Caranddriver.com: 2008 5Best Trucks

[Hoboken Tim]

Originally Posted by CobaltSScrazy

Rav4...midsize/compact crossover---> Not a truck.
CX-9...midsize/large crossover------> Not a truck.
GL Class: unibody crossover--------->Not a truck.
Silverado: FINALLY A TRUCK!
Odessey: a minivan based on a car platform>Not a truck.

CobaltSS

PS:should have been

08 Silverado
08 Sierra
08 F
08 Ram
08 Tundra

Period.
.

I agree with you the chevy is the only truck there!

[BGH]

If the SRX was there, there would be alot less whining. Get over it. What else are you going to consider them? At this rate we'll have to have 5 best cuvs, 5 best trucks, 5 best minivans, 5 best wagons, 10 best cars.

[furyagain]

RAV4 is base on Camry platform , not corolla.

the last gen Rav4 was base on the long gone Celica platform.

also not corolla platform..

Only the New Corolla platform (2009 corolla in NA) was design for V6 also
down from 1.3L engine up to the 3.5L V6


( if you open the hood both camry/Rav4 V6 / Highlander, the engine compartment arrangment looks the same)

[furyagain]

Originally Posted by BGH

If the SRX was there, there would be alot less whining. Get over it. What else are you going to consider them? At this rate we'll have to have 5 best cuvs, 5 best trucks, 5 best minivans, 5 best wagons, 10 best cars.

no,, may be we need
5 best SUVs
5 best cuvs
5 best mid size pickup trucks
5 best full size pickup trucks
5 best mini vans,
5 best cargo Van
5 best wagons
5 best hatchback
5 best entry lvl sport car
5 best High end sport car
5 best sub compact car
5 best compact cars
5 Best mid size sedan
5 best All wheel drive Mid size sedan
5 best Full size sedens
5 best....... and whatever.......
the list can keep on going... on. and on

[BrickTamland]

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. how did it miss the list?

Thank You!!! I swear, 90% of the people posting in this thread are being idiots.

[member12]

My problem with this test:


It doesn't weigh in towing capacity or off road capability on anything but the pickup trucks. That should affect the score.

For example, the Rav 4 and Mazda thingy may get great mileage, but that shouldn't keep a Wrangler and Suburban out of the running. They are designed for off roading (jeep) or towing (Suburban) or both (Suburban Z71).

For a magazine that rates cars for impractical enthusiast reasons, like how fast a bunch of minivans can go around a racetrack or handling of a Chevy Aveo at triple digit speeds, they sure seem to rate SUVs for everyday use for the average soccer mom.
For mommy, the BMW 3 series isn't that great of a car. Well, neither is the Hummer H2...but both are for enthusiast. Why suddenly the change from enthusiast to everyday driver when it comes to trucks and SUVs?

For a mag with such enthusiast values, I expect them to understand the enthusiast viewpoint for trucks, which is totally different than it is for cars. Truck enthusiast value off road capability, durability, and towing capacity. That would put the Wrangler ahead of the Rav4, the 4runner ahead of the Mazda, and the Range Rover ahead of the Benz. Of course, Car and Driver is not Truck and Driver, but that doesn't mean they should revert to "Car and Soccer Mom" when they have to test SUVs.

My point is hard to explain....sorry if I confused you.

[bone]

I would agree that the Silverado was the only true truck in the article,however, I have no problem with the its title.

[FBODYRULES]

why are they still selling that old ugly honda over there?? we have a new generation one and have had it for a few years now and its WAY better

[BGH]

Originally Posted by member12

My problem with this test:


It doesn't weigh in towing capacity or off road capability on anything but the pickup trucks. That should affect the score.

For example, the Rav 4 and Mazda thingy may get great mileage, but that shouldn't keep a Wrangler and Suburban out of the running. They are designed for off roading (jeep) or towing (Suburban) or both (Suburban Z71).

For a magazine that rates cars for impractical enthusiast reasons, like how fast a bunch of minivans can go around a racetrack or handling of a Chevy Aveo at triple digit speeds, they sure seem to rate SUVs for everyday use for the average soccer mom.
For mommy, the BMW 3 series isn't that great of a car. Well, neither is the Hummer H2...but both are for enthusiast. Why suddenly the change from enthusiast to everyday driver when it comes to trucks and SUVs?

For a mag with such enthusiast values, I expect them to understand the enthusiast viewpoint for trucks, which is totally different than it is for cars. Truck enthusiast value off road capability, durability, and towing capacity. That would put the Wrangler ahead of the Rav4, the 4runner ahead of the Mazda, and the Range Rover ahead of the Benz. Of course, Car and Driver is not Truck and Driver, but that doesn't mean they should revert to "Car and Soccer Mom" when they have to test SUVs.

My point is hard to explain....sorry if I confused you.

The thing with their 10best and 5best awards is that if the car couldn't make it the year earlier and hasn't received any changes its not eligible to enter this year. At least with the 5 best you have distinguised categories. So the GL took the suburban place.

[Robert Ryan]

[Rav4...midsize/compact crossover---> Not a truck.
CX-9...midsize/large crossover------> Not a truck.
GL Class: unibody crossover--------->Not a truck.
Silverado: FINALLY A TRUCK!
Odessey: a minivan based on a car platform>Not a truck

Ahhh my favourite Topic "What is a Truck?" By my definition none of them would be.

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

. I waiting for the day the Corvette gets lumped in as a Truck as it is not a sedan and is heavier than some CUV's.

full-sized pickup on frame

Which is what a Silverado is.

[EldoFan]

Someone at C&D needs to pull his head out of his ass I think......the only TRUCK on that list is wearing a bow-tie....

[blue3231]

Directly from the article...

Originally Posted by Car&Driver

Trucks are still mighty popular in America, although the herd is getting complicated by hybrids and crossovers and tall wagons.

Originally Posted by Car&Driver

More important, though, the nature of the vehicles classifiable as trucks is changing in response to changing times. This is particularly true among SUVs, where crossovers—a handily amorphous term we use for want of anything better—are well on their way to dominance.

To review, vehicles identified as crossovers usually have unit-body structures that trace their engineering heritage to front-drive passenger-car origins. The reasons for this trend are easy to understand. Unit-bodied vehicles are generally lighter than body-on-frame designs, with higher structural rigidity. Higher structural rigidity is a prime prerequisite for ride and handling goals, and nothing beats lower curb weights for achieving higher mpg.

A word on our categories. Vans and pickups are self-defining. Three of our five categories are devoted to SUVs, and beyond the required availability of four-wheel drive, two of the three are defined by size, the third, obviously, by price. The borderline for small is a max overall length of 184 inches. We also have a minimum height requirement—64.4 inches. Below that height, we consider the subject vehicle to be a car.