Feature: Truck Report 2007Taking it to the Max: Pickups and engines go up-size to meet today's work demands.

Although major truck model overhauls are only introduced every four to six years or so, each year automakers try to add something new or to refresh the look of their vehicles to interest buyers. One continuing trend in pickup trucks over the past few years is "bigger is better"–crew cabs are more spacious, there's more emphasis on heavy-duty models and features, compacts have grown to mid-size, and both gas and diesel engines keep increasing power along with fuel efficiency.

2007 Isuzu i-290

But while power and capacity are important, especially in hardworking vehicles, size isn't everything. Today's pickups are still purpose-built work vehicles, but buyers also can celebrate the fact that trucks are no longer second-class transportation. Many new models now feature the same improved safety and traction control systems as the best-equipped passenger cars and SUVs. This includes head and side airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, tire-pressure monitoring, rollover sensors, and computer-guided traction and stability control. Some models boast five-star crash impact ratings for drivers and passengers. These systems save lives, and it's smart to ask about them when you shop for your next pickup and they're worth requesting when offered as optional equipment.

For 2007, two of the biggest manufacturers–Toyota and General Motors–are rolling out three full-size pickups that are all-new from the wheels up, while Ford is refreshing its Super Duty line and rolls out a Sport Trac SUV-pickup as a bigger, more capable hybrid with a V8 engine. Meanwhile, Dodge is cranking up its already big turbo diesel, and competitors such as Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, and Isuzu are coasting with minor upgrades to pickups introduced in the past year or two.

Here's how the 2007 models stack up.

Toyota

Perhaps the biggest news for '07 and certainly the biggest news in years from Toyota is the launch of an all-new, full-size Tundra pickup with a second, full-size V8 engine. Called the CrewMax, this pickup is a super-size version of the four-door Double Cab, which will continue to be offered along with Regular Cab Tundra models.

2007 Toyota Tundra Regular Cab

The second-generation Tundras (the original was introduced in 1999) are larger in every dimension than the single model they replaced. The new vehicles are available in three wheelbases, three bed lengths, and three trim levels–31 iterations overall–and with a choice of three engines. Both the CrewMax and Double Cab models have full-size, front-hinged rear doors. The cavernous CrewMax interior offers limo-like legroom with sliding, reclining rear seats–a pickup truck first.

Tradesmen and GCs will be happy to note that all of the new Tundras have interiors designed to function as a mobile office, with two separate gloveboxes (including a 9.5-liter-capacity lower compartment), a center console large enough for hanging files and a laptop computer, and a wide sliding armrest that can double as a portable desk. Two 12-volt DC outlets are provided in the cabs, with a third outlet available in the CrewMax models. For overtime working convenience, all of the outlets remain "live" for up to two hours after the ignition is switched off.

Like the CrewMax body and frame, its new optional all-aluminum 5.7-liter V8 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission were designed and engineered, and built, in America. The 5.7 pumps out 381 hp and 401 pound-feet of torque, with a maximum towing weight of 10,800 pounds and a 2,060-pound payload rating. A Tow/Haul selector on the 6-speed gearbox optimizes shifts for hills and heavy loads.

Due to its mammoth cab size, the CrewMax is available only with a 66.7-inch short bed. A new 97.6-inch long-bed option on other Tundra models is added to the standard 78.7-inch bed length.

Two additional engines carry over from the previous Tundra. Standard on the CrewMax is a 4.7-liter V8 that produces 271 hp and 313 pound-feet of torque. Standard on the other '07 Tundras is a 4.0-liter V6, with 236 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque. All three engines use regular 87-octane gas and are expected to meet federal ULEV-II certification for ultra-low emissions. Each of the new Tundras is available in 2- or 4-wheel-drive. A TRD (Toyota Racing Development) off-road setup is also an option.

Toyota's small pickup, the once-compact, now mid-size Tacoma, has a 4-inch-wider wheelbase for 2007, but otherwise little has changed. It's offered in three body styles: Regular (two door), Access (with front-opening rear half-doors), and four-door Double Cab models. The standard bed for the Double Cab is 60.3 inches long, while a 73-1/2-inch bed is available on the other models. All are equipped with a composite bed, which the maker claims is stronger and more corrosion resistant than steel beds.

The Tacoma's base engine is a 2.7-liter 16-valve 4-cylinder that provides 159 hp and 180 pound-feet of torque. Top kick is the same aluminum 4.0-liter 24-valve V6 available in the larger Tundra. Max tow rating is 6,500 pounds, with a payload max of 1,685 pounds. A sports-oriented 2-wheel-drive PreRunner with the 4.0-liter engine and a 6-speed manual transmission is also available.

General Motors

Since their introduction in 1999, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 series full-size pickups have received numerous refinements, power upgrades, and styling changes. The 2007 models build on this legacy; they don't look all that different at first glance, but they are all-new from their new GMT-900 platform up. Although GM steadfastly claims these trucks are unique to each other in design and features, they share virtually the same engineering, engines, and options. Only the GMC Sierra Denali model offers upscale features not shared by the standard 1500s.

2007 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD LTZ Crew Cab

The 2007 trucks offer seven new or retooled V8 gas engine options, including four versions of GM's durable 5.3-liter small-block workhorse (all rated at 315 hp and 338 pound-feet of torque), a 6.0-liter with variable valve timing and, in the Denali alone, a big 6.2-liter mill that puts out 400 hp and 417 pound-feet of torque. A 4.8-liter V8, standard on some models, provides 295 hp and 305 pound-feet of torque, while a 4.3-liter V6 with 195 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque is standard on other models in the 1500 series.

Payload capacity for these pickups has been increased to a maximum 2,160 pounds, and towing weight to 10,500 pounds. Bed options include 5.8-, 6.6-, and 8-foot interior lengths. Stability, handling, and safety also have improved, thanks to a 3-inch-wider track and standard electronic ride control with computer-controlled "rollover mitigation" on Crew Cab models (optional on Extended Cabs). An ultrasonic back-up assist is also available. All 2007 GM vehicles, including pickups, get seventh-generation OnStar as standard equipment, which provides automatic crash notification to authorities along with GPS location assistance.

Over the past few years, General Motors pickups have been at the forefront of hybrid-engine development to reduce gasoline consumption. While both Silverado and Sierra offer a 1500 Hybrid Classic pickup this year, GM appears to be downplaying this technology as it awaits the 2008 introduction of an all-new hybrid platform developed jointly with DaimlerChrysler and BMW.

Meanwhile, GM is emphasizing fuel economy gains in 2007 models based on its Active Fuel Management technology, which allows V8 engines to run on only four cylinders when full power is not needed, and on refinements such as improving body-panel gap tolerances and windshield angle, and optimizing tire roll resistance, to reduce drag. According to GM, this has boosted combined average fuel economy to an all-time high of 21 miles per gallon for this year's pickups.

The heavy-duty 2500HD and 3500HD Silverado/Sierra pickups are scheduled for a complete makeover next year, but they get two new engines for 2007. Choices include a 6.0-liter V8 gas engine with 353 hp and 373 pound-feet of torque–an 18 percent improvement over the engine it replaces–or a 6.6-liter turbo diesel that generates 365 hp and an awesome 660 pound-feet of torque. Max tow rating is 13,000 pounds (16,700 pounds for specially outfitted fifth-wheel haulers). Maximum payload is 5,307 pounds.

GM's other pickup twins, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, get engine upgrades for 2007, but little else has changed since these mid-size trucks were introduced in 2004. The improved base 2.9-liter 4-cylinder engine delivers 185 hp and 190 pound-feet of torque, while the new 3.7-liter in-line 5-cylinder offers 242 horses with 242 pound-feet of torque.

Most other specs stay the same on the Colorado/Canyon platform. Regular, Crew, and Extended cabs are available, with beds of 5.1 or 6.1 feet in length. Maximum payload is 1,733 pounds, with a 4,000-pound max tow weight.

Ford

The big pickup news from Big Blue in 2007 is the relaunch of its Super Duty (over-8,500-pound Gross Vehicle Weight Rating class) pickups. These trucks are not just pumped-up F-150s but are built on a unique, heftier frame architecture. The lineup now includes brawny F-250 and F-350 pickups as well as a new F-450, which Ford insists on calling a pickup although its chassis cab configuration sets it well apart from "standard" pickup trucks.

2007 Ford Ranger

The Super Duty pickups have been completely overhauled and are being reintroduced this year as 2008 models. To match their designation, there are plenty of horses under the hoods, including an all-new 6.4-liter twin-turbo diesel that produces 350 hp and a massive 650 pound-feet of torque, giving the F-350s a maximum towing weight of 19,200 pounds and a bed capacity of 5,800 pounds. A carryover 6.8-liter V10 gasser returns this year, with 362 horses and 457 pound-feet of torque, along with a 5.4-liter V-8 that delivers 300 hp and 365 pound-feet of torque.

Also reengineered for 2007 is Ford's popular Sport Trac hybrid SUV, an Explorer up front with a 40-inch-long cargo box in back. The new pickup is 2 inches wider and 5 inches longer overall, with a 16.8-inch-longer wheelbase sporting independent rear suspension, giving this vehicle much-improved stability and handling. Thanks to its Explorer DNA, it also now offers traction and roll-stability control, side-curtain airbags, and five-star crash safety ratings.

Other interesting additions to the Sport Trac include a micro-mesh heated windshield, a hose-out rubber floor under its floor mats, and several weathertight storage bins molded into its composite cargo box. An optional 4.6-liter V8 produces 292 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque, while the base 4.0-liter V6 engine offers 210 and 254, respectively. Maximum tow weight for this hybrid is a respectable 6,800 pounds, with a payload of 1,390 pounds.

The F-150 workhorse of Ford's fleet got its wheels-up makeover two years back, so there's not much news for '07. Three engine choices include a 4.2-liter V6, 4.6-liter V8, and 5.4-liter V8 that range from 202 hp to 300 hp and 260 up to 365 pound-feet of torque. The F-150's towing capability has been increased to 10,500 pounds and bed capacity upped to 3,060 pounds.

For 2007, Ford also has rearranged its specialty pickup offerings. The cool, blacked-out Harley Davidson model returns in its ninth iteration, now as an all-wheel-drive F-150 four-door. The supercharged Lightning F-150 and King Ranch models have been shelved, but the luxury LT model continues in the Lincoln lineup.

As for the Ranger, this compact pickup is content to run in the shadow of its full-size siblings, receiving incremental changes year after year just to maintain position. A 7-foot cargo box is optional for 2007. Three engines are offered, a base 2.3-liter in-line 4-cylinder (143 hp, 154 pound-feet of torque), a 3.0-liter V6 (148 hp, 180 pound-feet of torque), and a 4.0-liter V6 (207 hp, 238 pound-feet of torque).

Dodge

The Ram pickups last year added the then-biggest MegaCab to fill out a solid lineup that included the regular-duty 1500 series, a reintroduced Hemi Power Wagon, a Viper V10-engined SRT-10, the V8-powered mid-size Dakota, and 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty models.

2007 Dodge Ram 3500 Chassis Cab

No big changes or additions to the Ram family are coming this year, except for a major upgrade to the HD fleet's top diesel, which will grow from a 5.9-liter to a 6.7-liter turbo-diesel mill supplied by Cummins, with an optional 6-speed auto tranny. Cranking out 350 hp with 650 pound-feet of torque, this monster boosts towing maximum to 16,400 pounds and payload to 5,020 pounds.

Engines and specs for the 1500s and Power Wagon are unchanged for 2007. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 provides 345 hp and 375 pound-feet of torque; the 4.7-liter V8 Flexible Fuel Vehicle (E85 capable) produces 235 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque; and the 3.7-liter V6 offers 215 hp and 235 pound-feet of torque.

The mid-size Dodge Dakota, in Club Cab with rear access doors or four-door Quad Cab models like the bigger pickups, continues with a 3.7-liter V6 as standard equipment and offers a choice of V8s, including the same 4.7 FFV engine, or a high-output 4.7-liter version that delivers 260 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque.

Nissan

Introduced in 2005, the Titan is Nissan's first full-size pickup, a very capable debut effort that includes an American-designed and -built V8 engine. The shine hasn't worn off this truck yet, so it's little changed for 2007 except for an uptick in horsepower (to 315 from 305) and torque (to 385 pound-feet from 379) for its lone powerplant option, a 5.6-liter double overhead-cam V8. This engine is now rated as flexible-fuel capable for use with the E85 blend of 85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline.

2007 Nissan Titan King Cab

The Titan is available in 2- or 4-wheel-drive, with four-door Crew Cab or King Cab with double-hinged, 168-degree forward-opening rear access doors. Maximum towing weight is 9,500 pounds, with a bed capacity of 1,558 pounds. Tradesmen will want to check out this pickup's unique Utili-track bed tie-down system and factory-warranted spray-on bed liner, as well as the Titan's standard lockable bed-side compartment.

For the look-alike but smaller Nissan pickup, the mid-size Frontier, a new long-bed option in 2007 stretches the cargo platform by more than a foot, from just under 5 feet to 73.3 inches. Last year's addition of a 4.0-liter V6, now with 261 hp and 281 pound-feet of torque, gives this truck a needed bump up from the 2.5-liter in-line 4-cylinder mill (152 hp, 171 pound-feet of torque), which remains the base engine. The new engine boosts payloads to 1,552 pounds and tow capacity to 6,500 pounds. A specially equipped NISMO (aka Nissan Motorsports) off-road version of the Frontier is also available.

Honda

The Ridgeline is a mid-size SUV with a 4x5-foot box, but Honda calls it a "genuine truck" and claims its specs prove that it can run with the full-size, light-duty pickup pack. Its frame and drivetrain, based on the Acura MDX sport-utility platform, has been considerably beefed up to allow a 1,100-pound bed payload and a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity.

2007 Honda Ridgeline RTL

Nonetheless, a car-like ride with full four-door, five-passenger seating, along with an on-demand 4-wheel-drive system that automatically kicks in when two-wheel power isn't enough, make the Ridgeline behave like a sedan even when it is working like a truck.

Only one engine option is available for the Ridgeline, a transverse-mounted 3.5-liter V6, which gets a small boost in '07 to 255 hp and 252 pound-feet of torque. This pickup also has some unique features, like a tailgate that swings out or drops down and a lockable, waterproof, below-the-bed storage compartment big enough for both the spare wheel and 8.5 cubic feet of tools and gear.

Send In the Clones

Although the Isuzu, Mitsubishi, and Mazda pickups all advertise themselves as unique, sporty trucks for the youthful pickup buyer, they are all close derivatives of GM, Dodge, or Ford mid-size or compact pickups, and the difference between them and their big-name doppelganger cousins is typically only sheet-metal deep. Here's what's available:

Mitsubishi

The all-new Raider introduced in 2006 was the first Mitsu pickup ever to hit the U.S. streets. It offers aggressive styling and claims to have the only V8 in import-brand pickups, but in reality it is a reskinned Dodge Dakota built in the same Michigan plant, and it packs the same Dodge 3.7-liter V6 or 4.7-liter high-output V8 power. Available only as an Extended Cab with two full-size front doors and two slightly smaller front-hinged rear doors, Raiders are offered with 2-wheel-drive, part-time 4-wheel-drive, or all-wheel-drive traction. As on the Dakota, side-curtain airbags to protect driver and crew are optional.

Mazda

Built in partnership with Ford, the B-Series pickups bill themselves as compact, sporty trucks with a "value story." The three models (B-2300, B-3000, and B-4000) have changed imperceptibly over the past several years and continue to offer equipment and specs identical to that of the Ranger (see above).

Isuzu

Isuzu has enjoyed a longstanding engineering relationship with General Motors that includes joint-venture Duramax diesel engine manufacturing and small pickup trucks. This was evident once again in the 2006 introduction of the Isuzu mid-size i-280 and i-350 pickups, which are being re-badged in 2007 as i-290 and i-370 models.

In keeping with this nomenclature upshift, last year's 2.8-liter 4-cylinder and 3.5-liter 5-cylinder engines are now "new" 2.9-liter and 3.7-liter engines. The i-290 is offered only as an Extended Cab 4x2 model, while the i-370 is exclusive to the Crew Cab 4x4. For specs, see the GM Colorado and Canyon information above.

--Michael Morris is a contributing editor for Tools of the Trade.