2004 Truck of the Year Styling & Design Review

"Vehicles that get great numbers on the track aren't necessarily pleasant to drive on real roads in the real world."

Styling and Design
Chevrolet already has a full line of up-to-date full- and midsize pickups, so the SSR's reason for being is Big Style. The shape, a chopped, retro 1953 Chevy pickup, marries the Fat Fender look with a modern top that wouldn't be out of place in a Mercedes. One minute, the driver is piloting a coupe, then with the flick of a switch, the roof rises, bisects laterally, flips vertically, and motors down into a tidy compartment between the cab and bed. Voila! Instant roadster. And more fun to watch than synchronized swimming. GM went to great lengths to figure out a way to stamp the highly curved and deeply drawn fenders, but some of the inconsistency in panel gaps is disappointing. Still, Kim Reynolds notes, "Give them credit for trying something outlandish."

The other shock-jock in our platoon of pickups is the Titan. Inspired by the 2001 Alpha t concept, the Titan's bulging fenders, sculpted sides, and toothy grille signal this truck isn't business as usual. Chirico enthuses, "It's chunky but not clunky. A bold, aggressive, manly work-truck appearance, right down to the huge chrome grille." But Walton counters, "It's just too much chrome and is trying too hard to say 'I'm tough.'" Either way, "Styling drew lots of attention from neighbors and drivers alike," observes John Matthius, which may be just what Nissan wants.

A further civilizing touch: Ford adds optional roll-down windows for the rear doors of the SuperCab.

Ford's mission for the all-new F-150 was defensive, rather than offensive. The new F-Series seeks to draw upon the hunkiness of the more squared-off Ford Super Duty pickups, while not rocking the boat too much on the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for the last 21 years. Keebler exclaims, "It's got that classic cowboy Cadillac look. This truck will look smart and handsome decades from now. Gotta love the straight-up-and-down sides." In fact, the taller beltline enabled Ford to make the bed two inches deeper. Reduced tumblehome curvature on the side glass makes for an upright cabin with an airy feeling.

With the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, designers sought to build a bridge to their respective full-size counterparts. Both share a no-nonsense design. Lassa notes, "It has one foot in modernity, the other in old, cheap, small-truck style."

The SRT-10 looks exactly like what it is: the love child of a Ram pickup and a Viper roadster. Although that rear wing really has to go. Any questions?