Forbes Best Pickups for 2006
While foreign manufacturers dominate the car and SUV vehicle segments, that quintessential American icon, the pickup truck, continues to be ruled by the domestic automakers. Forbes Dan Lienert wrote that Toyota Tundra engineers, while touring Texas Stadium during a Dallas Cowboys' football game, continued to be amazed how Americans loved their pickups even as personal transportation. We'll have to wait until next year after the new Tundra has debuted to see if Toyota's engineers have tapped the pulse of America's pickup purchasing public.
Without further adieu, Forbes top pick pickups for 2006:
- Best Midsize Pickup: Dodge Dakota and Mitsubishi Raider
- Best Pickup For Off-Roading: Dodge Ram Power Wagon
- Best Pickup For Pulling Stumps: Ford F-Series Super Duty
- Most Fuel-Efficient Pickup: Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series
- Most Sinister Pickup: Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 (pictured)
- Most Upscale Pickup: Cadillac Escalade EXT
- Raciest Pickup: Dodge Ram SRT-10
- Safest Pickup: Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra
Strategic Vision Top Quality Award winners for 2006 announced
Forbes picks hottest family trucksters
Consumer Reports' 2006 Top Picks? 100% Japanese
[Source: Forbes]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick 11:12AM (6/21/2006)
Yes! Finally! No mention of the fake-truck, Honda Ridgeline!
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Michael Karesh 11:23AM (6/21/2006)
How many Forbes readers buy a pickup to pull stumps? How many even buy a pickup?
And where is the "best pickup to actually haul stuff"?
Anyone think they spend more than an hour creating each of these lists?
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MSH 11:28AM (6/21/2006)
The fact that they picked the Super Duty for the "stump-puller" category shows that they don't know what they are talking about. When you want "stump-pulling", you want a diesel. When you want a diesel, you want to stay as far away from the Powerstroke as you can get. And the Dakota/Raider as best midsize? Huh?
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DJ 11:37AM (6/21/2006)
What, no "Best Pick-Up Bed to Get Laid In" category?
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MattS 11:43AM (6/21/2006)
They got the safest pickup wrong, it's the tacoma crewcab with side curtain air-bags and the electronic skid control option hands down no other truck is safer.
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Tim UF 12:05PM (6/21/2006)
further proof that the compact pickup is a dying breed (until some marketing type person realizes "hey, we could sell a small pickup by flaunting its MPG").
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Brian 12:28PM (6/21/2006)
Yeah Tim, I can hear it now, "Maybe if we sold a *small* truck? You know, for better mileage. We could call it the Chevy/Ford Luv/Courier."
Yep, deja vu all over again!
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Vctor Rubiera 12:45PM (6/21/2006)
What a terrible mistake has done Forbes, how can it be that a pickup truck like the Ford Super Duty with all it´s quality problems can be named the best in any category? that Diesel engine has many problems. Dodge Ram Cummins engine has more power/less problems!!!!. And of course if you want simply more space there´s the Dodge Ram Mega Cab in 1500, 2500, 3500 series.
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Vik 12:48PM (6/21/2006)
Everything seems as expected save for the compact pickup- Dodge Raider?? Huh!? These fellers ever heard about the Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier. I thought that argument was settled long ago.
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Miles 1:34PM (6/21/2006)
Just a niggling detail, but "Without further adieu" should be "Without further ado". Ado is roughly the equivalent of "fuss" as in "Much Ado About Nothing", whereas adieu is French for "farewell" which doesn't make any sense at all in the this context.
You can resume talking about trucks now, which, by the way, are the preferred mode of personal transportation in western Canada as well. I think the trend might extend in a geographical band from Texas all the way up to Alberta.
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Fabulo 2:24PM (6/21/2006)
This list has good potential on the 'irrelevant things you don't care about' list.
Also for Nick, I don't understand why anyone feel threatened by the Ridgeline. It's like a Tahoes owner screaming to high heavens that my Murano is not a 'real' SUV. Nobody cares.
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HemiDakota 2:38PM (6/21/2006)
Tundra is not safe...did anyone do some research prior for nomination? Dodge Ram with full six-airbags...go figure. I guess you have to credit something to the Japanese. LOL
Then we have "sinster look' to a heavy laden slug truck that outweighs most others. Please....what was Forbes thinking of? Advertising money? Heheheeee
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Nick 3:03PM (6/21/2006)
"Also for Nick, I don't understand why anyone feel threatened by the Ridgeline. "
Not threatened at all, just the fact that it's making it to the top for usefulness in surveys makes no sense to me. It's like having an old Rampage or El Camino make the top truck lists. Real life tells people otherwise, and I'm shocked that a money magazine /didn't/ pick it.
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transam02 12:03AM (6/22/2006)
I'm surprised they didn't create a category just so Honda could win. How 'bout: best pickup on a minivan platform... or something like that. Try creating your own for the Ridgeline.
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