota Tacoma PreRunner
Honorable Mention: Chevrolet Colorado
With the category on the verge of significant expansion (as these smaller pickups get larger, we may have to stop using the term "compact" altogether), there are some great deals to be had. With the lowest average entry-level price anywhere, there's just about anything a first-time or special-purpose buyer could want. With General Motors making a strong showing with the new Colorado and Canyon, all of our editors commented on how their huge ride and noise, vibration, and harshness strides have made them strong bang-for-the-buck players. We especially like the 4x4 Z71 and sport-truck ZQ8 option packages, offering gobs of personality to both. But our final nod still goes to Toyota, who's been doing a great job with that exact strategy--presenting a single vehicle capable of significantly changing its personality with various option packages, like the TRD Off-Road package, S-Runner package, or PreRunner package, or the traditional stripped SR5. We know the next Tacoma gets bigger, but we expect it to still have plenty of entry-level value and personality.
To get more information on all the vehicles included in this class, please click on the headline graphics above to reveal a spec chart.
Ultimate-Performance SUV
Winner: Mercedes-Benz G500
Honorable Mention: Porsche Cayenne Turbo
This has traditionally been our money-is-no-object class of vehicles, where relatively few people can do more than just dream. But this category always makes for a lively debate among editors, and this year was nothing short of explosive. Ultimately, votes were surprisingly bipolar, filtering the contenders down to the classic military-inspired retro-box styling of the Mercedes-Benz G500 and the new, cutting-edge player-in-a-strange-land Porsche Cayenne. Both offer supreme option packages that lift their prices well into the $90,000 range (the M-B AMG G55 and the Cayenne Turbo), but, in the end, our debaters felt themselves coming back to the tried-and-true solid axles, locking differentials, and probably the best engine/transmission combo on the planet, tipping the scales in favor of the G500.
To get more information on all the vehicles included in this class, please click on the headline graphics above to reveal a spec chart.
Built-for-Speed Power Pickups
Winner: Dodge Ram SRT-10
This category is a new addition this year, and it's our bet it'll get bigger. As manufacturers continue to realize that there's value in certain types of bragging rights, we're guessing all the companies that want to be players will have to go through Power-Pickup alley. Until now, the Ford SVT Lightning had the field to itself, but with Dodge's Performance Vehicle Operations SRT-10 Ram, with more than 100 more horsepower and 100 pound-feet more torque than the current Lightning, entering the field in dramatic fashion (see "World's Fastest Production Pickup" in this issue), the rules have changed a bit. From the pushbutton starter to the naturally aspirated muscle motor to the locked-on-rails feel of the suspension and tires, the only word to describe driving this beast is thrilling. There's something to be said for being able to drive a truck for days without seeing a faster vehicle that impresses us, especially because the SRT-10 comes that way from the factory. We're not sure what GM has in mind, but we know SVT is about ready to strike back.
To get more information on all the vehicles included in this class, please click on the headline graphics above to reveal a spec chart.