Caranddriver.com: 2008 5Best Trucks

[Olds88]

Originally Posted by LAChevy24

with insurance, are CUV's counted as a truck/suv, or a tall wagon? im sure that is why all these vehicles are in this group because they are labeled as trucks.

The EPA classifies minivans, CUVs, SUVs, pickups, full-size vans all under the heading of light-duty truck. For insurance purposes its a bit different. A Silverado is a pickup truck. A Suburban is a 4-door wagon/carryall. In Illinois you get the b-truck license plate if your vehicle has a bed. Therefore a Silverado, Avalanche, El Camino, Sport Trac, Subaru Baja, G8 ST are all considered trucks, whereas a Suburban has the same plate as a Civic.


I find it ironic that my full-frame station wagon is more of a truck than all but one vehicle on this list.

[Olds88]

Originally Posted by SUPERBADD75

how many more people are going to say "those aren't trucks"? get over it. truck is the term used to classify them. they're not cars, even though some are car based. the PT Cruiser falls into the truck category too, if you want to really get down to it. utility vehicles, pickups, vans, and the like all fall into the truck category. get over it, it's 2008 not 1950.

these vehicles all advance their respective categories, and it's not a bad 5 best. i think i'd like to have seen a Lambda make it onto that list though. it's pretty hard to beat the Enclave in most respects. it's luxurious, performs reasonably well (it's a large SUV, it's not going to handle like a Miata folks!), it's put together very well using quality materials, and rides and drives very nicely.

Light duty truck is used to describe all of the things you mentioned.

I think the Mazda got the nod over the Buick mostly due to costs. The Buick ain't cheap.

[ponchoman49]

The RAV4 is nothing but a bland Camry with a tall boxy wagon body thrown on.

[skylark68]

Anyone who agrees that all of these but the Silverado are trucks are as demented as the legal folk who classify them as such.

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by skylark68

Anyone who agrees that all of these but the Silverado are trucks are as demented as the legal folk who classify them as such.

No, you see once a vehicle reaches a certain weight, it falls under one catagory of Federal regulation or another, such as midsize sedan, truck, and so forth, so this makes sense if it follows those guidelines

[Briant73]

Originally Posted by ponchoman49

The RAV4 is nothing but a bland Camry with a tall boxy wagon body thrown on.

You mean a CUV with more horsepower and better gas mileage than the porky Vue in V6 trim?

[chevyboy88]

the silverado was the only truck, why would any of the others even be considered trucks, this is pointless.

[NoNameDenton]

Originally Posted by chevyboy88

the silverado was the only truck, why would any of the others even be considered trucks, this is pointless.

Read my above post

[rsinsel]

Originally Posted by BrickTamland

I don't think we need to be so literal and narrow with the word "truck."

Having "5 Best Trucks" as a title makes sense. Saying "Best Van, Pickup, and 3 SUVs" would make a person a moron.

You are wrong. Sorry. I say keep the title and add 4 more trucks.

[Z06ified]

Originally Posted by Olds88

The EPA classifies minivans, CUVs, SUVs, pickups, full-size vans all under the heading of light-duty truck. For insurance purposes its a bit different. A Silverado is a pickup truck. A Suburban is a 4-door wagon/carryall. In Illinois you get the b-truck license plate if your vehicle has a bed. Therefore a Silverado, Avalanche, El Camino, Sport Trac, Subaru Baja, G8 ST are all considered trucks, whereas a Suburban has the same plate as a Civic.

In NY, they have a dedicated body type for the Suburban on the registration. My registration has "SUBN" where body type goes. Pretty cool.

My Corvette gets "2DSD".

[Z06ified]

Originally Posted by ponchoman49

The RAV4 is nothing but a bland Camry with a tall boxy wagon body thrown on.

It's actually not even a Camry. It's based on the lowly Corolla. The Highlander is based on the Camry.

[VAs Finest]

Originally Posted by Z06ified

It's actually not even a Camry. It's based on the lowly Corolla. The Highlander is based on the Camry.

not a big rav4 guy. my mom wanted one and the entire family had to give her a collective veto.

[ChevroletTough]

are you for serious car and driver? Those suv's are NOT trucks.

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by NoNameDenton

No, you see once a vehicle reaches a certain weight, it falls under one catagory of Federal regulation or another, such as midsize sedan, truck, and so forth, so this makes sense if it follows those guidelines

Federal regulations created by demented legal folk...

[5.3Avalanche]

Originally Posted by GMusa

Full Review at Link:

Fundamentally Superior.

Damn straight! ...I love it.