subject: Ford F150 MI Truck Wins Pickup Truck Shootout Carrying One Expensive Price Tag [print this page] Ford F150 MI Truck Wins Pickup Truck Shootout Carrying One Expensive Price Tag
Ford F150 MI owners may remember the sting from losing MI Auto Time's Best Truck competition to the GMC Sierra 1500, so they may be eager to celebrate victory after learning the Ford F150 MI truck won a Pickup Truck Shootout held by USA Today and PickupTrucks.com
However, there's one significant setback to the celebration: value.
Ford F150 MI trucks such as the 2011 Ford F150 used in this competition will cost owners $28,565, which was almost $6,000 more than the Dodge Ram. The extra cost was due to the options included in the Ford F150 MI model tested. According to USA Today, the Ford F150 "had more options because it came from a group of trucks Ford was using to show off the new V-6s to dealers and media."
The Ford F150 used in the contest was the STX trim package, a step up from the GMC Sierra's WT and Dodge Ram's ST. When it's supposed to be a competition between base model working trucks, shouldn't base model working trucks be used? Though it's doubtful power windows and power mirrors had an effect on fuel economy, if a contest is supposed to compare apples to apples, don't throw in a pear.
The Toyota Tundra was also supposed to be included but it was involved in a crash as it was being transported to the shootout, and a new truck could not be delivered in time.
Also, the Dodge Ram used in the shootout was not provided by Chrysler and instead had to be acquired from a Chrysler dealer. PickupTrucks.com did say that the Dodge Ram met the competition requirements.
Performance tests conducted included:
Fuel Economy and Long-Distance Ride Quality
Quarter-Mile Test
7 Percent Hill Climb
60 MPH to Zero Brake Test
Ride and Handling Test
The Ford F150 won in many of the tests thanks to its new 3.7-liter V-6 matched to a six speed transmission, but it wasn't a complete thrashing by the Ford F150 for the entire competition.
During the autocross competition PickupTrucks.com noted the GMC Sierra "felt the best going through the course," a feeling shared by onlookers who were watching the event. PickupTrucks.com also wrote that the GMC Sierra's "Body roll, steering, brakes and traction control all worked well together to give us the most confidence that this is the truck we'd like to have if we had to make emergency maneuvers."
It should also be noted that one of the testing locations was none other than Ford's Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo. MI Auto Times is not calling the results biased, but questions should be raised when the Ford vehicle used is at a higher trim level, one that's being paraded by Ford for the media, and one of the testing days is conducted at Ford's home field.
Regardless, it would've been interesting to see the results had these vehicles been at the exact same trim levels as MI Auto Times had done in its Best Truck Competition.
