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Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tundra flunk IIHS headlight test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety put pickup truck headlights to the test and found that the majority of them were equipped with subpar units. The 2017 Honda Ridgeline was the only truck to earn a rating of "good." The large pickup truck test was comprised of the: 2016 to 2017 GMC Sierra, 2017 Nissan Titan, 2016 Ram 1500, 2016 to 2017 Chevrolet Silverado, 2016 to 2017 Ford F-150, and 2016 to 2017 Toyota Tundra. The Sierra's headlights earned a rating of "acceptable," the headlights found on the Titan and Ram 1500 were found to be "marginal," and the ones on the Silverado, F-150, and Tundra were rated as "poor." IIHS claims the F-150 was the most disappointing out of the large pickup trucks as both its halogen and optional LED headlights failed to provide adequate visibility during testing. The Ridgeline (which earned a "good rating"), is usually considered a midsize or small truck, though IIHS included it in the field of large pickups. The headlights on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, 2016 GMC Canyon, 2016 Nissan Frontier, and 2016 to 2017 Toyota Tacoma, which made up the small pickup truck group, all earned a rating of "poor." The IIHS claimed the Colorado had the worst headlights of any truck that was tested, as the base vehicle's units were only able to illuminate up to 123 feet in front of the car. The Ridgeline's headlights, for reference, were able to illuminate up to 358 feet in front of the vehicle. To conduct its test, the IIHS utilizes a special tool to measure how far light is projected out of the headlights in different driving situations. The trucks' headlights were tested in a straight line and in corners, while vehicles with high-beam assist were given extra praise. The headlights on the pickup trucks also mimic the testing that was done on small SUVs and cars earlier this year. Next year, automakers will need to fit their vehicles with headlights that earn a rating of either good or acceptable to earn the IIHS Top Safety Pick+. Related Video:

2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty First Drive Review | King of the haul

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The 2020 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty is a bit of a mixed bag. It excels at the tasks an owner is likely to require from a massive pickup truck, but the interior is a definite letdown. Taken as a whole the truck boasts several class-leading specifications and features that make up for the lackluster look and feel of the cabin. And it's much more successful than the mechanically similar Chevy Silverado HD, which shares the Sierra's weaknesses but few of its subjective strengths. GMCÂ’s Sierra HD may share most of its major bits and pieces with the Silverado, but the strongest reason to pick the GMC over the Chevy is that the SLE and SLT trims of the Sierra HD are legitimately handsome. And the rugged, off-road-themed AT4 package is new for 2020 with a blacked-out look that we think a lot of buyers are going to love. Even the ostentatious, chrome-dipped Denali trim looks classy compared to the in-your-face look of FordÂ’s Super Duty line. The same canÂ’t be said for the Silverado HD, which, depending on trim level, varies from garish to just plain ugly. The six-function MultiPro tailgate is the next major differentiator. ItÂ’s not perfect — and mounting a hitch ball in the receiver renders some of its functionality unusable — but itÂ’s unique and potentially very useful to a subset of truck customers. WeÂ’ve covered MultiPro several times already, but if youÂ’re still not clear on its advantages, watch the video below for a demonstration (that's a light-duty Sierra in the video, but the tailgate works the same). This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Another unique selling proposition is the AT4 trim, since Chevrolet doesnÂ’t (yet) offer its Trail Boss package on the Silverado HD. The most obvious competitor to the Heavy Duty AT4 is the Ram Power Wagon, and the GMCÂ’s 3,615 pounds of payload and 18,500 pounds of towing capability handily outdo the RamÂ’s ratings of 1,660 and 10,620. Granted, the trucks arenÂ’t aimed at quite the same buyer — the Power Wagon has legit off-road credibility thanks to upgrades like its electronically disconnected sway bars, 12,000-pound Warn winch, and a forward-facing trail camera. But unlike the GMC Sierra AT4, it isnÂ’t available with a diesel. No matter; those aiming for a rough-and-tumble appearance in a heavy duty now have a couple options.

Satisfaction with dealer service rises, Lexus and GMC are tops

During the economic downturn, many car dealerships counteracted their slowing income by focusing on things that would set them apart from competition - things like the quality of customer service they provide. When the economy picked up and more sales and service followed, many also first invested those funds back into the business, improving their dealership facilities and service centers.
It looks like those investments are paying off, as J.D. Power and Associates' latest Customer Service Index Study shows that overall consumer satisfaction with dealer service has increased to 797 (on a 1,000-point scale), up from 787 in 2012 and 29 points higher than the score in 2011. The study also finds that people are more satisfied with the service they get at dealerships compared to independent service providers, despite the much higher average out-of-pocket cost per visit ($118 vs. $44).
Note, however, that this study only looks at how people are treated by a dealer's service department during the first three years of ownership (the survey is based on responses from 91,000 owners and lessees of 2008 to 2012 model year vehicles), so we're talking about the experience had when bringing a car in for repair or maintenance work, most likely under warranty. In fact, maintenance work is increasing in share and accounted for 77 percent of service visits (up from 72 percent in 2012 and 63 percent in 2011). This helps explain why customer satisfaction has also risen, since a properly maintained car is one that's less likely to require a dealer visit for an unexpected repair.