Crazy as it sounds, the best-selling vehicle for nearly all of the past 30 years has been Ford’s F-Series pickup truck. Although that prestigious title technically belongs to Ford’s entire F-Series family (meaning it includes the Super Duty rigs and commercial-use chassis cabs), most of the sales numbers were generated by the F-150. If you wanted to label something as “America’s truck,” this would be it. And for 2009, Ford has revamped the F-150 in an effort to retain that title.

Ford’s magic formula for the F-150 has traditionally consisted of strong towing and hauling capabilities, solid durability and a dizzying variety of body styles, trim levels and options. In recent years, this formula has been expanded to include a smooth, quiet ride and an easy-to-drive demeanor. If you can’t find something you like in an F-150, then maybe you don’t really want a pickup truck. Nonetheless, stiff competition in the large pickup segment has compelled Ford to give the F-150 a thorough freshening this year.

Making changes to a perennial cash cow is not something a company’s going to take lightly. As such, Ford has made careful but key upgrades to the F-150 that address some of its former shortcomings. There’s a six-speed automatic in place of the aged four-speeder, for example, which provides better low-speed acceleration as well as more relaxed and fuel-efficient cruising. Additional changes for the 2009 Ford F-150 include Super Duty-inspired front-end styling and a new high-zoot Platinum trim level. The SuperCrew also gets more “super” via a 6-inch cabin stretch, which provides a flat rear floor and limolike rear passenger room as well as the ability to carry really large objects within the cab.

Other neat and useful features include a capless fuel filler, steps that deploy to ease access to the bed, Ford’s Sync multimedia voice command system (which can also provide weather, gas prices, sports scores and movie times via Sirius Travel Link) and an integrated trailer-brake controller. As before, there are numerous features that optimize hauling and reduce stress, such as a cargo management system and a rearview camera.

Nonetheless, the F-150 still can’t touch a Tundra in a stoplight drag race, even when it’s got the top-shelf 5.4-liter V8. And while towing and hauling capacities are impressive on paper, real-world testing lays bare the F-150′s under-hood deficiencies, as the Ford struggles to keep up with brawnier rivals like the Tundra, the new Hemi-powered Dodge Ram and the Chevrolet Silverado. Still, with its user-friendly features and pleasant driving dynamics, the F-150 remains one of the easiest half-ton pickups to live with on an everyday basis. And with the wide range of available body styles, trim levels and equipment, you’re sure to find one that meets your needs.

The 2009 Toyota Tundra is essentially the same truck that made waves three years ago when it arrived on the scene as the first full-range, top-to-bottom overseas threat to the domestic truckmakers. With its robust chassis, wide range of body styles, available 381-horsepower V8, pleasant driving demeanor and distinctive interior, the Tundra set itself apart from the pack. The recently redesigned GM pickups were certainly viable challengers, but after living with both a Tundra and a Silverado in our long-term fleet over the past year, we ultimately determined that the Toyota was the better buy.

What a difference a year makes, or rather, what a difference two redesigned competitors make. After ruling the roost for its first couple years of production, the 2009 Toyota Tundra must now contend with the redesigned trucks from Dodge and Ford. Despite this onslaught, the Tundra sticks to its still-mighty guns for 2009, adding only a pair of limited-edition sport and off-road packages. The lineup of three stout engines, three bed lengths and three cab styles remains the same. Notably, the Tundra forgoes a traditional extended cab in favor of two crew-cab flavors: regular Double Cab and jumbo CrewMax. Now that Dodge’s Mega Cab is discontinued, no other truck comes close to matching the Tundra CrewMax’s rear-seat space.

During our long-term test of a Tundra Double Cab, it proved to be a capable workhorse that tackled all our towing, hauling and commuting needs without breaking a sweat. Its strapping 5.7-liter V8 and responsive six-speed automatic consistently impressed, and although the cabin evinced a few ergonomic missteps, it was generally durable, spacious and comfy. On the downside, the Tundra’s wide haunches and expansive dashboard make it seem larger than some competitors from behind the wheel. Also, its rear suspension provides a significantly bouncier ride than the sophisticated coil-spring setup found in the new Dodge Ram.

The full-size-pickup segment is an embarrassment of riches these days. The new trucks from Dodge and Ford are impressive, but so are the GM full-sizers. In our most recent full-size truck comparison test, the Tundra was narrowed edged out of first place by the Ram. Nonetheless, the 2009 Toyota Tundra remains a well-built and thoroughly competent truck. Make sure it’s on your to-drive list if you’re shopping for one of these beasts of burden. for make payment use payday loan

Back When the hammer H3 was introduced, we lamented the lack of power from the five-cylinder mill, and the need for additional drivetrain options and a front locking diff. The Hummer guys were listening though, and responded with the H3 Alpha (First Drive, Jan. ’08), which sports a 5.3l V-8, but no front locker. But we still wanted bigger tires, regular cogs behind the V-8, a front locker, and maybe even an sUT or a diesel mill. it was only a matter of time before the highly capable H3 followed its genetic destiny. Enter the H3T, a four-door shortbox pickup, with lockers front and rear!

We were fortunate enough to tag along on a recent engineering testdrive where components are validated, yet the looks are camouflaged for secrecy. By the time you read this, the beast will have been exposed, but we’re the first to give you our impressions of the new Hummer. While obviously longer than a regular H3, the shortbox can still carry plenty of gear, especially with the tailgate down. The rear camo makes the unit look more like a suburban than a pickup, while the front camo covers up nothing you haven’t seen before.

On the blacktop, the additional length of the H3T with its 134-inch wheelbase (23 inches longer that the H3) is immediately noticeable, adding an enhanced feeling of stability at speed. On long grades, the 295-horse 5.3l did as we expected, pulling the additional weight onfidently and without protest. The rigwith the five-cylinder i-5 still required pegging the tach and quick shifts to keep up.

On the trail, our immediate thought was that the 134-inch wheelbase would require a football stadium to do a U-turn. However, the engineering team was two steps ahead of us with a tight-ratio steering box that almost makes turns as tightly as the shorter H3. The flip side of the additional length is a reduced breakover angle and a strong argument for the heavy-duty skidplates. With both lockers engaged, the five-cylinder model mated with the fivespeed worked flawlessly in the rocks, as did the V-8. Both versions of the Adventure package are equipped with the 4:1 transfer case and lockers fore and aft, and provided a solid feel for the terrain. Once we get a chance, we’ll test them with the camo off and let you know about visibility as well.

Unfortunately, the H3T will still be burdened with the full array of electronic bells, whistles, bling, curtain airbags, child safety locks, DVD players, satellite babysitters, and other electronic nannies. But the heart of the beast is within, and the fact that you can slip your quad or a ton of gear in the bed, put a couple of kids in the backseat, and have dual-lockers right out of the box is a big plus in our books.