Automotive News Discussion

[Sully]

The stamped tailgates have been around for years. I don't necessarily like them but I think they're trying to make the trucks more like the old school trucks. They all do it now. I think Toyota did it before ram and the Ford super duty has done it for awhile too.

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[Jake]

Oooh pickup truck thoughts, I have them!

Ranger
Well, the "RANGER" stamped across the tailgate looks less silly than the outgoing "RAM" because more letters means the font can be smaller. So there's that. I think it's a nice looking truck although the interior is a bit of a letdown. The 2.3 Squeakoboost/10-speed combo will probably be Very Fine for most buyers and it makes more HP/Torque than V8s of long ago so that's also fine. Ford claims it will outclass the competition (Tacoma, Canyon, Colorado, nobody cares about the Frontier) in towing abilities which would mean what, 7k? I think it's roughly the size of an early 2000s F-150 so it could be a legitimate option for many folks, given new "half tons" are so damn big.

Ram 1500
THIS. This is how you do a large fucking touchscreen in the dash and make it safe for drivers to use. Hard buttons for commonly-used tasks (volume, climate, fan speed) and the screen for navigation and Grindr and whatever else.



From a UI and safety perspective, this is miles ahead of Tesla's implementation. Otherwise, I think the truck looks pretty good and maybe would buy one eventually. The hybrid implementation is more or less an electric supercharger, although I believe it can allow the truck to move on battery alone as well. Good stuff.

Silverado
They made it even uglier, somehow. The new front end looks okay on the more loaded up trims although it is, regardless, Very Fucking Tall:



That said, whoever designed the base LS or Work Truck or whatever trim should be fired, re-hired, and fired again for how bad it is. This is an assault on the eyes.

[CaptainHenreh]

That said, whoever designed the base LS or Work Truck or whatever trim should be fired, re-hired, and fired again for how bad it is. This is an assault on the eyes.

Well let's just clear out that awfulness...




Someone fetch me my turtleneck and shoulder holster.

[.RJ]

Ram 1500
THIS. This is how you do a large fucking touchscreen in the dash and make it safe for drivers to use. Hard buttons for commonly-used tasks (volume, climate, fan speed) and the screen for navigation and Grindr and whatever else.



From a UI and safety perspective, this is miles ahead of Tesla's implementation. Otherwise, I think the truck looks pretty good and maybe would buy one eventually. The hybrid implementation is more or less an electric supercharger, although I believe it can allow the truck to move on battery alone as well. Good stuff.

For fucks sake that's worse than a new Mini interior, and THAT takes effort.  Barf.

Thank you, Rex.

[Goodspeed]

^ I still don't like the '18 front end but that is as sexy as it'll likely ever be for sure.

Maybe until...



...but something tells me that car will be pretty overwrought like the latest ZR1 'vette.  

I will say that I have a minor fascination with the '18 Wrangler.  It looks great and 2019 brings a diesel with 442 ft-lbs.

[WRXtranceformed]

I am a little bummed about the new Ranger because I was going to cross shop it as a Canyon replacement in the future. I just really can't get past how much I don't like the looks from the first shots I've seen. The interior also looks pretty meh. The features it will have though will be really nice, especially that boosted engine with 350 torques and the LED headlights. I will wait to pass judgment when it drops in 2019 and I can see it in person...but I was also kind of let down that they were going to wait until 2019 to drop it.

Super curious to see if GMC comes out with any updates to the Canyon and Sierra between now and then, especially with Chevy moving to the aluminum frame / steel bed in the Silverado

[JPolen01]

Jake - the dash in the ram is unbelievably ugly. Buttons surrounding the entire screen plus the knob-style shifter and more buttons to select the drivetrain mode! So many buttons! Too cluttered. Screen is too tall. The entire section of the dash juts out way too much. Burn it.

[Jake]

Jake - the dash in the ram is unbelievably ugly. Buttons surrounding the entire screen plus the knob-style shifter and more buttons to select the drivetrain mode! So many buttons! Too cluttered. Screen is too tall. The entire section of the dash juts out way too much. Burn it.

I never said it was a great design, I said it was better than Tesla. Tesla's concept of interior design is the absolute worst, so there's only one way to go from there.

[.RJ]

The interior also looks pretty meh.

I think that's what I love about it.  I also bought an E90 without Nav and love that, too. 

I'm a special snowflake.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Just as I am "coming around" on Ford....

Mustang update is butt ugly. It was BEAUTIFUL before the update
Ford Ranger - ugly outside and inside

That said the F150/250/350 still are knocking it out of the park. I really like the look 2016+. Too bad you can't trust a Ford Diesel Drivetrain till 5 years after they are out to make sure they aren't horrible garbage.

[.RJ]

Does that Ram really have a little dinky push button knob thing to select the gears?

Did they not learn from their last fiasco?

[D_Eclipse9916]

Well let's just clear out that awfulness...




Someone fetch me my turtleneck and shoulder holster.

Can we go back?

[G.Irish]

Yeah I'm with DJ, I hate the new Mustang front-end. Luckily the GT500 won't have it, so that probably means the GT350 won't get the new faschia for a while either.

I wonder if the GT500 will drive GT350 prices down. And how stupid the GT500 markups will be.

[Senor_Taylor]

I wish the Tacoma had the power of its competitors because I think it gets an A on form factor.

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[WRXtranceformed]

Just as I am "coming around" on Ford....

Mustang update is butt ugly.  It was BEAUTIFUL before the update
Ford Ranger - ugly outside and inside

That said the F150/250/350 still are knocking it out of the park. I really like the look 2016+.  Too bad you can't trust a Ford Diesel Drivetrain till 5 years after they are out to make sure they aren't horrible garbage.

This plus the fact that Ford charges SO MUCH for their trucks.   Back when I was looking F150 prices were out of control...I imagine they will take the same approach with the Ranger with all of these premium features they are adding.  

Taylor:  I agree I loved the looks of the new Tacos but I couldn't get over that the seats can't be adjusted vertically.  I couldn't get comfortable in one and my wife would need a booster seat to drive it.  Their drivetrain is also inferior in every way to the Colorado / Canyon so there's that

[rherold9]

When you hate the new look of the new new F150s, new new 1500s, liked the look of the 2014-2017 1500s, and like the look of current truck I own. Guess I'm stuck with current truck for awhile....

[Senor_Taylor]

Toyota seating postition is the one thing that keeps them from being the end all - be all for me, personally. Even my 4runner doesn't have enough room for my knees and my head is in the ceiling.
My old Tacomas both were miserable after an hour.

"The drivetrain being interior in every way" is a bold statement. Maybe in power, but I'd like the hear the argument for reliability or simplicity. Both engines are full of futuristic wizardry that may or may not cause problems further down the road. I'm sure your statement was a bit hyperbolic for effect, so I'm not going to hold you to that.

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[Jake]

That said the F150/250/350 still are knocking it out of the park. I really like the look 2016+.  Too bad you can't trust a Ford Diesel Drivetrain till 5 years after they are out to make sure they aren't horrible garbage.

The 6.7L diesel in the 250+ has been the same drivetrain since what, 2011? I believe that's seven years of data now 

[Jake]

Does that Ram really have a little dinky push button knob thing to select the gears?

Did they not learn from their last fiasco?

What fiasco? The knob is actually pretty hefty and takes some effort to spin, it's not like a volume knob of a radio. I rented a Ram about 3 years ago that had it and thought it was fine. I think they introduced it for 2012 or 2013. 

I also don't care about the BMW dildo shifter or that Jeep shifter that allegedly ran someone over or the Prius shifter or whatever. They're all electronic and spinning a knob/pushing a button for Park is just something different to learn. Everyone gets super up in arms about them all though.

[WRXtranceformed]

I didn't mind the dial selector for the gearbox in my Jag. Once you get used to it it's kind of fun