Chevy C1500, Dodge Ram 1500 LT, and Ford F-150 XL

Though we happily live in a dreamland of tire-smoking Vipers, outrageous Porsche 911 Turbos, and Ferrari trunks filled with matching leather luggage, we enjoy occasional visits to reality. For this return to the real world, we chose a trio of minimally equipped, V-6-powered, short-cab, two-wheel-drive pickups: the Chevy C1500, Dodge Ram 1500 LT, and Ford F-150 XL, each available with no frills for about $16,000. But at this price, just how good are they?

First off, realize that you won't find a single keyless remote, compact disc player, or power window in this bunch. Keeping true to our premise of testing high-value full-size pickups, about the only indulgences permitted were air conditioning and automatic transmissions. These are such old-fashioned, basic, feed-cap-and-camouflage-jumpsuit pickups, we were surprised a Popiel Pocket Fisherman didn't come standard with each.

Especially when measured like steak or rental property (by the pound or square foot, respectively), these are among the most value-packed vehicles on earth. But low price doesn't preclude performance and comfort. And while not exactly on a par with today's luxury cars, their ride and ergonomics are pretty darn nice for workhorses.

Ford grabbed the '97 Motor Trend Truck of the Year award for its thoroughly revamped F-150 (which debuted in January 1996). Most of our truck-loving staffers think the new sheetmetal shaping is alluring and the interior clean and organic, but one dissenter called the look "a bit boring." When the Dodge Ram debuted in '94, it earned the Motor Trend Truck of the Year award for its aggressively shaped redesign. Three years later, most of our editors are still moved by its big-rig image, but the once league-leading interior is now merely a contender in passenger room. Likewise, it doesn't take much scrutinizing to realize the Chevrolet embodies the oldest design of the group, dating back to the '88 model year, one year before the initial season of our Truck of the Year award. Though the still-popular Chevy C/K pickup is due for a major makeover in '99, its sheetmetal retains classic attractiveness, while a recently freshened interior is livably contemporary.

New features for '97 are minimal on all these trucks: The Chevy C1500 now includes a defeatable passenger airbag, revised power steering that increases boost at low vehicle speeds (for ease in parking) then returns to normal at higher speeds, plus transmission upgrades to improve shift quality. Thanks to several new-for-'97 chassis and body stiffeners, the Ford F-150 is notably the most solid-feeling of the bunch. Changes to the Dodge Ram for '97 were so minimal as to be non-existent.

Despite Herculean coordination efforts, our three test trucks weren't absolutely identically equipped. The most significant difference was that the Ford was delivered in long-wheelbase (138.5-inch) trim, while the Chevy was the 117.5-inch variant, and the Dodge a 118.7-incher. Compared to Ford's standard 119.9-inch length, the long-wheelbase version gives the F-150 another 18.6 inches of overall length, 14 cubic feet of additional truck-bed capacity, and a $280-larger window sticker.

The Chevy had the lowest base price ($15,100), but its rock-bottom $17,435 window sticker benefited from a no-cost California-only "special value" package that would normally add $1350 to the sticker. (The package includes air conditioning, a cassette-equipped AM/FM stereo system, tilt steering wheel, tachometer, and cruise control.) Without that incentive, the Chevy would list for $18,785, making it still the lowest, and that's the figure we used for our price as tested.