Fit, Finish, and Materials
Ground zero in the war to win the hearts of personal-use truck buyers is fit, finish, and materials. As car owners migrate to trucks, they don't want to start slumming it behind the wheel, even if they still want to be able to hose out the bed. When it comes to making a popularly priced vehicle feel like a million bucks inside, Toyota is still king. Somehow, Toyota has figured out how to make plastic feel like a premium material. The Tundra is so nicely fitted inside, it could be a Lexus truck, though the sheer volume of simulated wood may be overkill.
"Ford's interior is nearly as well done," says St. Antoine. "I love the faux carbon fiber, but how could Ford choose such Mr. Coffee-grade 'wood' trim in the top-line Lariat?" Ron Sessions notes, "The F-Series' cabin is obviously built to a price point, but manages a pleasant array of textures and materials."
The cabin of the new Nissan drew a lot of comments and share of controversy. Some editors raved about the Titan's build quality while knocking its hard plastic dash, console, and door panels that look cheap and sound hollow. Echoes Chirico, "Look closely at the materials, and you can see where Nissan cut some funds."
The SSR gets points for bravery, but the execution seems lowbrow for a $41K product. Notes Walton, "This truck is almost entirely about style, which would be fine except for deplorable fit, rattles, and wind noise."