Pickup Truck +SUV Talk
We cover the U.S. pickup truck and SUV market bringing you fun reviews, interesting tidbits and real consumer concerns about these vehicles.
Episodes
275 episodes
GM’s New V8s: Tough Questions, Towing Surprises and Silverado Prices
GM’s new V8 engines bring more power—and plenty of questions. Fresh from GM’s powertrain event in Flint, Tim Esterdahl breaks down what engineers told him, what remains unanswered, and what it means for truck owners.In this week’s Truck...
I Ordered a 2027 Chevy Silverado High Country: Here’s Why
I ordered my next truck: a 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country. In this episode, I explain why I chose Chevy over GMC and Toyota, why timing pushed me into the High Country trim, and the exact engine, color and towing configuration I ord...
GM 6.2L V8 Investigation Escalates, Tundra Hammer Test and Super Duty Engine Changes
NHTSA has escalated its investigation into GM’s 6.2-liter L87 V8, moving the case into an engineering analysis that could affect nearly one million Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac trucks and SUVs.Tim Esterdahl explains what the expanded fede...
Toyota Techs Are Smacking Tundra Engines With a Hammer to See if They Need Replacing
Toyota has a new way to inspect certain 2022-2024 Tundra engines, and yes, it involves a plastic hammer. Tim breaks down Toyota’s V35A crank bearing inspection, why the automaker is testing these engines, how an accelerometer and software are u...
Ford Fathom Revealed: Who Is This $30K Electric Truck Really For?
Ford has revealed the Fathom, a new electric pickup expected to start around $30,000. But who is this truck actually for, and can Ford find enough buyers to make it successful?In this Truck News Recap, Tim Esterdahl examines what we know...
Most Reliable Heavy-Duty Trucks Ranked: Ford, GM or Ram?
Which heavy-duty truck is the most reliable: Ford Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado HD, GMC Sierra HD or Ram HD?Tim Esterdahl ranks today’s heavy-duty trucks using Pickup Truck + SUV Talk’s original reporting, NHTSA data, recalls, technica...
Highlander Issues, Tow Hooks, and Rumble Bee Pricing
The 2020-2026 Toyota Highlander has a reputation for reliability, but owners and used-vehicle shoppers should know about recalls, transmission complaints, ECU-related stalls and several other reported problems.Cory Fourniquet examines th...
What Is the Most Reliable Full-Size Truck? We Ranked Them All
Which full-size truck is the most reliable today? Tim ranks the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 and Toyota Tundra using PUTT’s reliability reporting, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, failure severity and recurrin...
2027 Toyota Tundra Updated: What's New and Did They Fix the V6
The 2027 Toyota Tundra has arrived, and viewers have two major questions: Did Toyota finally fix the twin-turbo V-6, and why isn’t the V-8 coming back?Tim Esterdahl examines Toyota’s engine recall solution, the sharp decline in reported ...
Why the 2027 Chevy Tahoe Won’t Get GM’s New V8 Engines Yet
Why won’t the 2027 Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon get GM’s new 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter V8 engines right away? Tim explains GM’s rollout strategy, the engineering and investment involved, and what buyers can actually expect from the 2027 Tahoe.
EPA Rolls Back DEF Rules: What Actually Changed for Diesel Truck Owners
The EPA has released its long-awaited proposal to revise the 2027 heavy-duty diesel emissions rules, but does it mean diesel owners can finally delete their trucks?In this episode, Tim Esterdahl breaks down what the proposal actually cha...
15 Years Later: Why Truck Owners Still Debate Ford's Famous EcoBoost Durability Test
Fifteen years after Ford tore down a production 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine in front of a live audience to prove its durability, truck owners are still arguing about what the test actually proved. Tim looks back at the famous Detroit Auto Show te...
Could Ford Lose Its 49-Year Truck Sales Crown? Q2 Truck Sales Breakdown
Quarter 2 truck sales results are out, and the numbers tell an interesting story. Ram continues its impressive comeback thanks to the return of the Hemi V8, Ford F-Series sales have slipped amid production challenges, Chevrolet Silverado sales ...
The Biggest Expansion in Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk History
After 10 years of building Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk, it's time for the biggest expansion in our company's history.In this episode, I share the story behind the launch of We Talk Cars—why I decided to expand beyond trucks, what w...
I'm Buying a 2027 Chevy Silverado, But GM Still Has to Answer These Questions
GM has finally revealed the all-new 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and in this episode I explain why I'm planning to buy one. But before I sign on the dotted line, there are several important questions I need answered.
The Safest 2026 Pickup Truck Is Not What You Think
Only two 2026 pickup trucks earned IIHS safety awards this year, and the top winner is probably not the truck most traditional buyers expected. The Tesla Cybertruck earned the only Top Safety Pick+ award, while the Toyota Tundra was the only pi...
Why Truck Buyers Are Still Arguing About Hemi vs Hurricane 2 Years Later | Truck News Recap
This week on Truck News Recap, Tim discusses the biggest traffic day in Pickup Truck Talk history and the surprising story behind it. A two-year-old interview with the chief engineer of the Ram Hurricane inline-six engine exploded online, reign...
What Ford Didn't Tell You About Bronco Filson
The 2027 Ford Bronco Filson looks like a premium outdoor collaboration on the surface, but the bigger story may be what Ford did not say. Ford kept calling this new Bronco “premium,” not “luxury,” and that word choice could matter if the rumors...
The Truth About Nissan Frontier Reliability (Plus New Toyota Tundra News)
This week on Truck News Recap, we're diving into the biggest known problems reported by Nissan Frontier owners from the 2023-2026 model years.From transmission complaints and electrical glitches to recalls and owner concerns, here's wha...
The Real Reason Toyota Tundra Engines Are Failing
Toyota has expanded its twin-turbo V6 engine recall again, and this time we finally have a better idea why these engines are failing.According to a newly filed NHTSA report, Toyota spent months tearing down engines, analyzing failed comp...
Ram Gave The Rumble Bee A “Pure” HEMI, But There’s A Catch
The 2027 Ram 1500 Rumble Bee brings HEMI power back in a big way, but the most interesting detail may be what Ram removed, and what it kept. The new Rumble Bee 5.7L HEMI drops eTorque and auto start/stop, yet still uses MDS cylinder deactivatio...
2027 Vehicle Kill Switches: What the Law Really Says
Are new vehicles really getting mandatory government “kill switches” in 2027? That rumor has exploded online, especially among truck owners and automotive enthusiasts, but what does the law actually say?In this episode, we break down the...
Could the Toyota Tacoma Become American-Built Again? $2 Billion Filing Says Yes
In this episode, Tim breaks down reports that Toyota could be considering a major shift in Tacoma production with a proposed $2 billion expansion at its Texas manufacturing plant.Could the Tacoma move back to the United States after Toyo...
Gas Prices Are High, Yet Ford CEO Admits Buyers Still Buying Reliable V8s
Gas prices are rising again, yet truck buyers still keep choosing V8 engines over smaller turbocharged powertrains. In this week’s Truck News Recap, I dive into why reliability may matter more to truck owners than fuel economy numbers.I ...
Second Toyota Tundra Engine Recall Postponed Again Because Company Incredibly Still Doesn’t Really Have a Fix After 4 Years
Toyota’s reputation for quality continues taking hits as the automaker has for the second time in four years forced owners of more than 125,000 late model Toyota Tundras and Lexus GX and LX SUVs to wait for a solution to the Toyota Tundra engin...