the 13 chev i tried with 5.3 6spd i loved on paper, here's what it was like to live with...
1. acceleration dynamic, heavy throttle pedal, poor transmission programming to throttle position, never really seeming to follow your brain desires for right foot/go/brain connection, still drop two gears in cruise up an incline when it never should...screaming etc. apparently in the name of mileage...
2. front seat comfort, could not get it right no matter what, need to follow tundra or ram to get the best there
3. way too low front end, car like, even with chin spoiler removed. at least on my ram you drop 5.5" by dropping the chin spoiler and you have same snow clearance from bottom of bumper as the cab etc....nice straight line.
i tried a couple gm's and was a gm guy for a long time, the current generations of gm's-isms are unlivable for me but i tried, i wanted to love that 5.3 6 spd but set up poorly and the rest of the truck i couldn't handle either...
tundra was a sports car but thirsty and no range, reliable and comfy though
never have been a ford guy and renting a new one for a weekend confirmed i'll still probably never be able to pull the trigger on one...
4 yrs and 100,000 k on the ram and no plans to change and i'm one who likes to change, when i start seeing large fuel tanks, smaller engines with 8 gears or more then maybe look again
nothing available right now that can compete with my ram except another
new ranger is coming out with a 2.3 turbo 4 with a 10 speed...just throw that in the f-150 with a 120+ liter tank and it'd be worth a drive
the honda ridgeline is appealing but not enough range and a bit too low in the front imo....so close honda, love them but with availability of my ram it would lose everytime
the pentastar v6 is a gem engine, very flexible modern powerful efficient and lightweight/compact, won wards 10 best engines 3 yrs in a row. if the other half ton manufacturers bring on turbo 4's or excellent v6's with 8-10 gears well sorted programming and larger fuel tanks then great! the ride and handling of the ram is so good too, quiet cab (hands free calls etc.) rear coil suspension....the drivetrain, ya the ram is still 4 years later the choice, i watch the market as i love auto, i chose wisely, obsessive researcher gear junky
