After buying a home earlier this year, it became apparent that while my wife’s Mazda Mazda6 can haul some things, it wasn’t suiting our needs quite right for bigger home projects, including landscaping and hauling firewood.  With that in mind, I went shopping for a pickup truck.  While a mid-sized pickup would suit our new needs, the fuel economy penalty is negligible when the smaller truck is equipped with a V6.  This limited the search to the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan, RAM 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and Ford F-150.  The Titan didn’t have all the creature comforts I was looking for and the Tundra was in limited supply after the devastation in Japan earlier this year (so I couldn’t find one optioned out the way I liked).  That left the American truck makers, and while the Chevrolet Silverado is very similar to its twin, the GMC Sierra, I prefer the looks of the Sierra, so that dropped the potential truck pool to just three.

During my research, I drove several trucks from GMC and Ford, as well as a RAM 1500.  The RAM simply wasn’t quiet enough, even though it had the best ride of the three.  Now down to two, I borrowed a 2011 GMC Sierra from my friends at King Buick GMC and drove it for a few days.  It was a great experience, and gave me a taste of what my commuting life would be like behind the wheel of a full-size pickup truck.  The Sierra was sized just right, and fit into normal parking spaces.  It was missing the Bose stereo (which I listened to in another Sierra) and moonroof, two things I had put on my “must have” option list.

As a refresher, take a look at the review I wrote on the 2011 Ford F-150.

For this comparison, I used my experiences behind the wheel of each truck, and as usual, I’ve found something to like in each category about both trucks.  Let’s see how they stacked up:

Exterior: GMC Sierra

Yes, the new F-150 is a handsome truck, but the designers at GM really nailed the Sierra’s look.  It’s rugged, but refined, while the Ford more closely resembles a Tonka truck.  The dimensions of each truck just aren’t drastically different from each other, so this is a very subjective quality.  The big difference, though, is truck height.  Although Ford has stuck to a flat load floor, GM’s engineers gave their truck an actual transmission hump down the center of the cab’s floor.  This lowers the overall truck height by a few inches, making it easier to get in and out of.  The offset is that a flat load floor can be used to haul weather-sensitive objects such as big-screen TVs.

Interior: Ford F-150

This one is close.  While the faux light wood trim in the F-150 Lariat first turned me off, it has since grown on me, and has become a nice contrast to the black plastic and leather found elsewhere in the cab.  Meanwhile, the wood trim on the Sierra SLT is simply classy  The SLE trim level is completely different, missing the wood trim but still quite functional and more like a work truck.  Whereas GM’s designers have opted for an interior that looks more at home in a Tahoe or Suburban, Ford’s people have made the Expedition more like a truck on the inside.  With the 4.2″ LCD in the instrument cluster of the F-150, as well as SYNC and a better navigation system, the F-150 winds this part of the comparison.

Capacity/Capability: F-150

I probably won’t ever max out my F-150, in either hauling or towing.  That being said, Ford’s optional tailgate step and box side steps are a phenomenal addition to any full-size truck.  The tailgate step makes it really easy to get up into the truck bed, and the box side steps mean that anything that slid forward is easily retrieved.  On a side note, they’re probably my wife’s favorite feature – she loves showing off how easy it is for her to get up and into the bed, even though she’s only 5’3″ tall.  As a counterpoint, if you’re tall enough or don’t need to get into the bed that often, either truck will do.  The steps just give the F-150 the edge.  If you’re not going to tax either payload or towing capacity, you won’t miss out by picking the Sierra, so it becomes more of a personal preference.

Power Train: F-150

No big surprise here; the Sierra last had a redesign for the 2007 model year, and hasn’t seen any drivetrain improvements since then except the introduction of a 6-speed automatic.  The powertrain options in the GMC Sierra are more than adequate though, and the cylinder deactivation is a neat trick for saving fuel.  The current-generation F-150, however, was new for 2009, although it greatly resembles the 2004-2008 model, and is running on a similar platform.  The big news for the F-150 is the complete revamp of the engine lineup for 2011.  From a new base V6 to two new V8s, as well as the EcoBoost, the F-150 has this round wrapped up.  When comparing the trucks based on engine size, the 5.0-liter V8 from Ford is down on fuel economy by 1mpg in both city and highway driving (in 4×4 guise), but is up on power – 360/380 horsepower/torque compared to 315/335 hp/tq in the Sierra’s 5.3-liter V8.  If you opt for the EcoBoost V6 in the F-150, however, you match the Sierra’s fuel economy numbers for its 5.3-liter V8 in the city, but gain 1 mpg in highway driving, all the while besting its power, hauling and towing capabilities.  The EcoBoost engine in the F-150 is rated at 365 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque.

Chassis/Suspension: F-150

In an interesting turn of events, my research shows that while the F-150 has a fully-boxed frame (read: stronger, more rigid), its bigger brothers, the F-250 and F-350, have C-channel-based underpinnings.  On the GM side of the fence, their Sierra 1500 has C-channels, while the Sierra 2500 and 3500 have fully-boxed frames.  Either way, the chassis and suspension on the F-150 are a notch above the Sierra’s, so they have a similar ride, but the Ford has more composed handling.  Neither truck could be confused with their grandfathers from the late 1990s.

Creature Comforts: F-150

SYNC is an awesome voice-activated system, and it’s tied into one of the easiest-to-use infotainment systems I’ve used.  The aforementioned 4.2″ LCD screen in the instrument cluster is also a big winner over the old, pixelated dashboard readouts.  The sound deadening on the Sierra was pretty good, but Ford’s engineers added an extra layer, and it’s whisper quiet in the F-150, even at 70mph (I read 73dB at 70mph on a decibel meter app on my iPhone, 75dB in the Sierra).  The F-150 wins by a good margin here.  I liked the radio in the Sierra because it allows for AM, FM and XM to be combined in one 6-preset block.  The optional Bose stereo sounds nice as well.

Overall Winner: 2011 Ford F-150

While Chevrolet’s Silverado Heavy Duty (HD) took the honors of Motor Trend’s Truck Of The Year (TOTY) for 2011, it’s no surprise why Ford’s F-150 has regained the crown for 2012.  The new engines have bumped the F-150′s capability to surpass that of GMC’s Sierra, and more importantly for a lot of owners, fuel economy too.  The GMC Sierra is a very attractive package though, with well thought out interior bits and a keen eye for the details.  With a refresh looming for 2013 or 2014 for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, I expect to be revisiting this subject in short order.

by John Suit

Thanks to Steve Francisco of King Buick GMC for the use of multiple 2011 GMC Sierras for this comparison and the review.

Related posts:

1. Review: 2011 GMC Sierra SLE
2. Review: 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost Lariat
3. Ford announces 2011 HD-Edition F-150 with 6.2-liter V8

While the body has stayed the same since the last review truck, meaning it’s still handsome, the drive train has gotten a huge upgrade, and this truck has a few more options on it.  For a refresher on last year’s truck, see my previous review.

Outside, the sheetmetal work is handsome, definitely muscular, and slightly Tonka-truckish.  While certain angles may make the F-150 appear small, it only appears so.  With a wheelbase of 145″ when equipped with the extended cab (SuperCab) and 6.5′ bed, its overall length is 19.25′ feet long – more than twice the length of a Smart ForTwo.  The F-150 is 97″ wide, just an inch and a half shy of the length of the Smart ForTwo.

Inside, the cabin is well-appointed, with a feature-rich steering wheel, the optional navigation system, SYNC, and for long-haul comfort, optional 10-way adjustable bucket leather seats featuring both heating and cooling.  The amount and design of controls at hand are well thought out, although temperature knobs for the dual-zone automatic climate control would be nice.  Furthermore, while there are a lot of plastic surfaces, they’re all nicely-grained.  A bit of debate over the 2010 F-150 Lariat surrounds the color of the plastic wood trim, which went from dark in the old truck to lighter in the new one.  At first, I thought it was a bit garish, but after spending some time behind the wheel, the light trim breaks up an otherwise dark feel.  The front arm rests and other often-touched areas have been thankfully covered in soft-touch rubberized plastics, while the hard-plastic window sill isn’t at all uncomfortable to rest your arm on, if the weather permits rolling down the windows.

One area in particular that has seen a great improvement over the 2010 model is the instrument cluster.  Whereas the previous model reminded you that you were driving a truck with chunky gauges, the 2011 model has blue-lit gauges with chrome bezels.  They wouldn’t be out of place in a luxury sedan, and really add a touch of class to a truck with an MSRP of over $45,000.  Ford has added its 4.2″ LCD to the instrument cluster of the 2011 F-150.  While the standard trip odometers and instantaneous fuel economy displays are present, the F-150 also includes a “Truck Apps” display, which shows yaw, pitch, steering angle and 4×4 status.  That, combined with the updated gauge cluster, present a higher-tech, more classy look.

For 2011, Ford has done to the F-150 what it did to the Mustang: completely revamped the engine options.  While the Mustang received new V6 and V8 engines, so has the F-150.  The four new engines include a 3.7-liter V6, 5.0-liter V8, EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6, and a 6.2-liter V8.  For the Lariat trim level, which I was in the market for, the 5.0-liter V8 is the base, with the EcoBoost being a $750 option.  Having experienced both engines in the F-150, I preferred the EcoBoost for its greater capability and superior fuel economy.  Ford’s torture test (and the results of that test) on a random EcoBoost also convinced me it had the chops to go the distance.  Check out the torture test’s web site for yourself – there’s some fun videos there.

For those of you new to EcoBoost, it’s Ford-speak for twin-turbocharged and direct-injected engines, which it expects to be at least optional on 80-90% of its offerings in a few years.  It gives the power of a V8, with better fuel economy.  In four-wheel drive F-150s, the EPA rates the 5.0-liter V8 at 14/19 city/highway, while the EcoBoost V6 achieves 15/21 city/highway, a boon if you spend a significant amount of time on the highway.

All the information on the EcoBoost means nothing without actually experiencing it from behind the wheel.  The EcoBoost-equipped F-150 has prodigious amounts of power and torque for any situation you may encounter, whether it’s an uphill freeway on ramp or passing a slower-moving vehicle.  Passengers have remarked to me that, “a truck just shouldn’t be this fast.”  Since the EcoBoost engine in the review vehicle wasn’t fully broken in yet, there was a small amount of turbo lag, where the turbochargers took a second or so to spool up before really adding power to the V6.  On a normal drive, you won’t ever notice the lag.  It’s not until you really mash the gas pedal that it shows up.  On the flip side, when cruising along at highway speeds, or even when coasting, the on-board computer will display a 22 to 24 MPG average, simply astounding for such a large vehicle with its boxy front end.  When the road gets curvy, you’ll want to be traveling at reasonable speeds, since the top-heavy F-150 isn’t going to carve corners like a low-slung sports car.  That being said, the truck’s handling is predictable, letting you know what’s going on at each corner.  Should you find yourself going into a corner too fast, the brakes are more than capable of slowing the truck down without any commotion – commendable for a front-heavy rear wheel drive vehicle.  Having actually had to panic stop in a corner, I can attest to the effectiveness of the brakes.  They won’t stop the F-150 like the brakes on a sports sedan, but they definitely aren’t a “push and pray” setup either.

Engine innovations aside, there are two options which come in quite handy on the F-150: box side steps and the tailgate step.  The tailgate step is available no matter which F-150 you’re looking at, but the box side steps are only available on 6.5′ and 8′ long beds.  Howie Long can make fun of them in GM’s truck commercials, they both come in handy for those of us less than 6′ tall.  The box side steps allow easy access to items in the front of the bed, while the tailgate step and grab handle make getting into and out of the bed safe and easy.  On the nice-to-have list is a bed liner, which the dealership did before I took delivery.  The spray-in bed liner is durable, and unlike a drop-in bed liner, won’t allow dirt and water to collect between it and the bed itself.

While a couple of days in the 2010 F-150 impressed me, in the two months I’ve owned my F-150, it has impressed me further.  A very compliant yet composed ride features no tire slap when driving over speed bumps.  The new electric power steering is dead on, giving good parking lot maneuvering, but weights up at highway speeds to aid in higher-speed stability.  It’s also quite communicative, letting the driver feel the truck’s traction and road surface imperfections very well, unlike a lot of the earlier electric steering systems.  Electric power steering is becoming popular in passenger cars and trucks, as it increases fuel economy and available power.  It works by replacing the hydraulic system (which uses engine power to boost driver input) with an electric motor (which uses the truck’s existing electrical system).

Ford has equipped all 2011 F-150s with its SelectShift 6-speed automatic, which features manual operation and a Tow/Haul mode.  The former is operated by a toggle switch on the side of the gear shift lever, which when in Drive, allows the driver to lock out the upper gears.  It’s particularly helpful when going downhill because the driver can use the engine to keep the truck’s speed in check.  When you put the truck in “M,” the toggle button allows the driver to select which of the 6 gears to use, which can be useful in the snow or off road.  Tow/Haul mode, enabled by pressing a button also located on the side of the gear shift lever, holds lower gears to keep the engine in its power band, and also downshifts on downhill grades to keep road speeds down.  The transmission is the only real source of complaint I have with the F-150.  When the transmission is cold, and even a few times when warm, shifts can be less than smooth.  While not completely jarring, it can be unnerving.  Follow my Owner’s Log reports on my F-150, in case the transmission becomes problematic, although reports on the various F-150 forums haven’t seen any major issues with it.

In the amenities department, the subject of this review has a few more goodies than the one I previously reviewed.  The 700-watt Sony audio system still impresses (even though its speakers took a good 1,000 miles to break in), but the optional navigation system is very intuitive, making it easy to use.  It’s the same unit found in the 2009 Lincoln MKS that I owned briefly, so I was already familiar with how it works.  Other differences between the last truck and this one include the generously-sized moonroof and the extended cab versus full-sized cab.  Ford calls it a SuperCab, whereas the full-sized cab is a SuperCrew.

Both cab lengths feature four doors, but the SuperCrew has four regular doors, while the SuperCab features front-opening “suicide” doors.  Equipped with the SuperCab, this truck has the 6.5′ bed, so while its overall length is quite close to that of a SuperCrew with 5.5′ bed, the bed itself is a foot longer to hold longer objects.  The SuperCrew Lariat F-150 is also available with a 6.5′ bed, but the resulting wheelbase and overall length mean it won’t fit in standard-sized garages or parking spots.  To aid in parking and trailering, Ford offers a backup camera, either mounted in the rear view mirror, or as in this truck, in the 8″ touch screen, which also displays navigation and climate control information.  While it’s available on other Ford vehicles, with the F-150, a black dotted line is displayed over the center of the rear view to help drivers line up with trailers.

On trucks not equipped with the oh-so-handy backup camera, the generously-sized side mirrors do a great job of pointing out objects on both sides of the F-150, with a built-in blind spot mirror on the driver’s side.  When parallel parking, they are big enough to easily show the curb, making it quite easy to place the truck in a parking spot.  Also, backup sensors can be equipped, with or without the backup camera, which also help, mostly in bringing the driver’s attention to smaller objects directly behind the truck.

With the option list almost fully-checked on this F-150, it’s easier to list what’s not on the truck: the Lariat Chrome Package, Max Payload Package and Max Towing Package.  Without the Chrome Package’s 20″ wheels and Pirelli Scorpion tires, the ride is a little softer, and from the research I’ve done, will handle driving in snow better.  The Max Tow package adds towing mirrors and a somewhat different suspension setup, easier to haul heavier trailers.  The Max Payload package adds stiffer leaf springs, adding almost 1,000 lbs to the payload capacity.

Conclusion:

Ford has a hit on its hands with the 2011 F-150.  Great power, decent fuel economy, and a laundry list of both functional and luxury options give it a winning combination.  If there’s anything to complain about, it’s the transmission, as I mentioned above, but nothing that I’ve seen so far has required a dealership visit.  With somewhere north of 650,000 different combinations, excluding paint color, there’s an F-150 out there for anyone who needs or wants a pickup truck, and with the engine options Ford has made for 2011, it’s got less of a penalty at the gas pump to boot!

Competitors: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Dodge Ram 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra

As-Tested:

Year: 2011
Make: Ford
Model: F-150 4×4 SuperCab Lariat EcoBoost

EPA Fuel Mileage: 15/21 City/Highway

Base Price: $37,765

Options:

$750: EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 (twin-turbo, direct injection)
$350: 3.55 Ratio Limited-Slip Axle
$2,495: Sony Navigation Radio (includes 10-speaker Sony audio system)
$995: Power Moonroof
$950: Lariat Plus Package (includes universal garage door opener, remote start, rear view camera, reverse sensing system)
$325: Box Side Steps
$375: Tailgate Step
$230: Trailer Brake Controller
$975: Heated/Cooled Front Seats
$1,420: Lariat Chrome Package (angular step bar, chrome power heated side mirrors)

Total: $45,210

Destination: $995
Lariat Premium Discount: -$1,000

As-Tested Price: $45,205

Post-purchase modifications: $475: Black 6″ running boards; $699: Vortex spray-in bed liner.  Total Price: $46,379.

Ford has an online Window Sticker viewer.  Click here to view the Window Sticker for the actual test vehicle.

by John Suit

Related posts:

1. Owner’s Log: 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat (10/2011 – 1/2012)
2. Review: 2011 GMC Sierra SLE
3. 2011 Ford F-150 Followup – 20% Increase in Fuel Economy?

For several decades, Ford, Dodge and GM have been battling, all trying to one-up each other on the toughness and power of their trucks.  Ford has it’s F-Series trucks, Dodge (now RAM) has its 1500s, and GM has its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.  With each generation, the manufacturers build in more payload and towing capacity, more powerful engines, more creature comforts and more refinement.  The latter two on that list might seem nonsensical, but since more people are (or were, pre-economic fallout) buying trucks for recreation instead of for work, the makers wanted to capitalize on that, with expensive options and enough trim levels to give you a headache.

In that evolutionary vein, the progression from a truck I used to own to the subject of this review is astounding.  I had a 1997 Chevrolet K1500, but today’s trucks simply blow the old ones out of the water.  More power, more capability and better fuel economy are just the starters.  Enough waxing nostalgic though, let’s see what the 2011 GMC Sierra SLE is all about!

While GM’s latest truck platform was introduced in 2006 as a 2007 model, making it the oldest of the three major truck platforms, it’s aged gracefully.  Its platform, code-named GMT900, is built solidly, with handsome sheet metal and a well-designed interior.

For just under $41,000, you get the Sierra SLE Crew Cab, with a 5.5′ bed, the Power Tech package, Convenience Package, and the Chrome Essentials package.  The Power Tech package is centered around the 5.3-liter V8 and heavy-duty towing equipment, while the Convenience Package adds remote start and dual-zone automatic climate control, among other niceties.  The Chrome Essentials gives you chrome bumpers, mirror caps and wheels, which went very well with the Stealth Gray metallic paint on my tester.

With a base price of just over $35,000 for the SLE trim level and almost $5,000 in options, plus $995 destination, the total MSRP was $40,795.  As it sat, my tester represented a good mix of options, with a good dose of useful features but nothing frivolous – a truck suited to both work and play.  If I were buying a Sierra, the biggest extras I’d tack on would be the Bose stereo and moonroof.

Truck exteriors have evolved since the mid-1990′s, from boxy to round, and now back to squared off, blocky designs.  While the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra share a lot of body panels, the Sierra seems to somehow have a more refined and cohesive look to it.  The raked windshield and rounded-off fender flares hide some of the bulk of the truck, and the head-turns I got while driving it in the DC Metro area confirmed its attractiveness.

Moving into the cab, the driver’s seating position is commanding, with all of the controls close at hand.  Climate controls are smartly disconnected from the audio system, unlike a lot of vehicles I’ve been in recently.  The steering wheel controls are sized right for bare or gloved hands, and even weeks after driving the Sierra, I’m still talking about the steering wheel-mounted audio controls.  They are in such a perfect position that when your right elbow is resting on the center console as you drive, the tips of your fingers can reach up and adjust the audio settings without having to move at all!  I give GM a thumbs-up for this design, as the audio controls are second only to the turn signal stalk in my frequency-of-use.

GM also gets an attaboy for allowing presets to mix bands.  You get 36 presets, in blocks of six, but instead of the usual band-centric preset blocks, you can have one block of six presets with stations on AM, FM and XM.  If you only have a couple of favorite stations from each band, you no longer have to scroll through your preset blocks to get to a specific station – just mix it in with your other favorites.

Now for the not-so-good news.  While GM offers Bluetooth technology in the Sierra, it’s a bit kludgy in use.  Pairing my iPhone with the Sierra wasn’t too difficult, once I’d watched a video on it, but trying to make phone calls was distracting, to say the least.  Incoming calls, on the other hand, were easy to answer, and callers said the audio quality was very clear.

Looking around the cab of the truck, the surfaces were plastic, as expected, but instead of a cheap or low-rent feeling, the Sierra uses some very nice materials.  A lot of automakers are using continuously less-expensive plastics in their newer vehicles, but GM opted to go the other way.  It’s a very nice touch, and makes it easier to swallow the $40k-plus you’ll be asked to spend on a well-equipped truck these days.

The seats in the Sierra are quite comfortable, with plenty of cushion.  At 5’8″, I found it easy to find a good seating position in the six-way adjustable leather seats.  If the SLE’s seats don’t fit you, there are 10-way adjustable seats found in other option packages and trim levels.  For passengers, since my tester was a crew cab, the back seat had plenty of room – at least as much as the front seats, if not more.  The only issue with the Sierra’s back seat is the transmission tunnel, which intrudes into the center of the rear area.  This prevents the truck from having a completely flat load floor, which GM most likely did to keep the overall height of the truck down.  While this helps with ingress and egress, I’d rather be able to keep larger items protected from the elements.

Once on the road, you’ll find a fairly-well composed ride, albeit with hints of wiggle and tire slap when traversing less-than-perfect road surfaces.  Aside from this one hickup, the Sierra drove well.  Steering feel is commendable for such a large vehicle, as are the brakes on the Sierra.

This leaves the acceleration from the 5.3-liter V8 found in the Power Tech package.  While adequate, the engine left me wanting for more power.   The EPA certified the GMC Sierra at 15 city and 20 highway when equipped with the aforementioned V8, which is the mid-range engine in the Sierra lineup.  The transmission and throttle programming GM used to gain those good-for-a-truck fuel economy numbers meant that keeping up with traffic was just fine, but anything resembling a hurry took a deep stab at the gas pedal to be completed.  In addition to computer programming, GM’s 5.3-liter V8 has a cylinder deactivation feature called “MDS,” which is GM-speak for Multiple Displacement System.  In layman’s terms, the V8 runs on only four cylinders, effectively running as a four-cylinder engine.  This happens when only light gas pedal pressure is used, meaning a leisurely pace or flat highways are about the only circumstances where you’ll see the feature’s effect on your MPGs.  The information display in the instrument cluster has an instantaneous MPG readout, which also displays the number of cylinders the V8 is using – useful for efficiency-conscious drivers.

In all, the GMC Sierra provides a lot of utility for those willing to trade a little bit of ride comfort and fuel economy.  If you’re going to be hauling stuff more than people, opt for an extended cab with a 6.5′ bed.  While the 6.5′ bed can be had with the crew cab, it makes for an even longer truck, which can be hard to fit into regularly-sized parking spots.  On the other hand, if people and comfort are your priorities, with infrequent hauling or towing required, get the crew cab SLT model, which more closely resembles the currently-available family sedans on the market, and includes a fair amount of luxury features as well.  Either way, you’ll be a happy truck driver.  Trucks have come a long way in the last ten to fifteen years, adding creature comforts, ride and handling Americans are used to seeing in the mid-sized sedan segment.  From base work trucks to luxotrucks, the Sierra provides a trim and package level for just about anyone in the market for a new truck.

Competitors: Acura TL, Acura TSX, BMW 3-Series, Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Azera, Hyundai Sonata, Infiniti G37 Sedan, Mazda Mazda6, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen Passat, Volvo S60

As-Tested:
Year: 2011
Make: GMC
Model: Sierra SLE

EPA Fuel Mileage: 15/20 City/Highway

Base Price: $35,955

Options:

$2,820: Power Tech Package (discounted to $1,500; includes 5.3-liter V8, Bluetooth, 6-way driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, max trailering, etc.)
$1,450: Chrome Essentials Package (includes 18″ chrome wheels, polished exhaust tip, chrome mirror caps, chrome door handles)

Total: $38,725

Destination: $995

As-Tested Price: $39,720

by John Suit

Thanks to Steve Fransisco of King Buick GMC for providing the test vehicle.

Related posts:

1. Comparison Test: 2011 GMC Sierra vs Ford F-150
2. Review: 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost Lariat
3. Review: 2010 Ford F-150

Month-to-month, the big winners were Dodge, Ford, Honda, Nissan, RAM and Toyota.  Year-to-year, all of GM’s brands (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC), as well as Ford, Hyundai, Nissan, RAM and Toyota had significant increases.  While that may not mean a lot, it shows that cars built in North America are selling at a much better pace than those built in Europe and Asia.  There may be a lot of reasons for this, but I suspect the main one is pricing.  The economy still hasn’t regained a lot of its strength, so buyers are wary of spending much over $40,000, which is where a lot of BMW and Mercedes-Benz products land.  Accords, Altimas, Camrys, Fusions and Sonatas are the bulk of sales for their respective companies, and with gas prices on the rise again, look for smaller cars to win out in the next few months.

Meanwhile, the surprise was RAM, which sold over 20,000 vehicles in February, a feat I doubt it will best if gas prices stay high.

On the negative side of things, Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes, Porsche, Saab and Suzuki had less sales in February than they did the previous month.  While Suzuki is nowhere near a luxury marque, the rest shows just how soft the luxury market is right now.  BMW had a minuscule 500-car increase in sales from January to February, which hardly counts during a month which saw 20-30% increases in month-to-month sales for some of its competitors.

With 1.8-million vehicles already sold this year in America, I’m going to stick with my 12.5-13 million new-car sales prediction.  The actual number of sales may be helped or hurt by rising gas prices, as more truck owners may want to make a trade in order to gain fuel economy.

by John Suit

Related posts:

1. January 2011 Sales Figures and Analysis
2. Sales Figures: September, 2010
3. Sales Figures: October, 2010

Cars with electronic power-assist steering (EPAS) are starting to outnumber those with hydraulic power steering.  While EPAS doesn’t usually give as nice a feedback as hydraulic, it saves at the gas pump, which is why more and more automakers are using it in their vehicles.  It also re-routes some of the components underneath a car’s hood, which seems to be leading to a learning curve, as we’ve seen half a dozen recalls this year because of EPAS.

Chrysler is not immune to this learning curve, as they’ve just recalled a slew of their new products.  A faulty end on a power steering hose can come apart, leading to power steering fluid spraying on a hot engine, which can lead to an engine fire.

Definitely not good, but no word on how many complaints were made or if any actual engine fires were reported.

Here’s the list of affected vehicles:

Show Press Release

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): CHRYSLER / 300 2010 CHRYSLER / SEBRING 2010 DODGE / AVENGER 2010 DODGE / CHALLENGER 2010 DODGE / JOURNEY 2010 DODGE / RAM 2011 Manufacturer: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC Mfr’s Report Date: OCT 07, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V475000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected: 26397

Summary: CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 CHRYSLER SEBRING, 300, CHARGER (LX) AND DODGE CHALLENGER (LC), AVENGER (JS), AND JOURNEY (JC), AS WELL AS MODEL YEAR 2011 DODGE RAM LIGHT DUTY PICKUP (DS) VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A SEPARATION AT THE CRIMPED END OF THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE ASSEMBLY.

Consequence: LEAKED POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS COULD CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE AS NECESSARY THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING OCTOBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Notes: CHRYSLER’S CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS K26. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

by John Suit

Source: NHTSA

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Each store has its own identity; the Chrysler store is more luxury-oriented, with the humidor and high-end sunglasses.  The Dodge store is more aggressive, with loud, bright shirts and apparel.  Jeep’s store has a Padagonia influence with lots of outdoorsy-type merchandise, while Ram’s store is definitely work-oriented, with work gloves and Leathermans for sale.  It looks like Chrysler’s marketing department at least understands their brands’ core audience, and I wish them well.  For one thing, it makes it easier to find stuff related to your vehicle, but for the life of me, I couldn’t find a simple keychain on any of the four sites.

Here are some items from the four web sites:

by John Suit

Source: Chrysler

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