vs. 2021 F150

[SNAFU88]

Here are the 2 interiors that are due on 2 of GM’s 2021 SUV’s. Rumor has it in the truck world that one of them (nobody knows which one) will make it into GM’s 2021 MY trucks. I am not brand loyal either when it comes to spending my hard earned money. But in my opinion either interior is maybe better than their current interior, but I still believe RAM is King when it comes to truck interiors, even over either of these 2 or Fords new one. Thoughts?

The GMC interior is a marked improvement and would really make the Sierra a more compelling option at the $50-60K pricepoint. The Chevy interior is decidedly less impressive. I watched a 2021 Tahoe review yesterday. Same low rent gauges as the current Silverado, ugly touchscreen placement, very dark, and still using cheap feel plastics. Shockingly, GM is still using the same hard seats from the 2014 redesign in both 2021 SUVs. That just blows me away.

 

[Brianziggy64]

The GMC interior is a marked improvement and would really make the Sierra a more compelling option at the $50-60K pricepoint. The Chevy interior is decidedly less impressive. I watched a 2021 Tahoe review yesterday. Same low rent gauges as the current Silverado, ugly touchscreen placement, very dark, and still using cheap feel plastics. Shockingly, GM is still using the same hard seats from the 2014 redesign in both 2021 SUVs. That just blows me away.

I’m no expert on the auto industry but I wonder if they even put these designs (whether it be interiors or exteriors) in front of the average would be buyers to get their opinions/reviews of the designs Before they go to production? It seems like you would want to do that so that you don’t make expensive mistakes. I think if GM did that they would not be redesigning a new interior already on their trucks. But who knows, maybe they did and the public will accept whatever the manufacturers put in front of them.

 

[silver billet]

I’m no expert on the auto industry but I wonder if they even put these designs (whether it be interiors or exteriors) in front of the average would be buyers to get their opinions/reviews of the designs Before they go to production? It seems like you would want to do that so that you don’t make expensive mistakes. I think if GM did that they would not be redesigning a new interior already on their trucks. But who knows, maybe they did and the public will accept whatever the manufacturers put in front of them.

I wouldn't doubt it that GM did usability studies. All three manufacturers heavily rely on trucks as their bread and butter, I can't believe they would be foolish enough to just throw something out there without thought or testing (in fact, their claim is that most customers loved the last gen interior and didn't want drastic changes). The problem is that they did all that before Ram redesigned the market. Now suddenly people see what they're missing, and want the luxury after all. We're a fickle bunch!

As to why a new interior is not already on the market, well, it takes a lot of money and time to redesign and reimplement. It's just not possible to turn on a dime that quickly.

 

[Sir Ramcelot]

I wouldn't doubt it that GM did usability studies. All three manufacturers heavily rely on trucks as their bread and butter, I can't believe they would be foolish enough to just throw something out there without thought or testing (in fact, their claim is that most customers loved the last gen interior and didn't want drastic changes). The problem is that they did all that before Ram redesigned the market. Now suddenly people see what they're missing, and want the luxury after all. We're a fickle bunch!

As to why a new interior is not already on the market, well, it takes a lot of money and time to redesign and reimplement. It's just not possible to turn on a dime that quickly.

The problem is brand loyalists buy up whatever they produce. Look at the Tundra as a perfect example...decade plus old design? A V8 that has a combined average of 14 mpg which is 5 behind GM and Rams' base V8? I live in San Antonio and the Tundra is produced here and I just laugh everytime I see a new one on the road because the people that buy them are saying to Toyota, that the Tundra is "ok" so why would they make changes? Same thing for GM buyers. I will say this for FCA...the Ram has always been innovative from what I've seen. They brought a fresh new design in 2009 along with the revolutionary RamBox, they have DOMINATED the interior game since at least 2010 when they introduced the Longhorn for the first time with the Limited following shortly after. They were the first to bring a diesel to the 1/2 ton market, air suspension not to mention the first to bring front and rear coils in the 2009 Ram vs. the industry standard of leaf springs so they've had the best ride in any truck since 2009. No truck is perfect but Ram had the foresight to see what future truck buyers wanted and I appreciate that. They do need a refreshed powertrain as 395HP HEMI is getting long in the tooth so we'll see what happens with that.

 

[dandar]

The problem is brand loyalists buy up whatever they produce. Look at the Tundra as a perfect example...

Tundra is bought because of perceived reliability. Loaded Tundra is in the low $50s compared to the upper $60s for the big 3 So that is a factor as well. Lots of first time buyers don't really know what they are looking for in a full size truck so that also plays a role. Having said that, Tundra sells less trucks in a year than Ram sells in a month, never mind the big three combined.

 

[SCasey89]

There was an article posted in March 2019 after IIHS released their findings after testing all of the full-size trucks on the market. The Tundra scored the worst and was rated as one of the most unsafe trucks they tested. This is mainly because the Tundra hasn’t seen any major updates since this generation was released in 2007.

 

[Polo08816]

The new F-150, yes. The outgoing model...a little "Tonka" for me. But rumor has it that GM will drop one of their SUV-style interiors into the pickups, and that will definitely help.

I'm not a loyalist to any brand. Ram raised the bar with the 5th-gen. But we're already seeing evidence that Ford and GM will react and probably do just enough to make choosing a truck (once again) a very difficult decision.

GM needs to improve their interior and offer a 33+ gallon fuel tank. Their 6.2L V8 is the best powertrain in my opinion.

 

[Jack]

I think the infotainment system on the 2021 F150 is much better, and they kept all the physical nobs and buttons!! It seems like Ford will join BMW to be the only two companies that supports wireless Apple Carplay. The generator seems like a great option for going car camping. Those two features alone have made me consider F150. The rest of the deciding factors are the headlights, A/C, noise, and ride comfort.

 

[SpeedyV]

GM needs to improve their interior and offer a 33+ gallon fuel tank. Their 6.2L V8 is the best powertrain in my opinion.

The 6.2L is among the most “fun” engines out there, but it’s a bit thirsty (on premium) and is starting to age (not as much as the HEMI, maybe). I’m a V8 fan, though, so I like that engine.

I also think GM has a very good suspension setup with ‘MagnaRide’ - much better than the bouncy F-150, and in some ways on par with the “cloud or coils” options offered by Ram. Many years ago, my engineering graduate work was related to the use of this technology in another application, so I’ve watched with interest as GM has rolled this out in the Corvette, Cadillacs, and additional vehicles over time.

 

[Sir Ramcelot]

GM needs to improve their interior and offer a 33+ gallon fuel tank. Their 6.2L V8 is the best powertrain in my opinion.

Yeah on the GM forums many of them are upset that GM doesn't offer an optional bigger fuel tank as everything gets 24 gallons and there is not bigger option. On a 6.2V8 that gets 17 sticker and needs premium, that doesn't sit well. Unlike the HEMI, you CAN use regular in the 6.2 V8 but you'll get engine knocking and even worse fuel economy. The HEMI recommends mid-grade but I've run 87 in both my 2009 and 2014 1500s with no issues at all.

 

[Sir Ramcelot]

The 6.2L is among the most “fun” engines out there, but it’s a bit thirsty (on premium) and is starting to age (not as much as the HEMI, maybe). I’m a V8 fan, though, so I like that engine.

I also think GM has a very good suspension setup with ‘MagnaRide’ - much better than the bouncy F-150, and in some ways on par with the “cloud or coils” options offered by Ram. Many years ago, my engineering graduate work was related to the use of this technology in another application, so I’ve watched with interest as GM has rolled this out in the Corvette, Cadillacs, and additional vehicles over time.

Yeah from a fuel cost, GM's "highly recommending" 91 for the 6.2 V8 makes it a non-starter since for the same upgrade price ($2495), you can get the 3.0 Duramax so from a cost perspective it's a no brainer to get the diesel. I have test driven the Limited w/ air, Longhorn without air, AT4 without MagnaRide and the Denali with MagnaRide and it the MagnaRide was on par with the Longhorn without air (just coils) but I still felt the Longhorn rode a tad better when going over potholes or speedbumps and of course the Limited w/ air rode the best and it was pretty clear.

 

[Sir Ramcelot]

I think the infotainment system on the 2021 F150 is much better, and they kept all the physical nobs and buttons!! It seems like Ford will join BMW to be the only two companies that supports wireless Apple Carplay. The generator seems like a great option for going car camping. Those two features alone have made me consider F150. The rest of the deciding factors are the headlights, A/C, noise, and ride comfort.

FCA has wireless Apple Carplay as it's included in the 2021 New Durango so it will be rolled out to the entire line-up in 2021/2022 as well. The generator is a neat idea and their interior is improved but still not at the level of the Ram IMO. The actual exterior design of the F-150 leaves something to be desired though as they didn't do much and it shows.

 

[silver billet]

Yeah on the GM forums many of them are upset that GM doesn't offer an optional bigger fuel tank as everything gets 24 gallons and there is not bigger option. On a 6.2V8 that gets 17 sticker and needs premium, that doesn't sit well. Unlike the HEMI, you CAN use regular in the 6.2 V8 but you'll get engine knocking and even worse fuel economy. The HEMI recommends mid-grade but I've run 87 in both my 2009 and 2014 1500s with no issues at all.

To be fair, I experience knocking in my Hemi too on 87. Many appear to get it, though some don't, probably depends on the quality of gas. But I've played around, and with all the stations in my area it all knocks the second you put it under load (3000+ rpms). I run 91 cause gas is cheap right now and she very clearly prefers this over 87.

 

[SpeedyV]

Yeah from a fuel cost, GM's "highly recommending" 91 for the 6.2 V8 makes it a non-starter since for the same upgrade price ($2495), you can get the 3.0 Duramax so from a cost perspective it's a no brainer to get the diesel. I have test driven the Limited w/ air, Longhorn without air, AT4 without MagnaRide and the Denali with MagnaRide and it the MagnaRide was on par with the Longhorn without air (just coils) but I still felt the Longhorn rode a tad better when going over potholes or speedbumps and of course the Limited w/ air rode the best and it was pretty clear.

I’ve driven them all as well; my signature gives away my vote

But a 6.2L Denali with MagnaRide has a much sportier driving feel, if you want your pickup truck to emulate a muscle car.

 

[Willwork4truck]

That magna ride is great till you have to fix it. Not covered by extended warranty from what I’ve read on gm forums.
”I brought my 2015 Suburban LTZ (63,000) into the dealership today for a horrible banging in the front passenger's side. At first the customer service rep told us they could not replicate the issue and after some firm convincing, the tech came back and said that the shocks were indeed leaking in the front. While I have an extended warranty good for 72 months or up to 75k miles and the part is listed as struts under he GM code, the cost is not going to be covered and we are going to have to pay nearly $1800 to repair. We really have no choice but to repair given the noise is not only loud when the car hits a bump but also the performance and handling has not been great since the noise started.
After researching it is very apparent that this is a known issue with GM! This is our 3rd suburban (2003, 2008 & now a 2015). With the most recent costing over $70k - yes - crazy to pay so much for a vehicle, it is not even paid off yet and we are already sinking nearly $2k into the vehicle.
So, so disappointed to think that this is a re-occurring issue and there is no compensation available - hey, GM, you're stealing from hard working people who trust in you to build a reliable vehicle! Don't advertise lies about the most reliable vehicles when you know differently!”

2nd post: “Thank you for sharing your experience. We have a 2015 Suburban LTZ with 62,000 miles. The Suburban started bouncing a lot when driving and we took it into the dealer. The dealer explained to us that the front left shock has failed and the right shock is leaking. The bill is $1,789 and is not covered by warranty. I started looking online and it appears many others are reporting this issue. I am very disappointed in GM. It is not normal for a shock to wear out so early in it's life, but because it is an end user replaceable part the manufacturer can get off pretty easily saying that this is expected. My Ford shocks lasted well past 100,000 miles.’.
End of copied post

 

[SpeedyV]

That magna ride is great till you have to fix it. Not covered by extended warranty from what I’ve read on gm forums.
”I brought my 2015 Suburban LTZ (63,000) into the dealership today for a horrible banging in the front passenger's side. At first the customer service rep told us they could not replicate the issue and after some firm convincing, the tech came back and said that the shocks were indeed leaking in the front. While I have an extended warranty good for 72 months or up to 75k miles and the part is listed as struts under he GM code, the cost is not going to be covered and we are going to have to pay nearly $1800 to repair. We really have no choice but to repair given the noise is not only loud when the car hits a bump but also the performance and handling has not been great since the noise started.
After researching it is very apparent that this is a known issue with GM! This is our 3rd suburban (2003, 2008 & now a 2015). With the most recent costing over $70k - yes - crazy to pay so much for a vehicle, it is not even paid off yet and we are already sinking nearly $2k into the vehicle.
So, so disappointed to think that this is a re-occurring issue and there is no compensation available - hey, GM, you're stealing from hard working people who trust in you to build a reliable vehicle! Don't advertise lies about the most reliable vehicles when you know differently!”

2nd post: “Thank you for sharing your experience. We have a 2015 Suburban LTZ with 62,000 miles. The Suburban started bouncing a lot when driving and we took it into the dealer. The dealer explained to us that the front left shock has failed and the right shock is leaking. The bill is $1,789 and is not covered by warranty. I started looking online and it appears many others are reporting this issue. I am very disappointed in GM. It is not normal for a shock to wear out so early in it's life, but because it is an end user replaceable part the manufacturer can get off pretty easily saying that this is expected. My Ford shocks lasted well past 100,000 miles.’.
End of copied post

Such is the price of tech.

My ‘01 Vette had the FX3 electronically adjustable air shocks. Trust me when I say that you’d pay to have those rebuilt before buying new ones. That car was more “high-maintenance” than I preferred, but she was quite a freeway cruiser.

My ‘03 GMC Sierra 1500HD had the truck equivalent of those shocks (front only, same option code). When I sold it in 2018, they still worked as designed. Speaking of bulletproof, that truck had Quadrasteer, too...the best feature ever on a truck that didn’t make it.

 

[Sir Ramcelot]

Such is the price of tech.

My ‘01 Vette had the FX3 electronically adjustable air shocks. Trust me when I say that you’d pay to have those rebuilt before buying new ones. That car was more “high-maintenance” than I preferred, but she was quite a freeway cruiser.

My ‘03 GMC Sierra 1500HD had the truck equivalent of those shocks (front only, same option code). When I sold it in 2018, they still worked as designed. Speaking of bulletproof, that truck had Quadrasteer, too...the best feature ever on a truck that didn’t make it.

I don’t think his point was necessarily just the tech but that GM’s warranty didn’t cover it. Ram’s Maxcare is a great avenue to deal with all the tech like you point out as you can buy a factory warranty up to 7ry/unlimited or 8yr/125k that will cover all the tech. GM doesn’t offer that...you can extend the factory to 5/60k or get a 3rd party GM backed up to 100k that apparently doesn’t cover the suspension. The Ram Maxcare does cover the Ram air-ride.

 

[orange01z28]

The GMC interior is a marked improvement and would really make the Sierra a more compelling option at the $50-60K pricepoint. The Chevy interior is decidedly less impressive. I watched a 2021 Tahoe review yesterday. Same low rent gauges as the current Silverado, ugly touchscreen placement, very dark, and still using cheap feel plastics. Shockingly, GM is still using the same hard seats from the 2014 redesign in both 2021 SUVs. That just blows me away.

I really liked the Trail Boss Silverado, and I would have actually bought it over my Rebel if the interior wasn't so bad. The gauges, dash, and seats don't look much different than my 2001 Z28 I had or my dad's 1995 Silverado

 

[Boston]

I’ve done a few builds on Ford’s site (look under future vehicles) and Their XLT is very well priced plus more options than before.
Their co pilot assist ( adaptive Cruise etc) is $1000 less than Ram’s.

 

[Neurobit]

I think the infotainment system on the 2021 F150 is much better, and they kept all the physical nobs and buttons!! It seems like Ford will join BMW to be the only two companies that supports wireless Apple Carplay. The generator seems like a great option for going car camping. Those two features alone have made me consider F150. The rest of the deciding factors are the headlights, A/C, noise, and ride comfort.

There are quite more brands offering wireless carplay now. Audi, Mercedes, Volkswagen, and just about everyone is starting to do this, thank goodness.

We’re all hoping the 2021 RAM will have UConnect 5, which of course supports wireless carplay, OTA map updates, etc. Will it? IDK.
I believe FCA missed a huge opportunity to include this on the TRX, specially now that Ford got on the latest tech bandwagon and released such a nice infotainment to compete with RAM, so we will have to wait and find out if the std RAM 1500 trucks follow suit or they wait until the 2022 model year to do this. No one knows at this point...