2018 Half-ton Truck Challenge

[Rustydodge]

Pickuptrucks.com 2018 Best Half-Ton Truck Challenge
They asked each truckmaker to send their best half-ton competitor, however they wanted to define it.

Results:
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/11/whats-the-best-half-ton-truck-for-2018.html

Judges comments (video):
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...uck-challenge-video-what-the-judges-said.html
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...-truck-challenge-judges-deep-dive-videos.html

How They Tested:
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/11/2018-best-half-ton-truck-challenge-how-we-tested.html

Bed Comparison:
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/11/2018-best-half-ton-truck-challenge-bed-strategies.html

2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 High Country 4x4 6.2 V8 10 speed 3.23 gears crew cab short bed
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...19-chevrolet-silverado-1500-high-country.html
Deluxe Package
Technology Package
(non-max tow package)
MSRP $67,420


2018 Ford F150 Lariat 4x4 3.5 ecoboost 10 speed 3.55 gears crew cab short bed
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...allenge-preview-2018-ford-f-150-lariat-1.html
Equipment group 502A
Technology Package
Max Trailer Tow Package
MSRP $61,030


2019 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT 4x4 6.2 V8 10 speed 3.42 gears crew cab short bed
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...allenge-preview-2019-gmc-sierra-1500-slt.html
Premium Plus package
Max Trailering Package
MSRP $63,040


2019 Nissan Titan Pro-4X 5.6 V8 7 speed 2.937 gears crew cab short bed
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...allenge-preview-2019-nissan-titan-pro-4x.html
Premium Package
Utility Package
Convenience Package
MSRP $54,190


2019 Ram 1500 Limited 4x4 5.7 etorque V8 8 speed 3.92 gears crew cab short bed
Highly optioned with Air suspension, Rambox, panoramic roof, bed cover, cargo management, 33 gallon tank, rear e-locker...
Level 1 equipment group
(non off road group)
(non tow package)
MSRP $68,390
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/...-challenge-preview-2019-ram-1500-limited.html


2019 Toyota Tundra
(chose not to compete)

 

[Rustydodge]

The way pickuptrucks analytically scores their testing, i'd actually be surprised if this Ram as configured will win. It will not be fastest at the track, and it will not have a highest payload, due to all the options, and it is also the most expensive.

However, at only $1000 more than the Silverado and $5000-7000 more than the GM and Ford per MSRP, the value proposition for all the additional features and options that Ram offers (not to mention the dramatically nicer interior) is crazy.

I think GM and Ford sent the lower trimmed, max tow package trucks for a reason. They can't compete with Ram's limited, so hope the scoring methodology is enough to eek out the win.

 

[Rustydodge]

This is about exactly what i figured would happen.

With empirical data being worth 1600, and subjective judges data being worth 600, Ram sending a high optioned, very heavy truck disadvantaged themselves to a 3rd place finish.

Ram curb weight = 5,920
Nissan = 5,940
GMC = 5,540
Chevy = 5,440
Ford = 5,300

More weight and less power won't help on really any of the empirical scores.

 

[srm3500]

Ram will never win pickuptrucks.com testing until they get that TTv6 (2022?)

for looks both inside and out Ram all the way besides I don't care in my truck is 1 second to half a second slower.

 

[Cannonball]

"The Ram's interior is a stunner — from the tactile feel of its wood trim to the massive, eye-popping touchscreen. It's obvious where Ram spent the development money. It won over our judges, who subjectively scored it as their favorite pickup of the test." ....

Bodes well for Motor Trend Truck of the Year imo. They are less bias on big rig performance out of a half ton and more in line with overall value creation from advancement in design, technology, and more wide ranging performance stats within the segment. I believe the new Ram will win, any takers?

 

[Gman]

Chevy guy for life getting a RAM 1500 Limited. I'm not taking that bet.

 

[Rustydodge]

Yes I've already started a Motortrend thread. Based on how they wrote their "finalist" articles summarizing the chevy, ford, GMC, and ram, I'd be quite surprised if Ram didn't take home the bacon. Ram sent like 4 or 5 trims, (2 big horns, rebel, longhorn, and limited)

Honestly, a little research on Ram's part would have shown them that they should have sent a mid-level or more work oriented trim level to pickuptrucks to lighten the truck as easy 500 lbs and help minimize their losses in the empirical categories.

In any case, retail customers are clearly agreeing with the subjective scoring.

 

[Kramersp]

Ram just scored #3 in Pickuptrucks.com competition. #1 GMC, #2 Ford, #3 Ram, #4 Chevy, #5 Nissan

 

[go-ram]

Ram just scored #3 in Pickuptrucks.com competition. #1 GMC, #2 Ford, #3 Ram, #4 Chevy, #5 Nissan

.
Yes, but Ram was the SUBJECTIVE favorite of the three judges, by a large margin.

In the subjective scoring (i.e. what the judges liked and didn't like about each truck) it went #1 Ram, #2 Ford, #3 GMC, #4 Nissan, #5 Chevy, and #1 Ram was 64 points ahead of #2 Ford, whereas the spread between #2 Ford and #5 Chevy was only 24 points total. https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/11/2018-best-half-ton-truck-challenge-how-we-tested.html

Further parsing the Pickuptrucks.com scoring, I guess there is some consolation in the fact that Ram was only 7.5% behind the leader in quantitative scoring, whereas #2 Ford was 12.1% behind #1 Ram in the subjective scoring.

The two things I don't understand in PickupTrucks.com's quantitative results are (a) why the Ram was so far behind on braking, when Ram claims they have the largest brake-swept-area in half-tons, and (b) why Ram was so far behind in payload compared to the others.

Truck Trend does way more highly-instrumented testing than does PickupTrucks.com ...I hope Ram can pull it out of the hat again at Truck Trend with the subjective scoring.

 

[Kramersp]

.
Yes, but Ram was the SUBJECTIVE favorite of the three judges, by a large margin.

In the subjective scoring (i.e. what the judges liked and didn't like about each truck) it went #1 Ram, #2 Ford, #3 GMC, #4 Nissan, #5 Chevy, and #1 Ram was 64 points ahead of #2 Ford, whereas the spread between #2 Ford and #5 Chevy was only 24 points total. https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/11/2018-best-half-ton-truck-challenge-how-we-tested.html

Further parsing the Pickuptrucks.com scoring, I guess there is some consolation in the fact that Ram was only 7.5% behind the leader in quantitative scoring, whereas #2 Ford was 12.1% behind #1 Ram in the subjective scoring.

The two things I don't understand in PickupTrucks.com's quantitative results are (a) why the Ram was so far behind on braking, when Ram claims they have the largest brake-swept-area in half-tons, and why Ram was so far behind in payload compared to the others.

Truck Trend does way more highly-instrumented testing than does PickupTrucks.com ...I hope Ram can pull it out of the hat again at Truck Trend with the subjective scoring.

Did you also read that the Ram was sloppy and had QC issues? Story of our lives.....

 

[ExcursionDiesel]

Didn't the PickupTrucks.com test pit a fully loaded Limited against lower trim and therefore lighter trucks? That would explain the unexpected braking and acceleration gap.

 

[habu987]

Yeah, the payload discrepancy is explained by the trim level (my mostly loaded V6 Longhorn has a payload of 1269lbs). I believe the 2019 F-150 Limited 4x4 with the Raptor engine has a payload of >1100lbs. A fairly lightly optioned Laramie probably would have had a payload figure in the 1400-1500lbs range.

I'm surprised by the braking, though. I've been very pleased by my brakes, they're even better than what I had with my last sedan.

At the end of the day, the Ram is still H.E.A.V.Y. compared to the competition. Until it figures out how to lose another couple hundred pounds, it will likely have lower apples to apples payload ratings than the others.

 

[Rustydodge]

.
Yes, but Ram was the SUBJECTIVE favorite of the three judges, by a large margin.

In the subjective scoring (i.e. what the judges liked and didn't like about each truck) it went #1 Ram, #2 Ford, #3 GMC, #4 Nissan, #5 Chevy, and #1 Ram was 64 points ahead of #2 Ford, whereas the spread between #2 Ford and #5 Chevy was only 24 points total. https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/11/2018-best-half-ton-truck-challenge-how-we-tested.html

Further parsing the Pickuptrucks.com scoring, I guess there is some consolation in the fact that Ram was only 7.5% behind the leader in quantitative scoring, whereas #2 Ford was 12.1% behind #1 Ram in the subjective scoring.

The two things I don't understand in PickupTrucks.com's quantitative results are (a) why the Ram was so far behind on braking, when Ram claims they have the largest brake-swept-area in half-tons, and (b) why Ram was so far behind in payload compared to the others.

Truck Trend does way more highly-instrumented testing than does PickupTrucks.com ...I hope Ram can pull it out of the hat again at Truck Trend with the subjective scoring.

Braking and payload were for the same reasons, that truck as configured was 500-600 lbs heavier than the GMs and Ford. Although if you look at motortrend testing, they were able to stop in only 126 ft with a longhorn and 132 ft with a limited. So that is quite a difference.