The most significant truck 2000-09:
2009 Ford F-150
Why it’s significant: Remains the gold standard against which other half-ton pickup trucks are compared.
Ford gave its F-150 half-ton pickup a revision for 2009 and gave buyers an astonishing seven models to choose from. It’s not the most powerful truck, but the F-150 features an excellent six-speed transmission and innovative features like Ford Work Solutions that make doing jobs with a truck easier.
2000 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab
Why it’s significant: First compact pickup truck to offer four full-size doors and a configuration that prioritized passenger space over cargo capacity.
Crew cab pickups were popular in overseas markets long before they arrived in the U.S. Nissan was the first to offer buyers another choice beyond a regular or extended cab. Buyers loved the idea because entire families could now travel comfortably in pickup trucks. The idea quickly gained traction with every manufacturer, and soon the crew cab made up almost half of the mix of all trucks sold.
2001 Chevy Silverado
Why it’s significant: Made GM a serious player in heavy-duty pickups and raised the bar for diesel engines.
In 2000, GM held less than 10 percent market share in the three-quarter-ton and one-ton segments. Its 6.2-liter and 6.5-liter diesel engines weren’t competitive with Ford’s and Dodge’s trucks. But GM’s joint venture with Isuzu Motors changed that. The 2001 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 debuted with the 6.6-liter V-8 turbo-diesel.
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
Why it’s significant: Combined a full-size SUV and pickup in a single vehicle.
The Avalanche’s patented convert-a-cab system made it versatile for carrying passengers or cargo, by offering pass-through access between the cabin and bed and a removable rear window.
2004 Nissan Titan
Why it’s significant: The first true full-size half-ton pickup truck from a Japanese automaker.
Japanese car companies had successfully entered almost every segment of the U.S. car and truck markets except the unique domain of the North American full-size pickup truck when Nissan unveiled the 2004 Titan. The Titan met about 80 percent of half-ton buyers’ needs with its 300-hp, 5.6-liter V-8, an advanced five-speed automatic transmission and a choice of extended cab or crew-cab configurations.
2005 Toyota Tacoma
Why it’s significant: The best-selling small truck in the U.S.
Toyota has managed to keep sales of the Tacoma relatively strong. The Tacoma offers a broad lineup of cab, body, wheelbase and engine choices with excellent performance and refinement.
2006 Honda Ridgeline
Why it’s significant: Created a class of one with its unique unibody construction and a trunk in the bed.
Love it or hate it, Honda Ridgeline did what Japanese trucks have consistently done: break new ground in terms of form and functionality. The Ridgeline came to market in 2005 with controversial lunar-lander looks and all-wheel drive. It did away with conventional leaf springs in favor of an independent rear suspension that gave it an in-bed lockable trunk, the first in a pickup.
2007 Toyota Tundra
Why it’s significant: Toyota’s no-holds-barred attempt to gain ground in full-size trucks.
When the 2007 Toyota Tundra debuted, it was notable for being two things: big and powerful. The Tundra was the first truck in the half-ton segment with a six-speed automatic transmission. But just being big and powerful doesn’t automatically sell trucks. Several mechanical issues that garnered high visibility online with truck buyers and a lack of a large loyal buyer base contributed to a huge falloff in Tundra sales after it almost met its first-year sales goal of 200,000 units. Today, the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Ram 1500 all offer more powerful V-8 engines than the Tundra.
2009 Dodge Ram 1500
Why it’s significant: Ditched conventional leaf springs for a coil spring rear axle and added side storage to the cargo box.
The 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 could have impressed many for its more powerful Hemi V-8, handsome exterior and revised interior. But Chrysler carried its half-ton pickup further by featuring a coil spring rear axle, that gave the Ram 1500 unparalleled ride comfort and quality for a half-ton pickup.
2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
Why it’s significant: Ford had the guts to build a go-fast pre-runner-style factory pickup for less than $40,000
There’s nothing else like the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, and there likely may never be. It features a unique Fox Racing long-travel suspension that has a full 11inches of travel in the front dampers to absorb the impact from jumps made in the desert at speeds up to 100 mph. Its six-speed transmission is specially tuned with an off-road mode, and there’s a rear locking differential that works in two-wheel or four-wheel drive at speeds up to 66 mph. When other truck manufacturers mumble to themselves about the truck they wish they had in their lineup, Raptor is usually the first word that comes from their lips.
Honorable mention
2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac: Several trucks in the list can be classified as sport utility trucks or SUTs. The Ford Explorer Sport Trac was one of the first SUTs and it continuously satisfied buyers in surveys. Based on the very successful Explorer SUV, the Sport Trac combined crew cab capability with SUV comfort and amenities but Ford never truly took advantage of the vehicle. The next generation Explorer, coming in 2010, will not have a Sport Trac derivative.
2009 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Two Mode Hybrids: Today, the price of oil is well below $100 a barrel and calls for fuel efficient big trucks aren’t quite as urgent as they were when GM first showed off its segment-exclusive full-size Two-Mode Hybrid pickups.
The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrids featured a 332 horsepower 6.0-liter V-8 paired with a technically advanced automatic transmission that included two 80 horsepower electric motors, three planetary gear sets, four sets of clutches and two hydraulic oil pumps.
A 300-volt battery pack under the rear seat was powerful enough to accelerate the truck up to 20 mph on electricity alone while pulling a 5,000-pound trailer.
Fuel economy was rated at a remarkable 21/22 mpg city/highway. If GM can lower the cost of its next-generation hybrid pickups, perhaps we’ll see this technology gain popularity.
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