It is 231.7 inches long with 78.9 inches width and 76.2 inches height. This edition has a body weight of 5628 pounds and offers a maximum towing capacity of 11,200 pounds and maximum payload of 1560 pounds.

The exteriors of this edition are tastefully done. The only exterior drawback that can be noted is the side mirrors are placed very far from the trucks body which makes parking a difficult task.

The interiors are also very spacious and offer abundance of leg room in both front and the rear seats. The Ford F150 Super crew Lariat has an extremely luxurious interior. It is designed with wooden trims which enhances the overall look of the cabin.

This long edition is powered by 5.4 liter V8 engine which generates 310 horsepower and 365 pounds feet of torque. This burly engine is teamed with six speed auto transmission which is smooth shifting in major conditions. This edition offers a fuel economy of 14 mpg city levels and 18 mpg highway limits.

The 2009 Ford F150 Lariat is equipped with power steering which makes maneuvering this bigger vehicle very easy. It offers turning circle of 47 feet.  This masculine vehicle is also equipped with fog lamps, rear tow hooks, tail gate with lift assist. It is designed to hold a 13 inch notebook computer in the centre console. The driver seat has power lumbar support and offers the option of heated and cooled seats for the operators comfort. The leather wrapped steering wheel has audio controls on one side and cruise control on the left side. Its navigation system has a large screen but we would recommend some soft ware updating to match the overall them of the truck.

Ford F150 has so much to offer to its buyers that it can woo any truck buyer. No wonder Ford F150 has been around for 60 years and is still running.

The 2010 Ram HD popularly known as Dodge Ram has been updated for 2010 edition and is the first to enter the market. Motor Trend judges have unanimously selected this edition as the ‘2010 Truck of The Year’. It has won this coveted award after competing with titans like Toyota Tundra or Ford F150 SVR Raptor high speed off road pick up truck.

The 2010 Ram HD edition features enhanced interiors, and new sheet metal . It is powered by 6.7 liter Cummins I-6 diesel which generates an impressive 350 hp and 650 pounds feet of torque and 5.7 liter Hemi V8 gas engines which pumps out 383 horsepower and 400 pounds feet of torque. This burly engine offers a comfortable and refined ride.

For more information of the 2010 Dodge Ram edition click here.

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD priced at MSRP $26,815 – $43,620 is built on a robust version of General Motors full size pick up truck platform. This edition performs all the heavy  duty work capabilities of a pick up truck at the same time offers a comfortable  ride  and reassuring handling which makes it a quite propitious.

What’s on offer?

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD offers imperceptible changes in this edition.  Newer options and electronics features are added to this edition.

Silhouette

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD features are bolstered for heavy duty models. Its unique front fenders, specific grilles headlamps, and hoods are more beefy than any other models. The cargo boxes are made of steel, which offers extra strength and space to this model. The body is designed with a moon roof on the extended and crew cabs. This edition has roof marker lights and chrome bumpers on all editions to enhance its look.

Inside the cabin

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD has been well designed with softer fabrics. It has stadium style seating in the second row. The premium edition is designed to offer complete luxury to the buyers.  The cabin is equipped with easy to read, LED lit analog  gauges and power accessories. Overall the interiors designs are quite straight forward and with easy to reach controls. We found that the dual zone climate controls are very small which makes it difficult to operate with gloves.

The designers have designed comfortable interiors as these heavy duty trick s need to ply on the roads for long distances and extended comfort would feature a feather in their cap.

Features

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD work truck edition is equipped with 16 inch wheels, vinyl upholstery, tilted steering wheel, a stereo with CD player and satellite radio, and OnStar. The LT version additionally includes keyless entry, full power accessories, cloth upholstery and leather wrapped steering wheel and rear tinted windows. Some of these accessories can be optionally added to the Work truck.

The LTZ edition includes upgraded interior design with wood trim, leather upholstery, heated front bucket seats, rear audio controls, remote engine start, fog lamps and dual zone climate control.

The optional features that can be added to the LTZ trim includes the Z71 off road package, which includes skid plates, off road suspension, and bigger stabilizer bar. You can also select from stand alone options like power-folding and extending camper mirrors, navigation system with real-time traffic, power-adjustable pedals, a rear-seat entertainment system, rearview camera and rear parking assist sensors.

Powertrain

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD is equipped with standard 6.0 liter gasoline engine which generates 360 hp and 380 pounds feet of torque. It offers an option of 6.6 liter turbo diesel Duramax V8 engine which generates 365horsepower and 660 pound feet of torque. A six speed automatic transmission is standard on all trims.  This edition also offers rear wheel drive as standard feature while four drive is optionally available.

This Silverado edition can haul up to 5300 pounds and tow up to 16500 pounds with a fifth wheel trailer.

Safety

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD features dual front air bags, antilock disc brakes and stability control and OnStar.  A rear parking camera and power adjustable pedals are available as an optional feature. Tire pressure monitoring system is standard on SRW models.

Conclusion

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD offers a good performance and reasonable fuel economy which makes it an intelligent choice. The main advantages of this edition are very good interior quality interiors, in command steering feel, and massive towing and hauling ability. There is no major drawback that can be noted except that the no side airbags are available in the safety features.

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500  priced at MSRP $35,460 – $46,700 is a well designed Suburban into a pickup. It is quite versatile without losing any feature of the SUV. It offers a perfect blend of comfort and passenger capacity of an SUV with the cargo flexibility like a pick up truck.

What’s on offer?

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 is well equipped to handle fuel economy concerns and satiates the luxury buyers with options of premium accessories.

Silhouette:

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 offers a dual personality of a SUV and a Pick up. The front end body styling is quite bold but similar to Chevy’s GMT 900 range. The most distinguishing feature of the Avalanche is its sleeker body styling which emphasizes the smooth roof lines. The wrap around front bumper cover blends well with the body style. It features a midgate which expands the cargo area into the passenger cab. By folding down the rear seat and removing the mid gate extends the cargo floor from 5 feet 3 inches to more than 8 feet which is enormous.  The cargo bed features side mounted storage which can be locked for better security.

It is also equipped with 17 inch standard wheels which add a glowing touch to its appearance. The only drawback that we noted was that its body style acts a hindrance in the rearward visibility which makes it difficult to park in tight spots. However, adding sensors or back up camera solves the minor problem.
Inside the cabin.

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 features comfortable and supportive seats in the front row. The fold down rear seats offers ample storage space in the centre console. To get an open air effect the rear glass can be removed separately from the main midgate. The premium trims are draped with new seat fabrics. Titanium and Cashmere interiors are now available on Z71 models.

Features:

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 features Touring suspension and Multi link rear suspension which offers good handling. It is also equipped with power windows, XM AM/FM/Satellite, clock, seek-scan with audio controls on the wheels, remote or keyless entry, cruise controls with steering wheel control, and wireless connectivity.

The Avalanche is available in three trims viz. LS, LT, and LTZ. Chevy has added additional features on its luxury package like Bose Premium speakers, heated 10 way power seats, touch screen navigation system, auto dimming rear view mirror, Blue tooth connectivity, Nav Traffic, along with new rear styling and hitch covers.

Powertrain:

The standard engine in the 4×2 model is 5.3 liter V8 engine which generates 320 horsepower and 340 pound feet of torque with an iron block. The 4×4 model is equipped with 5.3 liter V8 engine which generate 310 horsepower and 335 pound feet of torque and is E85 capable. The premium LTZ edition is equipped with 6.0 liter V8 engine which generates 366 horsepower and 376 pound feet of torque and is made of all aluminum and is E85 capable. All engines are teamed with six speed automatic transmission and feature Active Fuel Management system which shuts off cylinders for better fuel economy.  This edition offers option of two and four wheel drive.

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 offers fuel mileage of 14 mpg city levels and 20 mpg on highway for the 5.3 liter V8 engine and 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway on the 6.0 liter engine.

Safety:

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 includes plenty of advanced safety features such as standard equipments such as roof mounted side curtain airbag with rollover protection, seat mounted side airbags for front row passengers, electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology, front seat belt pretensioners, Onstar with GM Advanced crash Response.

Conclusion:

The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 is the most versatile vehicle seen on the streets. The main advantages of this vehicle are strong V8 performance, good cargo and passenger flexibility. The main drawbacks that were noted are rear view visibility, and disappointing fuel economy on the 6.0 liter engine.

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT is priced at MSRP $61,130. The Escalade EXT is the revamped version of the 2007 model. It has picked up many styling cues from its predecessors. This high end sport utility truck offers tough competition to Lincoln Mark LT and Hummer H2 SUT. The Escalade edition also competes with fully loaded pick ups like Toyota Tundra Limited.

What’s on offer?

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT is equipped with E85 capability and an option of blind zone alert system.

Silhouette:

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT is nearly 20 inches longer than its predecessor with an approximate length of 222 inches. It has adequate rear storage bed like the compact short box crew cab pick up truck  an approximate 45.5 cubic feet of volume. The second row seats as well as the cab mid gate flip inwards offering an extended cargo space of 101 cubic feet. The main highlight of this model is its angular face and its rectangular headlights. The EXT edition maintains the triangular C pillar extension of GM’s first generation crossover pick up.It features 18 inch wheels as standard and offers options to upgrade to 22 inch alloy wheels. They also feature optional LED headlamps.

Inside the cabin:

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT features two rows of seats which can comfortably seat five passengers. The rear seat can be folded which creates an expanded, continuous, load floor for the bed. The interiors are well dressed with standard leather upholstery. It also features standard power front seats and standard automatic climate controls. The EXT edition offers option of heated power tilting steering wheel and navigation wheel inside the cabin.

Features:

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT features remote engine start system, power adjustable pedals, cruise control with steering wheel controls, navigation system with voice activation, automatic dual zone front air conditioning. It also includes, Xm Nav Traffic, AM/FM satellite with in built six CD changer with steering wheel mounted audio controls. It also includes adaptive suspensions which offer good handling.

Powertrain:

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT is equipped with 6.2 liter V8 engine which produces 403 horsepower and 417 pound feet of torque. It is also teamed with six speed automatic transmission. This edition also sports All Wheel Drive as standard feature. This sturdy model has a towing capacity of up to 7500 pounds.

Safety:

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT is well equipped with measures which make this vehicle very safe to drive. It includes curtain airbags on all sides, no side impact air bags for the front seat, electronic stability system and standard four wheel disc anti lock brakes. During the various tests conducted to check the efficiency of this vehicle it scored complete five stars for front and rear passenger protection and three stars for roll over Resistance.

Conclusion:

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT stands out in the crowd. The main advantages of this vehicle are impressive powertrain, straight forward controls, and decent interiors. The main disadvantages of this vehicle are the back window is fixed, and the wheels look very delicate.

The H2 raised quite a few eyebrows, more out of shock than pleasure and the H3 failed to do even that. But we are here to check out the H3T and how it fares as a pick up truck:

Looking at the H3T, there is striking similarity with the H3 and the H2. It has the same bold chrome grill with a black air vent in the bonnet; the rear end has been slightly modified to accommodate a bed. Since Hummer is now owned by GM, most of its parts and Technology revolve around GM. The H3t has the default four-door crew-cab architecture found on the Colorado /GMC Canyon pick up trucks. Under the bonnet, there is a 3.7 liter five cylinders that can manages a poor 239 bhp and a torque of 241 lb/ ft. there is an optional more power engine available called the Alpha with 5.3 liter V8 that pumps out 300 bhp and a torque of 320 lb/ ft of torque. The engine is mated to a 5 speed manual transmission; a four speed automatic is also available.

The suspension system was built for off-roading in mind. There are front as well as rear locking differentials. The H3T rolls on 33 inch off road tires. It has a towing capacity of 4400 pounds and the fuel mileage is rated somewhere around 13/14/16 mpg.

The interiors of the H3t were well-equipped, there was a Monsoon system; power-driven and heated leather covered seats; a six CD changer; a sunroof, rearview camera and navigational equipment. The cabin is not very spacious but average sized people should not have a problem fitting in.

When it came to performance the H3T was surprisingly good on the road and it was magical off road, something you should expect from a vehicle coming from the Hummer stables.

It seems to me, like Hummer has some serious issues with Mother Earth, because that would only be the only logical reason as to how they can build a truck that outputs such puny power from a massive bloody engine and give you such pathetic mileage . If you are not the off-roading adventurer types, stay clear from it.. Besides there are much better trucks in the same price range who offer more features, efficiency and performance than this so called truck. This is why Hummer is almost, always in loss and debt. I guess the only thing they’ve contributed to the world is the army owned H1, the remaining models are just a waste of time and space, and that includes the H3T. The bottom line is, the H3T is more of an adventure sports vehicle (from hell), because an average trucker needs to carry and pull loads for miles on end and this can do none of that, it  can barely pull anything without grumbling and tops it up with a mileage that would definitely kill you. The Hummer H3T is priced at $30,750.

I don’t know how Toyota do it, but they have some how managed to put out some of the worlds best  heavy duty vehicles. From the famous Landcruiser to the rugged Hilux or the Tacoma as some may call it, all these toys are more than capable of reducing ice-boulders of the Arctic to tiny little ice cubes and treat vast deserts like children’s sand box. You don’t believe me, check out the BBC Top Gear Polar expedition which was aired in 2007.

The one hour documentary is sure to create a believer out of any one, because the Hilux not only reaches the magnetic North Pole, it was also able to drive back to civilization. In other tests, the Clarkson army has not only drowned the car, they set it on fire and also dropped a massive load on it. After all the madness and brutal bashing, the Tacoma was still able to start up and drive away. Now that I got the Toyota glorification out of the way, we got another truck on the block. Built out of the toughest and reliable material produced on this planet, there is a resurgence of the mountain shredder, the Tundra.

The reason why I went on and on about the Hilux is that the Tundra and the Hilux share a lot of similarities. One of them being, the same engine configurations the other two include the resemblance in design and the vehicle layout. The Tundra carries forward its signature American look with a very prominent grill jutting out. The bonnet sports a more beefed up look to house the new engine. The headlight look been upgraded to a more urban look and has five manually adjustable settings. The back end is very simple, although Toyota could have beefed up the rear to match the big front end. Under the big bonnet we have a smaller 4.6 liter V8 engine compared to the older 4.7 liter engine. Don’t get me wrong, smaller does not mean less powerful, it means increased torque, increased power and slightly better mileage.  But if you still want a bigger engine, then Toyota provides you with an optional 5.7 liter V8 with a dual VVT-i, which can control intake and exhaust valve timing electronically, for optimum performance. It also provides flexible timing that allows a more fuel efficient engine which gives more mileage. Another plus point in the 4.6 is, the water-cooled exhaust gas recirculation, which helps balance the temperature of combustion to keep the catalytic converter working more efficiently.

It was mainly designed to improve the emissions but it also saves fuel in the process. The engine is mated to a six speed automatic transmission. It is able to output 310 bhp at 5600 rpm and a torque of 327lb/ft at 3400 rpm. This is enough power to shoot it from 0- 60 in 7.4 seconds but is slower compared to its rivals like the F150. The suspension system consists of a coil and leaf springs and an anti-roll bar. The tundra puts on 18 inch Bridgestone shoes with 13.9 inch ventilated brake discs along with ABS, brake assist and electronic proportioning technology. The payload capacity is around 1424 pounds and is able to haul a maximum capacity of 8300 pounds. As far as mileage goes, the tundra is not exactly a light drinker but it manages an average 15 mpg in city roads and 20mpg on the highway. Inside the cabin, the interiors are very simple with comfortable furniture. The dashboard has nice tube- like dials for the speedometer, the fuel gauge, the battery and the lot. The other consoles like the music player and the radio were decent. However, you might have an issue when you have to load the tundra with a navigator, because most of the dash is full.

As far as performance goes, the tundra had no problems making its way through the slush and muck. The air intakes are placed high above the ground level, so the engine won’t be affected while sucking in air. The water-proofing in the tundra was good too; there was no sign of moisture in the car. While on the highway the tundra was very well-behaved. The steering had good amount of feel to it. It is very rare you get a pick up truck that handles with so much precision.

So bottom line is, the tundra offers you everything need with simplicity. It is something you want to be stuck in when on an adventure. It has an extremely good amount of power with high mileage, a deadly combination to beat. It comes in as a four door pick up and is priced around $ 31,425.

You consider any vehicle, as matter of fact any mode of transport and read its review. You’ll notice that every single review will have one very hot question, “is it efficient? or does it have good mileage? or How much fuel does it drink? Is it practical? Or what are the savings on fuel?…you can beat around the how much ever you like but, it still asks the same damn thing.

In today’s day and age, a vehicle is not judged by its looks and performance alone, the latest addition is the fuel consumption/economy/efficiency and how-many-plants-sprout-around-you as you drive along. Over the years, all pick up trucks have been  built with massive engines, obviously, they need to pull and carry loads nearly twice their weight, but these massive engines were gaping fuel drains. This was not a  problem back then, because gas was abundant and the world seemed to be doing well, financially. But today’s world is on the brink of fuel- extinction and is suffering from recession and other debts. Naturally, gas has become the next precious commodity and to add ‘fuel’ to the fire, we are out of money. That means we cannot afford the fuel guzzling monsters that will cut our pockets and empty  our bank balances directly. to  prevent consumers from running buck wild on alternative modes and services, manufacturers are building more economical trucks, like the Silverado Hybrid and the Ford 150 SFE, but are a tad pricey.

Now what Nissan is attempting is even better. Along with the same efficiency that the Silverado and SFE manage, the  Frontier will beat it in the price tag. It costs around $20000 but there is a catch, it is a four cylinder mid-size pick up truck. And to maintain the fuel economy of the truck, Nissan has equipped it with the most basic facilities, such as air-con, manual locking and manual windows and ordinary looking 15 inch wheels. I guess that the price you pay for $20k.

Moving under the hood, we have 152 horses at 5,200 rpm and 171 lbs/ft of torque at 4,400 rpm  being pumped out of a 2.5 liter four cylinder engine. This assembly is mated to a five speed manual. The mileage recorded a decent 21 mpg in the city roads and 23mpg on the highway. To sum the ride and handling in one word, bad. Not horrid, just bad. The frontier steered like a drunk , and it really lacked the power to give it an edge. To make things worse, it is supposed to be a mid size pick-up, and it has to manage a hefty load with that puny power. Inevitably, the frontier manages a payload of just 1,002 lbs and a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. that is nearly the amount any SUV can handle.

The insides of the truck are stripped down to its bare necessities, nothing  worth noting but, I would mention that the bucket seats installed are extremely comfortable.

To sum up, the  frontier is a comfortable and cheap truck. It does not offer any thing special, the term luxury cannot be uttered in a truck like this, it does not do well in its responsibilities of being a truck, power delivery is least exciting and the mileage is not something that you’d want to write home about.

The Colorado is a small- sized pick up truck, with a front engine 5.3 liter 16 valves V8 that pumps out 300 bhp at 320 lb/ ft of torque. This setup is mated to a four speed automatic transmission. Yes, I know that I killed the ‘surprise’ at the start, but that’s what this truck is, it that uninteresting, and if you look into the Colorado searching for surprises, you may friend are wasting your time, yes you can thank me later. Right from the design to its price tag, it’s downright ugly and boring. I don’t understand why Chevy would build something so mind- numbingly boring, are they bored to push beyond ‘new and exciting bracket’? Don’t get me wrong, the Colorado still has the Chevy feel to it, it handles just fine and the ride quality is good too, because it uses the GM ZQ8’s suspension system. The ride height is quite low and feels much like a sedan. now if  you drive a truck that makes you feel like your in a sedan, dump the truck and get yourself a sedan, or take the cab, which also is a sedan or get a another truck.

The 300 horsepower however, just pours out of the V8 engine almost effortlessly.  The Colorado could do a 0- 60 mph in just less than 7 seconds. The handling is not like your typical truck, very sedan like, and in this case, that is a good thing. It has a 1250-lb payload capacity and a towing capacity of 6000-lb. the fuel –economy was horrible in the city, but expected, (yes I’m aware, surprises) it was a meager 15mpg but on the highway it mileage recorded an average, 19 mpg. And to think you have to attach a trailer or a carry loads of wood. The mileage would definitely get a brutal thrashing. The breaking system though has improved with a four channel ABS with yaw control.

Now moving on to the interiors, do you remember the how the Colorado was six years ago? Whatever your answer is , you will be still be treated to the same cabin it had back then, with the same boring grey steering wheel, the dull cabin covered with more boring-looking grey plastics , same stereo , no sat-nav, no ipod or any MP3 for that matter, interface. I suppose the Colorado does not seem to have aged at all, literally, it still is quite the nomad trying to light fire with flint stones in the 20th century. The only new last min touch-ups (that’s what I like to think) the engineers have done is add supportive leather bucket seats which also grey and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. If you were dropping round $30-35K on your truck you would expect all the above to be included or at least look more lively.

Now, let’s come to the price, the Colorado will fetch you around $30,475 which by the way is in the same price range as the Silverado. Why would anyone in their sane mind buy a truck that has nearly the same performance and ride quality of the Silverado but short on features (by a mile) and definitely on design. It’s like taking a six year old truck fitting it with a new engine and selling it at the price of a brand new wagon and expecting it sell.

Under the hood, you have a 6.0 liter V-8 engine pumping out 332 bhp at 367 lb-ft of torque merged into a two-mode hybrid system, containing a pair of 60-kW that is 80 bhp electric motors located in the bell housing of an electrical variable transmission that operates as a manually shifted four-speed auto. This is powered by a 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery that is well hidden under the rear seats.

The layout of the truck is pretty standard too; the Silverado is only available in a short- bed crew cab configuration. The drivetrain layout is available as a rear wheel drive and as four wheel drive. The engine is front- mounted. The belt driven air conditioning and power steering pumps are replaced with electric ones, the Silverado rolls on low-resistance tires and thanks to GM’s active fuel management system, the Silverado is able to shut off half its cylinders when it not required, this saves fuel and thus increases mileage. The mileage recorded an impressive 21 mpg in city roads and 22 mpg on the highway for a RWD and 20mpg in the city for a 4wd and 21mpg on the highway.

Moving forward with the performance, the Big hybrid is no slop, it can easily do a 0-60mph in 8 seconds. And the electric motors add to the blast-off. The braking was pretty decent too. The rid-quality was damn good too, because of the hydraulics mounted in the body. this was mainly installed as a counter-weight to the battery pack under the rear seats. The major issues that the Silverado has to deal with are the steering, which felt very light in other words it wasn’t accurate.

The one and only advantage the Silverado 1500 had over the hybrid version was the towing capacity, which were 5900 tonnes in the 4wd and 6100 tonnes in the RWD. Payload was down too, 1459lb for RWD and 1418lb for 4WD.  Don’t get me wrong, the engine didn’t seem to struggle a wee bit but yes, as expected, fuel economy will drop. As far as interiors are concerned, there are six-way power-adjustable bucket seats and the cabin has decent legroom for four passengers. Some of the accessories include, a navigation system, rear-backup camera, brand new updated Bose audio system, fog-lamps, power-adjustable pedals and an auto-dimming mirror. One function that , I’ve forgotten to mention earlier is when you the leave the truck on, it senses if the battery level is dropping below the limit and automatically charge it up.

The Silverado is priced at $38,995. is the price tag worth it?…well a yes and no….yes if your not hauling massive  logs of wood for miles on end and your budget is $40-50,000 and no if u plan in doing so even if you have the same $40 K budget. All in all this is something that you cannot ignore give it a shot.