While GM tries to keep itself in business, it’s also trying to launch a new set of hybrid pickupsfor the 2009 model year. Soon, GM will be letting journalists–including the car review experts at TheCarConnection.com–to drive the 2009 Chevrolet SilveradoHybrid.

GM says the new Hybridedition of the full-size pickup truck will be 40 percent more fuel-efficient in city fuel economy and 25 percent better in highway mileage.

The Silverado Hybrid will come in the four-door Crew Cab body, in either rear- or four-wheel drive. Outfitted with a 6.0-liter V-8 engine and GM’s version of the two-modehybrid system shared with the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, the Silverado Hybrid will be capable of 500 miles of driving range. It will also be able to run on electric power alone, gasoline power alone or a combination of the two. GM’s Silverado Hybridpickup will also have cylinder deactivation technology, which turns off half the V-8′s cylinders to save fuel when it’s running under light engine loads. Chevrolet’s sister brand GMC will also get a hybrid version of their Sierra pickup.

Dual front and curtain airbags and stability control will be standard on the SilveradoHybrid. Minor aerodynamic tweaks help the Hybrid’s fuel economy; its battery pack is located behind the rear seats.

TheCarConnection.com will be driving the new Silverado Hybrid this month, with a full review yet to come. Stay tuned–in the meantime, find out more about the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado here at ChevyTruckReports.com, including extensive photos and pricing information.

There are three main engine choices in the 2009 Ford F-150 lineup, all of them V8s: a 4.6-liter that makes 248 horsepower and 293 pound-feet of torque, a higher-output 4.6 with 292 hp and 320 lb-ft and a 5.4-liter unit with 320 hp and 390 lb-ft. The base 4.6 is paired to a four-speed automatic transmission, while the high-output 4.6 and 5.4 are mated to a six-speed automatic. The brakes have a soft feel about them, but stopping distances are quite good. In instrumented testing, we stopped a four-wheel-drive Super Crew from 60 mph in an impressive 127 feet.

As expected, buyers have a choice between two- and four-wheel drive on all versions of the F-150. When it comes to working capacity, the F-150 can’t be beat — on paper, at least. Properly equipped, an F-150 with the 5.4-liter V8 can tow up to 11,300 pounds and carry a 3,030-pound payload. In practice, however, the F-150 struggles to keep up with more powerful rivals in towing and hauling tests, particularly when going up grades.

Fuel mileage can be as high as 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined for an F-150 2WD SuperCrew with the SFE (superior fuel economy) package. A more typical 4WD SuperCrew with the 5.4-liter V8 gets EPA estimates of 14/18/15

In SuperCrew form, the 2009 Ford F-150 can comfortably seat five or six people. Backseat comfort rivals the best in the segment thanks to an abundance of legroom, a flat floor and a seatback angle that’s not too upright as in some rivals. Carrying three passengers in the backseat is still possible if you get a SuperCab, though legroom will be noticeably less generous.

All F-150 versions offer simple controls and materials of pleasing quality. Order the navigation system and you’ll get a large (8-inch) screen. Lower trims have a standard 40/20/40-split bench seat with a column shifter, while the upper trims feature captain’s chairs and a console shifter.

Hauling large items is no problem in SuperCabs and SuperCrews, as the backseat quickly folds up to make way for cargo. The SuperCrew’s flat floor allows for secure transport of pets and big-screen TVs alike.

Driving Impressions

Thanks to its stiff frame and double-wishbone front suspension, the 2009 Ford F-150 delivers impressive ride and handling dynamics for a full-size truck. The powertrain enhancements this year also make the truck feel noticeably livelier, thanks in part to the six-speed automatic’s well-spaced gears and cooperative nature. Yet the F-150 is still down on maximum power — to the tune of 60-80 hp compared to the big V8s in the Ram, Tundra and GM trucks — so if you need or want serious oomph, there are better choices.