2005 Pickup Truck Of The Year - Power On Parade

Six amazing pickup trucks comprise the field in this year's elite Pickup Truck of the Year test. That number makes this year's field one of the largest we've ever had. Seems like everywhere we went over the course of our intense, four-day comparison period, there was a parade. Go figure.

Clearly, all of these trucks are comparable in that they have cabs, cargo beds and tailgates, yet you'll soon learn, as we did, that this is where their commonality comes to a screeching halt.

To be a player in Pickup Truck of the Year a truck must be either new or significantly revised. New is clearly self-explanatory, but an example of significantly revised could be something like a new suspension system. A new interior would be an example of an item that wouldn't qualify, because the revision must affect the vehicle's performance both on- and off-highway.

We ran our half dozen over a medley of brutal terrains (see sidebar on page 35). Ultimately, we scored 'em based on their performance as compared to one another (see the other sidebar on page 33). The fun starts on the next page.