Best Trucks Of 2015

Gottlieb Daimler had the foresight to build the first truck in 1896 to meet the growing needs of commerce in Germany. It wasn’t until the Galion Allsteel Body Company modified a Model T in 1913 that the pickup truck as we know it today began to evolve. In the early years, a pickup body had to be special ordered, so they were only used for work purposes, but by the 1990’s 85 percent of the most popular trucks were being sold for personal use, never seeing a work site. The 2015 best trucks are more apt to have all of the creature comforts associated with a passenger vehicle than they are to carry a heavy payload on a daily basis. Despite the comforts offered, the most popular trucks still offer the towing and cargo capacity needed to tackle any job. Let’s have a look at 2015’s best trucks.

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2015 Best Trucks: Mid-Size

Some truck buyers realize that they will never carry or tow a large amount of weight. These same buyers are interested in the best fuel economy possible from their truck. A mid-size truck is the perfect answer. These trucks combine decent cargo capacity, fuel economy, a lower sticker price, and can offer seating for up to five passengers. The 2015 best truck in this class is the Toyota Tacoma.

2015 Toyota Tacoma

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The Toyota Tacoma debuted back as a 2005 model and has not changed much. It is a tried and trusted design that continues to deliver in every way possible. The 2015 Tacoma has two strong engine options. The base 2.7L four-cylinder is powerful enough for everyday driving and offers up to 24 mpg on the highway. If you plan to tow or haul occasional payloads, the available 4.0L V6 practically begs for the job. For those drivers who intend to spend time off-road, the TRD Promodel trim level is one of the best dirt trucks on the market today.

Beyond its powertrain, the Tacoma is a nimble, easy to handle truck that  maneuvers well and is easy to park. Techcentric buyers will enjoy the standard Bluetooth, 6.1-inch touchscreen, and mobile app integration. Optional and trim-level specific features include: keyless entry, power mirrors, tinted sliding rear window, steering-wheel mounted audio control, chrome grille, color-keyed front bumper and fenders, foglights, adjustable driver lumbar support, variable intermittent wipers, metallic instrument panel trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a rearview camera. When fully equipped the interior of the Toyota Tacoma is nearly on the same level as a BMW 3-series or Mercedes-Benz C-class.      

2015 Best Trucks: Full-Size Light Duty

To many truck owners, a full-size light duty truck is the only option. They demand best in class towing and payload capacity, durability, creature comforts, and seating capacity for at least five passengers. They want a truck that is flexible enough to get them to the jobsite or a night out with the family. There are many trucks on the market today that can fit the bill, but the cream of the crop for 2015 is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500.

2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD High Country pickup combines rugged luxury with heavy duty pickup capability, and offers a choice of gas, diesel or CNG power.
The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD High Country pickup combines rugged luxury with heavy duty pickup capability, and offers a choice of gas, diesel or CNG power.

Most of the world is buzzing about the Ford F-150 and its revolutionary aluminum body(revolutionary for a truck), but the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado has been topping head-to-head comparison tests, proving that it deserves to be the best light duty truck of the year.

The base models are simply mild refreshes of a truck that has stood the test of time, but the higher trim levels, LTZ and High Country, feature General Motors new eight-speed transmission and an optional 6.2L L86 V8 powerhouse that shames nearly every truck on the road today. The new V8 slams 420 bhp and 460 lb-ft of torque onto the pavement. If those numbers sound familiar, it is because the L86 shares much of its performance tech with the LT1 engine in the Corvette Stingray. The eight-speed gearbox allows the L86 to offer plenty of power on the low-end, yet deliver solid acceleration and fuel economy(for a truck). The 2015 Silverado High Country with the 6.2L and eight-speed can accelerate from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and finishes a quarter-mile in just 14.3 seconds at 98 mph. Since most of the world uses metric units instead of SAE, those numbers translate to 0-96 km/h in just 5.7 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds at 158 km/h.

Despite the performance capabilities of the high-end 2015 Silverado, it can still perform where it counts: towing. The base model Silverado 1500 is able to tow up to 7,200 lbs(3,265 kg), while a 6.2L equipped 1500 can tow 12,000 lbs(5,443 kg) with ease.

2015 Best Pre-Owned Trucks

Given that the average price tag for a new truck can exceed $50,000 easily, it is understandable that many buyers would prefer a pre-owned truck. There are five full-size trucks that you can not go wrong with. Any of these five, model years 2010 to 2013, will offer value, dependability, and solid performance. The first is the Ford F-150 followed by Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, and the Nissan Titan. Should you prefer a pre-owned mid-size truck, the top two are the Chevrolet Colorado and the Toyota Tacoma.

The Toyota Tacoma and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 both tested well in all safety categories across global markets. Either truck will perform well whether you use it for running around town or carrying your tools to work. Both offer agility on-road and off, so which of the two can be crowned as the absolute best truck of 2015? It is a tie. The true king of the road is the one that fits your personal needs best. If fuel economy and comfort are you forte, then the Tacoma is for you. Need to tow a camper or bulldozer for work? Then the Silverado is the ticket. Either way, you can not go wrong.