The Consumer Guide to 2009 Large Pickup Trucks
by Rick Cotta
2009 Large Pickup Truck Lineup
Chevrolet Avalanche
Base Price Range: $35,460-$46,700
EPA MPG Range: 14-20
Body Style: crew cab
Avalanche marries big-SUV passenger room and comfort with big-pickup utility in a solid package. Its midgate design, which opens up the rear of the cab to allow loads up to 8.1 feet to be carried half in the cab, half in the bed, is unique in the class. Just beware of seriously bad weather or really messy loads with the midgate fully open. Four-wheel drive that can be left engaged on dry pavement is another advantage.Chevrolet Silverado
Base Price Range: $19,375-$41,355
EPA MPG Range: 13-22
Body Styles: regular cab, extended cab, crew cab
Silverado and GMC Sierra offer a wide selection of cab/bed configurations, top-flight powertrains, hospitable interiors, and the advantage of 4WD that can be left engaged on dry pavement. Dodge Ram
Base Price Range: $21,520-$43,490
EPA MPG Range: 13-20
Body Styles: regular cab, short and long crew cabs
Ram's extended-cab version has conventional front-hinged rear doors--a boon in parking lots. Its exclusive coil-spring rear suspension provides a smooth ride for a pickup, and its available 4WD that can be left engaged on dry pavement is matched only by the GM entries. Ford F-150
Base Price Range: $21,565-$44,355
EPA MPG Range: 14-21
Body Styles: regular cab, extended cab, crew cab
The redesigned F-150 offers a host of unique features tailored to commercial users, along with class-leading towing and payload capacities. It also gets a full complement of standard safety equipment along with a roomier crew cab. GMC Sierra
Base Price Range: $19,375-$44,020
EPA MPG Range: 13-22
Body Styles: regular cab, extended cab, crew cab
Sierra matches all the features of its Chevrolet Silverado sibling and adds the luxury-oriented Denali.Nissan Titan
Base Price Range: $26,150-$39,350
EPA MPG Range: 12-18
Body Styles: extended cab, crew cab
Titan is competitive in performance, utility, and available safety features, but its interior is not as nicely trimmed or as roomy as the best, and it lacks a regular-cab version popular with commercial users. Toyota Tundra
Base Price Range: $22,490-$41,605
EPA MPG Range: 13-19
Body Styles: regular cab, short and long crew cabs
Tundra matches the best in this class for size, power, and safety features, and like the Dodge Ram, its extended-cab version has conventional front-hinged rear doors, a real plus in tight parking spaces. Unfortunately, some recent recalls have tarnished the expected Toyota halo of quality.
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