Daily Slideshow: The Great Truck Showdown of 2018

Clash of the Titans

Following the Detroit Auto Show at the beginning of the year, it's clear that 2018 shall brook no armistice in the heated pickup market. The so-called "Detroit Three"-- that is Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge Ram-- each presented their stake in the market, each angle clearly informed by perceived weaknesses in the others. Even on a grassroots level, the notorious loyalty of truck owners to their brand shows just how far this battle goes. From the auto showrooms to the quarterly fiscal reports, right down to the jokes we share amongst each other about how much the latest Silverado might stink; there's no denying the fierceness of the battle. With that, we figured we'd briefly go over this "state of the showdown," and hopefully point out where each contender stands in their strategy and concept.

What are people looking for in a truck these days?

Sure; on the one hand, everyone is going to have their own specific idea about what to look for in a pickup truck. Many tend to have emotional associations with one or more of the brands before they buy their first truck. Still, getting a car tends to be the second-biggest investment a person makes after their home, and trucks tend to run pricier than cars.

Times have changed a lot since the "good old days" you hear about from muscle car aficionados. Customers, on average, have become noticeably more practicality-minded than in decades past. Fuel economy is a big thing for truck buyers. Trucks have the notoriety of being horrible at the pump. Gas mileage can be quantified in a nice soundbite, so it's a clear and tangible way for trucks to compete against one another. On the upper end, trims and customizable options enable the customer to realize their "dream truck." These options are also coming in the form of alternative fuel variants.

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

Creating converts out of each other's stragglers

If a customer feels mistreated or otherwise dissatisfied with the truck they purchased, they're a lot less likely to buy again. Fortunately for competitors, that doesn't rub out the need for a pickup truck itself. Despite that ingrained truck loyalty, conversions do happen. Again, fuel economy is the thing that consistently stands out as the potential deciding factor. This is part of the reason why Ford made such fuss over the F-150's recent switch to lightweight aluminum materials; they know the fuel economy is such a flashpoint with would-be buyers.

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

Ford remains on top-- naturally

Ford has had a 41 year-long streak of untopped success with their F-Series. You don't make the best-selling vehicle of all time without picking up some serious respect along the way. However, Ford has been feeling the pressure from Chevrolet in recent years, in part due to Ford's traditionally slow approach to innovation. At the Detroit Auto Show, Ford made a point of promoting significant but safe changes like the F-150's switch to aluminum. The smaller F-Series Ranger was also brought back, conceivably to offer a more urban-appropriate and fuel-friendly version for those who want a truck but don't need all the towing power. 

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

Chevy's a persistent contender

While the F-Series is the most successful automotive line in history, Chevrolet's been recently cited by CNN as taking home the most pickup sales overall, with all brands included. It makes sense to a point; Chevrolet has framed itself as a slightly cheaper alternative to the F-Series. Chevy trucks aren't terrible machines (as much as we like to joke about them) but they do typically feel more basic and uninspired than F-Series models; enough so that it arguably tunes out the perceived value angle.

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

Dodge RAM picking up the rear

When it comes to Dodge Ram, their pull in the showdown often tends to get dismissed in favor of the bigger two. It's not fair to overlook them; Fiat Chrysler's contender is easily successful enough to constitute a third heavyweight in the pickup market. In some ways, Dodge poses a more interesting opponent to Ford than Chevy does. While not to speak of their quality, Dodge has taken the value angle to a much stronger end than Chevrolet, with some equivalent Dodge models being quoted as much as $10,000 less than their Ford counterparts.

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

Ford's long-time reign brings its own advantages

On a quick bonus note, the longstanding success of Ford has led them to snag government deals. The new 2018 F-150 Police Responder joins a fleet of Ford law enforcement models. As if the F-Series wasn't ubiquitous enough as it is.

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

Staying on top will demand innovation

The state of this truck showdown is as tense as it has been in recent memory. With that said, the result is still ultimately the same. Ford comes out as a winner in most categories. However, 41 years on the throne does not grant them a free pass to get lazy. The game of catch-up other brands have been playing is getting fierce enough that Ford will probably need to increase the rate of their improvement in order to maintain dominance. There's more than just Dodge and Chevy to worry about too; just recently Tesla announced itself as a would-be newcomer to the ring with a massive all-electric pickup upcoming. Ford is set to make a big push forward in terms of fuelflex and hybrid technologies, which may provide enough momentum to keep the crown. Only time will tell; for now, at least we know who is king.

>>Join the conversation about the battle of the pickup trucks right here in the Ford-Trucks forum.

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