Last week, Intellichoice announced their "2010 Best Value" awards, and GM trucks nearly swept the list, winning the best value award in all but the "Compact Pickup" category.
The trouble is, GM's Sierra / Silverado Hybrid, which was the best value winner in the half-ton segment, has no business competing as a half ton! GM's Hybrid pickups can't tow more than 6,100 lbs, which is less than a compact truck. For many truck owners, this level of performance simply isn't acceptable in a half ton. The F150, Tundra, Titan, and other GM half-tons can all tow 10k lbs or more - why would Intellichoice consider GM's hybrid pickups competitive?
If these GM hybrid trucks were placed in a different category (either the compact truck segment or in a category of their own), it seems likely that the Toyota Tundra would have won the award.
1. The Tundra had the lowest ownership costs in it’s class in 2009 according to last year’s Intellichoice survey.
2. The Tundra 4WD had the highest retained value in 2009 (also according to Intellichoice).
3. The 2010 Sequoia won the 2010 award in the full-size SUV category. A Sequoia is essentially a Tundra without a bed.
4. The Tacoma, which has a similar maintenance schedule and resale value, is the winner in the 2010 compact pickup class.
Even IF the Tundra is not the rightful winner, Intellichoice made a mistake when they announced that a truck with poor capabilities is a "Best Value."
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