Don't Dismiss the V-6

General Motors possesses one of the best six-cylinder truck engines in the business--but it's not available in the Silverado or Sierra. The engine: the Vortec 4200 inline-six. It's a tribute to modern technology, with a rigid aluminum block with deep skirted casting, double overhead camshafts, and class-leading 275 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, the current generation of full-size trucks on the GMT800 platform was designed with only a shorter V-6 engine in mind. While it might be possible to shoehorn the longer Vortec 4200 into the engine bay, doing so would compromise the necessary crush space for front crash safety, according to GM product communications spokeswoman Sharon Basel.

So Chevy and GMC soldier on with the old--er, proven--4.3-liter pushrod V-6, an engine which produces only 195 horsepower. But being the biggest engine has the advantage of tieing the Ford for first place in torque, but at an engine speed that's nearly 1000 rpm lower. The GM engine will give you a satisfactory launch from the stoplight and feel plenty peppy around town (it helps that GM's trucks are the lightest full-size pickups of the group), but it won't have a lot of passing power at 70 mph.

Magnum 3.7L V-6

Truck shoppers definitely shouldn't dismiss today's generation of V-6 engines based on past experience with underpowered, underequipped work trucks. Today's sixes produce more than enough power for most uses. They save you money at the dealer and every time you stop at the gas pump. Take one for a test drive before signing on the bottom line.