What are the pickup truck industry trends for 2015 and beyond? This is TFLtruck’s take.
5. Heavy Duty Trucks
According to the AAA and Fuel Gauge Report, the United States national regular gasoline average price is $2.240 per gallon. And the average price for a gallon of diesel is $3.137. (Compare to gasoline average of $3.323 and diesel $3.873 from a year ago.) Turbo-diesel technology is getting more and more advanced. These truck are quieter, cleaner, and more powerful than ever before. Ram keeps turning up the power and the payload/towing capacity of their Cummins powered HDs. GM is working on the next version of the Duramax, and Ford is preparing the next-generation Super Duty (with rumored aluminum body). Competition is fierce and the consumer will benefit.
4. More Technology and Refinement
All pickup trucks are getting more refined and more stuffed with latest technology. The 2015 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon ride and handle like a crossover, yet they are still a body on frame mid-size trucks. The all-new 2015 Ford F-150 can be optioned with LED headlights, surround-view camera, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic start-stop technology, and more. Does it sounds like an option list from a high-end luxury sedan? Expect, more high-tech and luxury feature in 2015 and beyond.
3. Less Weight and More Strength
Ford has made the leap into lighter weight pickup trucks with the aluminum bodied 2015 F-150. They also use high-strength steel for a tougher and lighter-weight frame. You can be sure that other manufactures are working on ways to reduce weight in their trucks. GM is reportedly looking into taking the Siverado and Sierra down the aluminum route. Many manufacturers already use high-strength steel for their frames, as well as composite body components.
2. Even More Diesels
The Cummins powered 2016 Nissan Titan is coming this year. Nissan is also exploring possibilities of a Cummins powered Frontier. Of course, there is the Ram EcoDiesel. GM will likely be first to bring a mid-size truck with diesel power with the 2016 Colorado and Canyon. Don’t discount other automakers from bringing more diesel options.
1. More Mid-size Trucks
The mid-size pickup truck segment is heating up. The Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon are back in a big way. Toyota will show the redesigned Tacoma at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. You can expect a lot more developments in this space if not in calendar year 2015, then in 2016.
Bonus: More Dedicated Off-Road Trucks
The Ford SVT Raptor tapped into a big appetite for off-road focused pickup trucks from the OEM. There is also a Ram HD Power Wagon that can bash any terrain. Toyota’s TRD Pro truck lineup is not as extreme as the Raptor, but it’s still very capable. Aftermarket has been a buzz with off-road versions of all trucks. Big manufacturers are watching and you may see other production versions very soon.
