2021 HONDA RIDGELINE TEST DRIVE
What the Ridgeline does better than any other truck is provide a car-like experience. It’s as quiet and as smooth in here as a Honda Pilot. It’s also wider with more space than other trucks in this segment and the bed is bigger with added cleverness. And despite its modest ground clearance the all-wheel drive system is top-notch and can take you farther than you’d think. The seats are comfy and the V6 is slightly more fuel efficient than a Tacoma’s. But the rest of it leaves me either wanting more stuff or a much lower sticker price. With a starting MSRP of $37,655 including destination Honda is using the Sport to goad shoppers into a higher trim level. A Ridgeline you’d actually want is, at the very least the RTL trim and most likely the RTL-E. So some quick shopping advice; take that $2,800 Honda charges for this uninspired HPD Package and put it towards a trim upgrade…going from the Sport to the RTL costs $2,980 so it’s practically a wash…and then you’d at least have something worth owning.
2021 RAM 1500 TRX TEST DRIVE
A 702-horsepower 1500 designed to eat the outdoors for lunch. This is the new Ram TRX. When your truck comes standard with Launch Control, 35” tires, nearly 12” of ground clearance and a feature called Jump Detection you just know insanity will ensue. And that’s exactly what Ram delivers in this extreme version of an off-road truck. Ram has given this truck all the proper tools you’d ever need and they’re integrated with a modern touch that makes the TRX even cooler. From the many drive modes detailed beautifully up here to the TRX and Performance Pages on the big screen, this is the most comprehensive package of gauges, hero measurements, and driver assist features you’ll find anywhere. It’s all so brilliantly complete and exhaustive that it just adds to the feeling that there’s nothing this truck can’t do.
If I could have ANY truck I’ve ever tested over the past 23 years – and I’ve driven all of them – this would be it, hands-down. What RAM has done with the standard issue 1500 is already very impressive but this? This is nuts. The TRX is massive, looks completely apocalyptic, chews up the earth and spits it out without breaking a sweat, runs with an insanely powerful engine whose supercharger sounds just as insane, and yet possesses the most advanced, luxury and tech laden cabin in the truck segment. This is supremely modern and beyond spacious; the very epitome of having your cake and eating it too. Yes, the gas mileage is atrocious and at over $87,000 it’s basically relegated to rich guy fodder but this is the AMG S-Class of trucks, holding nothing back.
2020 Toyota Tacoma Quick Takes
The Toyota Tacoma, America’s best-selling mid-size pickup for 13 years in a row, isn’t stopping to admire its trophy case. Instead, it looks to keep its place atop the pecking order with new tech, style, comfort and convenience features, making the 2020 Tacoma more compelling and more competitive than ever.
A perennial award winner for segment-leading value, the Tacoma line boosts its appeal for 2020 with revised styling, expanded multimedia tech, added comfort and convenience features and, for the TRD Pro, additional off-road tech. https://testdrivenow.com/2020-toyota-tacoma-quick-takes/
The third-generation Tacoma pickup, with a design inspired by Toyota’s legendary desert race trucks, continues the model’s tradition of working hard and playing hard. With more than 30 configurations in six model grades available, there’s a Tacoma for every need: work-ready SR; high-style, high-value SR5; athletic TRD Sport; adventurous TRD Off-Road; ultimate off-road TRD Pro; and top-of-the-line Limited.
Nearly all 2020 Tacomas debut a new front grille design and new or updated wheel, each tailored to the specific grade. Inside, a new 10-way power adjustable driver seat with power lumbar support adds comfort on all grades SR5 and up. A new multimedia system now includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The SR will feature an upgraded 7-inch touchscreen, while SR5 grades and higher will feature a larger 8-inch touchscreen display. A new LED bed lamp is also available to brighten nighttime functionality while consuming less energy.
2020 Nissan TITAN Crew Cab PRO-4X
2020 Nissan TITAN Crew Cab PRO-4X Review By TestDriveNow Auto Critic Steve Hammes.
We all know who the key players are in the half ton pickup segment but I myself like to root for the underdog so the Titan has always been a favorite of mine. It’s never going to challenge the leaders in volume but it’s a really cool rig if you want to stand out from the crowd. MSRP as-tested: $58,455. https://testdrivenow.com/2020-nissan-titan-crew-cab/
2019 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2.7L TURBO
The all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is offered with an all-new, technologically advanced 2.7L Turbo that expands the range of available engines and builds upon additional choices to help customers find the Silverado that perfectly suits their needs.
Standard on LT and RST trims, the new engine delivers an SAE-certified 310 horsepower and 348 lb-ft of torque, for 22 percent more torque than the 4.3L V-6 it replaces. Developed specifically for truck applications, the new 2.7L Turbo inline four-cylinder engine delivers peak torque from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm.
The next-gen Silverado with the 2.7L Turbo delivers 0-60 mph performance in less than seven seconds and weighs 380 pounds less than the current Silverado with the 4.3L V-6. Compared with competitive full-size trucks, the Silverado 2.7L Turbo is expected to deliver comparable payload capability with greater torque than the 3.3L V-6 in the Ford F-150 XLT and the 3.6L V-6 in the Ram 1500 Big Horn.