Good for Chevy racking up another head to head challenge agains Ford and Ram. I understand the Chevy getting hit on interior and they really need to upgrade the cluster and nav. However, I find the dash boards of the Ford and Ram to be ugly. There just flat and angled and IMO not very pleasing to look at all.

atleast they dont pretent to make them look like they did 30 years ago....too much 80's...

chevrolet is trying to bring back their glorious years...face it chevy was at the top now its rollign downhill faster than it can recover........too steps forward one behind....LOL!

I love my Duramax Denali! Awesome power, looks and abilities.

Thank You Pickuptrucks.com for posting this. After reading this I am still going to buy a 2013 Ram 3500. The longevity of the Cummings engine means more to me than who is quicker.

We've just been informed (thank you CandD) that if you look just to the right of the story's title page, there will be a box with a heading named "Downloads". Underneath that heading are two files you can download to get all the specs and test data, as well as the scoring for the test. The results were very close, and we have no doubt some will say biased and controversial.

In my opinion, acceleration is the least important factor in this class. Braking, fuel economy and cost (as well as cost of ownership) are most. Would that change the ranking in my mind? No! The Chevy was the cheapest to buy and stopped best. The Ram and Chevy have been proven reliable. The ford still need to prove the new motor to me. That will take time after the 6.0, 6.4l crap they sold.

@Jack: you can have all that ugly GM interier, nothing but grey, yuck. Looks like they made a typo on the stopping with trailer, as they said the Ram was best in that and said 315, think they meant 215.

Think Ram can get more performance out of theres. Of course, they compare a roomy Mega with Rambox against the little Chevy cab, kinda like Motor Trend last year. Comparing a Ford crew to a Chevy ext cab. Anyway, the lighter crew wouldn't have won it for the Ram.

The Ford needs brakes. (a classic Ford complaint)

The Chevy? We all know the interior needs work, and that truck is thirsty for urea.

You just can't beat a Chevy.

Just had a chuckle when viewing C&D's "Final Results" ("Test Results" Download on C&D's website); at the very bottom of the page, 'Shell Nitrogen enriched gasoline' is listed as 'The Official Fuel Partner of Car and Driver'. (What? C&D used gasoline instead of diesel in these oil burners? Maybe the Duramax's performance was not hindered as much by running on gasoline than the other oil burners??? This calls for a re-test using the correct fuel type!)
Seriously, I'm sure they actually used the correct fuel... Also, I'll say that the C&D's comparison test was excellent, considering they're a car magazine. Guessing that they picked up a few ideas from PUTC's previous tests...

I laugh at the Ram commercials up here in Canada ! The Ram is the longest lasting pickup on the road like what BS!!! I work on a oil rig in Alberta and the new powerstroke is the best diesel out there. Its a super tuff truck and we throw everything at it and a tank of diesel lasts along time!! We had ram hds and they where awful on fuel they could not handle the ruff rig roads and it has aweful cold weather starts. We had alot of front end problems cheap made in china dodge parts like very low km on the Rams. Thats why most of the Oil companys go Ford here they want the best they got it with Ford superdutys!!

@harleyf150

are you shure of what you sayin'....and not just a basher who claims the ram trucks suck...

because here in colorado...the best is the RAM HDs. 1990's to right now i see then everywere hauling all the heavy sh8t around the farm...let me tell you i have work with all of them they are all great trucks i just find the Cummins easier to work with....

@ Big Roy i sure do know what i am talking about i been working in the oil patch in Alberta for 6 years i been around alot of heavy duty trucks and the worst out there is the Rams ! Just crappy front ends and everything like i rather drive a tundra out to a oil rig than a Ram! I just find my Ford superdutys are the best to work with !! Thats why i buy a new Ford truck every 3 years because its the best and always is number 1 in sales in North America

@ Jack

I also do not like the interior of the new Fords or Dodge or Toyota. If I wanted a interior that looked like a car I would buy a car. Yes they are modern and all, but I like the old school and old school works just fine for myself. Also my friends Tundra is a very bad layout. Maybe thats why we always take my pickup when we go someplace.

But I agree Big Roy the big three will all get the job done.

Not sure how but once again the Ram's Cummins falls short in fuel economy, both loaded and unloaded, as well as tow performance. It might be the only pickup platform that fails the inverse relationship of fuel economy and power/tow ability. What's up with that Ram?!

They put 12,000lbs on a weight carrying hitch? Yikes. Ford doesn't recommend more than 8,500lbs on a weight carrying hitch, and Dodge doesn't recommend more than 5,000.

Road Whales.

Why are these people testing the biggest of the big when that series should have the smallest demand? Why does the average driver need huge 4-door work trucks when they'll never load it to capacity? The only good thing about these three trucks is that they're running a diesel engine which can give them somewhat better fuel mileage over an 'equivalent' V-8 Gasser.

Ok, so I gave in to some extent with my purchase of a 1990 Ford F-150 Lariat. Even so, it's not as big as its 22 year newer siblings even though it does have an 8' bed hanging out back. I also paid 1/10th of what its newer sisters cost. I understand the occasional need for size (I currently have 20 8' heavy-duty folding tables in the back of mine for a yard sale) but that's just one oversized (for me) load when my Jeep Wrangler can carry almost everything else under normal circumstances. To be honest, I wanted a Ranger/S-10 sized truck but I simply couldn't beat the price for her condition.

The thing is that this truck isn't a daily driver and isn't going to be a daily driver; I bought it for a specific type of purpose and expect to sell/trade it once I'm finished with the jobs I bought it for. If I trade, it will be for a Gladiator/J-12 Jeep whereas if I sell I'm buying something significantly smaller with better gas mileage. Again, I really can't understand why people buy these Road Whales as daily drivers.

@ Vulpine

It completely depends on what the owner's needs are. For someone that's a self-employed contractor or farmer, their work truck and their daily-driver are often one in the same. That's why loaded crew-cabs have become popular. They pull double duty as work trucks and the family truckster.

The reason people drive these big Road Whales are they purchased it with their money (along with the fuel) and they feel they owe no one an explanation.

Just for the record I do not own and HD truck as many of you know.

@ Harleyf150:
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=2004&make=Ford&model=F-250%20Super%20Duty

Here's your Superduty reliability, maybe you can look at that sights ratings for the 2500 Ram? I see you smack talking about Dodge Reliabilty, yet you drive one truck (if you actually own a Harley F150) that might be 6.2, or it has the 5.4, one is unproven and the the proved that it couldn't keep spark plugs in it! The 6.2 was outdated when released! Enough about it

The new Ford diesel? Been on the markit how long? 2 years? Wow! Lets see, Ecoboost, barely a year. Atleast Rams don't have a bunch of trans issues like the current Fords. The HD shootout in 2010? Ford could not get whoa'd down! Matter of fact, the gasser F-250 couldn't beat even beat a Hemi in a race. Ok, so the Ram 2500 weighs less, about the same percent less as the 5.7 Hemi is to the 6.2. The Ford had alot more trans gear, and that's why it one the steep grade 10K trailer pulls. Rams already changed the trans for the better there, and the Ford also had 4.3 vs. 4.1s in the Ram. That's great if you haul 10,000 everywhere, in which case the person tow 10 alot, might as well step up to a Diesel. If I chose to upgrade to a 2500 or F-250 before I went on a 4,000 mile trip to get car parts, I would've been so broke after driving an F-250 6.2, no money for a motel! Nasty mileage with a Ford 6.2!!

@TRX4 Tom
Not only is the 5.4 spitting plugs, you can't get the other ones out unless you buy a 200 dollar puller. Because carbon builds up on the ends of the plus, so when you unsrew it. It falls apart into 3 pieces. Here's a video with a list of ford cars and trucks with the problem and the puller to get them out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3MPAPXBB6Y&list=FLHeEbQTJ7WxBltlAXa9AGbA&index=35&feature=plpp_video

let see TRX4 Tom
1st The new Ford diesel? Been on the markit how long? 2 years? yes and it is doing just fine especially in FE How's your Cummins doing i FE again
2nd Ecoboost, barely a year. Atleast Rams don't have a bunch of trans issues like the current Fords. Maybe not but they sure have had their share of tranny problems
3rd The HD shootout in 2010? this is 2012 and Ford has a V6 that will give your Hemi fits
4th Ford could not get whoa'd down! Matter of fact, the gasser F-250 couldn't beat even beat a Hemi in a race. there my friend you have a good point
5th If I chose to upgrade to a 2500 or F-250 before I went on a 4,000 mile trip to get car parts, I would've been so broke after driving an F-250 6.2, no money for a motel! Nasty mileage with a Ford 6.2!! if you upgrade to a 2500 of F250 the Hemi will not get better FE

@johnny doe

or i could bought a Chevy with a piston slap, i can deal with spark plugs, tell me again how you deal with the piston slap issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ailwsg_mOWE&feature=related

You can run a truck with piston slap, but you sure as hell can't run you're ford gasser with out spark plugs. Unless you can some how turn that gasser ford into a diesel. So tell me how you deal with that! haha

Chevy can win a drag race. Wow, impressive. When your truck is made of tinfoil and chintzy interior plastic it's not hard to win the HP to Weight ratio statistic. Too bad the 'truck' will fall apart around the engine. Complete piles of garbage.... Where's the SFA? Nice eyesore of a frame ya got there Chevy.

As the old saying goes, "Chevy's are for racing, Ford's are for working"...

@DanTheMan, why not just look here... 15 freaking years of engine production and STILL Knocking!! http://www.pistonslap.com/

@johnny doe
from what i heard and understand they are not that bad to deal with and the tool makes it really easy if they break, had mine done at 90k and not one broke, the piston slap to me is a much bigger deal eat a lot of oil and is really noisy and annoying, but back to realty i have never seen the piston slap or a Ford spitting spark plugs, just heard about it on the web

MikeHileman

man you ain't a kidding just look at the Ram and the Ford and then look at the Chevy

@ TRX4 TOM I sure do own a Harley f150 its a 2011 i love my 6.2L i get 20 mpg and thats Canadian gas milage it makes the same as my old 5.4L did and with my 6.2L i got 411 hp !!! And i dont like Dodge and never will been around them working in the oil patch and i would never ever own one to far behind the Ford !! And if Ford was so crappy like u say why are they so ahead in sales ? why does the Ram sell 1/4 of what the ford sells i could go on and on i will leave it at this Ford built oil patch tuff!!!!

Funny. I am in the energy business, and the bulk of our light trucks are 6.0L gas Chevys. Much cheaper to operate than most any diesel. I won't tell you how well the 6.0L Powerstroke worked out for us.

Back to the test: Know what I think? That Ford Torq-Shift transmission sucks up a lot of power, that's what.

I don't know what Chevy is thinking, if you order black leather, you will no longer get woodgrain. Yeah I know it's fake, but it adds a little color and contrast to the interior.

Ok people what I can never understand is people like my friend from Ireland living in the US keep saying we need small diesels in our big pickups. But if I have to pay an extra $5000/$6000 for that option in a 1/2 ton I will stick with my gas V8 or a Turbo V6. Plus diesel in the Pacific NW is like $4.59/$4.69.

Guess I'm off topic since talking about 1/2 ton pickups, but even for 80% of what most people tow a gas would get the job done. We used to tow a flat bed trailer with 12 round bales on it using a 1980 GMC dulley 454 and that was in the hay field. And for those that do not know thats like 12,000 - 14,000 Ibs Ibs from the bumper hitch no 5th wheel.

@Paul810 I would agree, too much weight for sustainable long term use.

No surprise here, the best HD made won again. And the brakes on the junk Ford still are junk.

As far as longevity concerns for the Chevy. My 2006 Chevy 2500 just turned 300,000 miles and I tow trailers for a living. It still feels like the truck when I first bought it. My last truck, a 2500 GMC had 684,000 miles on it when I sold it. It is still being driven ib Phillipsburg Pa to this day.

Funny reading there posts... bunch of kids. My truck is better than yours... yada yada.

OK MY TURN LOL. FORD is king. Everybody knows this it's not big news. Both the RAM and the FORD looks awesome.

GM...? Are they still making those? LOL.

@Greg/Johnny Dose - the company my brother works for changed over to Chevy trucks. At one time they had a mix of Ford, Chev, and Dodge trucks. All of the field operations guys ordered Ford's and Dodges, the office jockeys who wore workboots twice a year ordered Chevs. Some beancounter decided that the Chevs were more reliable but did not look at the duty cycles of the trucks. They cheeped out and went to 1/2 tons too. They also went from a 3 year 60,000 mile cycle to 5 years or 80,000 miles. They have been faced with a 5 times increase in repair costs. My brother was pointing out all of the problems in his 3 year old GMC 3/4 ton truck. His comment was "They are good if you keep them on the highway". That is a huge insult coming from a guy who drives 40 - 60,000 miles a year mostly on gravel roads, logging shows, and construction sites.
@Harleyf150 - all depends on regional preferences. I see mostly Ford and Dodge trucks in logging (BC). Those are trucks bought by small and medium sized contractors, not low bid fleet trucks. Only 20% are Chevy/GM. In Canada Ram does not sell 1/4 of Ford. Ram outsells Ford in the diesel trucks(Canada). Ram also outsells Chevy in Canada if you tally all of their pickup sales. In the USA Ford HD outsells Ram HD 2:1. Ram outsells Chevy HD as well in the USA.
As fa as the Ram commercials are concerned, they are using the same "Based on registrations" data argument that Chevy uses on the USA. It is misleading since registration data does not capture repairs.

To add fuel to the fire, how many of you actually read the test?
1st Chevy - 190 points
2nd Ford - 188 points
3rd Ram - 176 points

Why doesn't someone run a towing and hauling test? I see more of these trucks with a load in the box than a trailer behind it. Another point of criticism - no one tests these trucks with a load off highway. I'd like to see loaded and unloaded testing as well as with or without a trailer on gravel roads. Run a simulated job site test as well.

@Harleyf150: Well, you have some folks (like you?) that buy something cause you think "wow, a 6.2 Ford, sure puts out the power" Well, it actually does put out alot of power, but look man, a Hemi, an I-Force 5.7 are just a few engines with a much broader powerband, more torque and horsepower per inch. Lots of people are misled to think a 5.0 has more power then a Hemi, it's not a bad engine, but it's not what a Hemi is, and the current one is two years older then Fords high tech, yet is way broader on torque, not as peaky like the 5.0, and gets it done a bit earlier. But because of a transmission gear ratio advantage, alot of those that buy to go drag racing at the track, or just like to drag race to 60 mph with 9,000 pound trailers up a hill are liking the Ford gears. Sorry, but that fun is about to come to an end, as you won't have a gear advantage.

I didn't say Fords were ALL CRAPPY. I will say the Super Duty chassis is a bit outdated, and this story, and the 2010 HD shootout, also shows Ford needs to rework the brakes. In Aviation we have a saying "Take offs are optional, landings are mandatory." Drag race all you want with a heavy F-250, or pull heavy trailers and brag about having the most powerful gasser or diesel, you still have to stop! Yes, the F-250 diesel gets good mileage. That's important, that it does do. Like the Ecoboost, lets see it prove it self and last awhile. You ever realized that turning around that big old Superduty takes alot of room? Unlike a Ram 2500 4x4, which will have a much smaller turning diameter. Same for your F150, the Tundra leads that, (only cause they take more turns lock to lock, allowing a quicker turn, but yet the STEERING RATIO itself is slower) then the Ram 1500, Ford F150? Go find a field. Some things they do good, others they don't like alot of trucks.

The 3.7 V-6? I give Ford credit for being one of, if not the first to really put a high tech V-6 in a truck. The new Pentastar V-6 has alot going for it too. If not more. It will make for a great shootout and good competition brings better products.

The Ecoboost? Is it everything it's cracked up to be? Really? Fords Davis dam run shows it beating a Hemi Ram by 11 seconds or so to 60 cause of the transmission gear advantage, but yet the Hemi got it down to 3.2 seconds after 3.5 miles? Let's see that test again with the Ram running this 8 speed trans? Pretty sure you see a differant result, in both things timed. Better mileage towing? I am not so sure about that. longivety? Reliability? Talk to me in 8 years after that engine has been around, if it's still around.

Ford 6 speeds? Lets see, Ford waited til 2009 to go to over 4 gears, and that was optional on some. Meanwhile Ram has had 6 actual speeds since about 2003, they just weren't spaced out like the Fords, still better then a 4 speed Ford. My friends 1991 F-250 broke it's trans in 96 hauling 7,000 pounds of racecar and trailer. Yet my step ma's 98 Ram 1500 keeps pulling, might only be at 85 or 90K now, but most of that was towing a horse trailer with living quarters, a fifthwheeler travel trailer, hay trailers, my 69 Dart, or a tractor. Pretty much now if it goes somewhere, it has a load, and when my dad retired he bought it, so those aren't miles back and fourth to work. If they weren't hauling, they take something that get's better mileage. I am also talking in the hills just south of Branson, Missouri. Not some flatland like Illinois. Oh, by the way, he had a 97 or 98 Ford for about a month, and the first big hill with the travel trailer, he knew it was a mistake, and it was a loss.

Anyway, I bet if you search on here there is alot more complaining about Fords 6 speed shifting, more then there are issues with the present Ram gasser trans. It would be funny if Ford compared their own V-8s to the Ecoboost, that would be funny watching the 5.0 try to maintain 3rd gear with 7500 pounds on it. And of course, Ford only wants you to see them win, the reason they didn't show the Tundra pulling the Davis Dam. If Ram had the Tundras 6 speed, it would have won that. But some folks don't understand.

Enjoy your Harley truck.You paid for a name. I would never give Harley what they want for a bike, either. The truck with a 6.2 and Harley are a perfect match. And if you work in the oil business, you have plenty to blow. But we don't all have money to blow.

Once again, the best pick up truck in the world won again, way to go General Motors! GM has not upgraded their PU's yet and are running on a nearly decade old design and powertrain yet they smoke the ford and dodges who have pumped billions of dollars into total redesign only to come up with PU's that are as good as a 1995 Chevy. I'm sure the "I flunked my GED test for 80th time" losers wil try and dog Chevy but that is to be expected from moron's. When GM's all new truck comes out it will be a no brainer that the next test Chevy will score another slam dunk embarassment of ford, dodge, and the scrap can tundra.

@harley150, if you ever get your GED then you will be able to add, subtract multiply and divide, then you will see your ford waste of money harley edition, gets 15 mpg city and 18 highway. BTW, when I bought my 99 GMC, I went to the Harley dealer and spent $70 on chrome Harley Eagle stick on medallions, one large and two small. I put the big one in the middle of my tail gate and the 2 small ones just behind each front fender. To this day I have people bent over looking at them and saying, "that's a beautiful truck, I didn't know they had a GMC Harley Davidson edition". Then I tell them they don't, that instead of being so stupid to pay $7000 above sticker I spent $70. They always say, "that's a prettier truck than anything ford has". And they are right.

@Lou, you still talk but make no intelligent sense, you never back up your propaganda. Fords are inferior to Chevy's, all the data proves it. Quit being such a troll! You have never had any accurate data to back up your claims, yet GM has the longest lasting trucks on the road, especially in the snow belt where fords rust out after 5 years. Keep driving your junk and I will keep passing your by the side of the road waiting on a tow truck.

What did Car & Driver think of these trucks when it comes to the 15 reasons to swith brands?

The top 15 reasons are:
1) fuel economy - Ford and GM tied here
2) operating costs - not reviewed
3) durability (lasts a long time) - not reviwed, but Ford HD according to JDP
4) how far on a tank of gas - Ford and GM had same fuel econ here
5) reliability (doesn't break down) - not reviewed, but Ford HD according to JDP
6) ride smoothness - C&D rated Ford best best ride, best handling on the track
7) performance fully loaded - Chevy quickest 1/4 mile but they said Ford was on par with Chevy; Ram slowest; Chevy only truck to buck with trailer
8) seat comfort - Ram best, Ford right behind, Chevy was the least comfortable they said
9) engine power - Ford 400 hp at 2800 rpm, GM 397 hp at 3000 rpm
10) visibility for driver - Ford great visibility
11) towing capacity - Ford C&D said
12) overall front seat roominess - not reviewed
13) in vehicle electronics, technology - Ford.
14) front seat for passenger area - not reviewed
15) exterior styling - they rated them all 8's

I'll also add that Ford had the lowest tailgate height so anyone that claims that Ford needs the step because it is too high needs to come up with a new line.

When you consider the real reasons that matter it is hard to pick the Chevy. If only speed times and who brakes the shortest matters to you, you probably should not be buying or a HD truck or you should go with the Chevy.

I wish I better understood the legal and liability aspects of why pickups get rated they way they do.

We always hear about small "foreign" pickups that are rated to haul 3000lbs and how the North American trucks are lighter duty. I have never believed that for a second, but the Fiat in this test has a rated payload of 1650lbs?! Why are our trucks (including 1/2 tons) rated so low?

Also, I like these types of tests to see published real world diesel MPG... the internet claims are often BS.

@Ted - Your post is a load of crap. The bottom line is Chevy wins again! Have fun with your second place truck.

How many times are these ford fans going to insuate that their Ford is the best when they keep losing every challenge?

Pickuptrucks.com shootout, Rumble in the Rockies, Motor Trends Truck of the Year, GM Head to Head testing, and now this Car And Driver test all had the same result! GM'S HD'S won period end of story and the results were independently varified!

Face it ford fans, you big bad ford that you all assumed would beat the Chevy Silverado's Duramax with Fords new power and torque figures got it's butt double s handed to it by the Duramax!

Now eat a nice big cup of humble pie and repeat after me,
the Ford Powerstroke was beaten by the Chevy Silverado Duramax AGAIN and all the tests prove it to be true! Feel better now???

I'm actually pretty impressed with Ford's 6.7L after reading this. Despite the Ford being 340lbs heavier than the Chevy and larger in almost every dimension, it gets the same fuel economy, is faster to 30mph, and has the exact same passing times. It also seems to be the quietest engine of the bunch (though that could just be due to sound deadening).

Also notable, was that the Ford was the only one on 34" tires, the other two were on 32" tires.

It's obvious though, that Fords biggest enemies are weight and braking performance. It's tied for the heaviest truck of the bunch, yet has the smallest rotors. That's definitely an issue.

@BJ, I would pick the Duramax too (because overall it is better), but I honestly think the 6.7 Powerstroke is technically a better engine. Power and torque can be changed with a simple tune on any of these things. Perhaps Ford held it back because the frame was not up to more. There's no denying the Ford needs a new frame now.

You are not just buying the Duramax. You are buying the complete package. A complete truck.

I see no mention of solid front axles vs what Chevy is using. HD customers like SFA because they hold up better.

Fuel economy, costs, durability and reliability all trump speed and braking times. Frame - Ford may need a new one, but it did ride better, was better on the track and the Dmax was the only truck that bucked the trailer.

I will let Bob have the last word.

@TJ - did I say anywhere that the Ford SD was better than the Chevy? I was pointing out to road queen camper hauler Greg, and Johnny Dose who doesn't even know how many miles are on his own (sic) truck that in the real world guys buy Ford and Ram trucks for work.
What is with the insults?
Why don't you post statistics/proof that Chevy trucks last longer than Ram or Ford?
You seem to be falling for Chevy's advertising - longest lasting on the road. (Please note the "on the road" part).That is based on registration data not durability/repair data.. Why don't you read the fine print on some of their advertisments for a change. you can read, since you keep mentioning GED. It must of been a proud moment for your family when you completed yours.
If I wanted a ROAD truck to pull a trailer, I'd get a GMC with the Denali package. I don't like anything about the Chevy. I'd have no problems with a duramax. The problem is I live in a part of the world where there are few paved highways and mostly gravel roads. That means I would buy either a Ford or Ram. SFA, higher up frame, no DF tank begging to get killed, bumpers and plastic that is more durable, and a body and frame that is more out of harms way.
You can keep your FREEWAY KING Chevy.
Like my brother said " They are good if you keep them on the highway".

I do agree that Ford needs to upgrade their chassis and especially the brakes. The engine brake will need some more refinement too. Ford must of did some fine tuning because past tests seemed to show a greater advantage for the Chevy drivetrain.

It will be interesting to see where GM goes with their trucks as the Duramax is at the end of the evolutionary cycle.

Ram does need to get Cummins to provide something that can run with the other 2 trucks, at least in shootout tests. The Cummins is a popular engine, so I don't think most diesel fans care if their truck doesn't win a magazine test.

Ford's 6.7 is in its infancy so I can't see GM keeping an advantage for long, but who knows?
GMC could keep winning all of the tests but still keep being outsold by Ford and Ram diesels. At the end of the day, that is the test that corporate bean counters care about.