Edmunds Mid-Size Review

Fightnfire

Moderator
I've never watched any of Edmunds YouTube stuff before but this video was recommended and I thought it was pretty good for a quick breakdown of the big 3 mid-sizeers.


*I'm noticing the amount of journalists using the published max payloads... which as of what we've seen lately is giving the Tacoma quite a boost. I don't think a 2024 Tacoma has been seen with more than 1,250lbs of payload?
 
I've never watched any of Edmunds YouTube stuff before but this video was recommended and I thought it was pretty good for a quick breakdown of the big 3 mid-sizeers.
I actually thought that one was pretty lame. She bragged about the Ford and Chevy having A/C power in the bed and that Toyota didn't, but it's optional there as well. Also, only the Chevy comes standard with a bed step. I get they can only review what they have but what if Ford gave her a 2wd ST? Would she mock that for not being able to go off-road? She should have added some disclaimers out there, rather misleading.
 
I actually thought that one was pretty lame. She bragged about the Ford and Chevy having A/C power in the bed and that Toyota didn't, but it's optional there as well. Also, only the Chevy comes standard with a bed step. I get they can only review what they have but what if Ford gave her a 2wd ST? Would she mock that for not being able to go off-road? She should have added some disclaimers out there, rather misleading.

I don't disagree with you, people always reviewing the trucks they have and failing to mention the other available options in specific price ranges, but I tend to get frustrated with that across all YouTube review channels. So I agree with you there.

What I thought she did a really good job on was driving impressions, comfort and layout of interiors and how software actually worked for the end user. Power delivery feel and driving impressions also.

Where she maybe gave the Chevy or Ford a bonus she also quoted the Tacoma payload at 1700 and put it in the middle of the other two.
 
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I actually thought that one was pretty lame. She bragged about the Ford and Chevy having A/C power in the bed and that Toyota didn't, but it's optional there as well. Also, only the Chevy comes standard with a bed step. I get they can only review what they have but what if Ford gave her a 2wd ST? Would she mock that for not being able to go off-road? She should have added some disclaimers out there, rather misleading.
Honestly that’s the hardest part of this job - the options. You see what’s in front of you and forgot the press release or the build and price tool exists. Often you are pressed for time as well.

I’ve started really doing a lot more build and price videos and paying attention to options in recent years. I think that really helps with my reviews, but I definitely still miss things.
 
Honestly that’s the hardest part of this job - the options. You see what’s in front of you and forgot the press release or the build and price tool exists. Often you are pressed for time as well.

I’ve started really doing a lot more build and price videos and paying attention to options in recent years. I think that really helps with my reviews, but I definitely still miss things.
I appreciate hearing about the real world livability observations that wouldnt necessarily be immediately apparent looking at or sitting in a truck on a lot or even on a short test drive, but rather after using it in a range of day-to-day applications over an extended period of time….How the seats feel after a long day of road-tripping, how annoying the safety chimes might get, how easy it is to get in and out of, sight lines, lighting in the dark, does it “dog”, how easy or hard is it to climb in the bed, noise levels in the cab, etc. You do a good job of that, which is why I gravitate to your reviews, as well as Truck King, TRD Jon, Getty Adventures, etc and not others.
 
This video was recommended to me by YT as well, and I took the bait. Overall, I thought it was fairly well done but as mentioned, some of the numbers were off. I guess a lot depends on what trim level of vehicle they are provided with and what can be done with the vehicle.

What I wonder about is what percentage of buyers even take the time to research the particular truck they plan on buying? Do they watch video reviews or read the ones available online? If so, how many? Are they only influenced by the reviews that place their truck in a positive light?

I guess what I am asking is this… are most buyers like the members of this forum and spend hour after hour after hour digging into this stuff or do they just find truck they like off the lot and buy it and figure out what their truck can and cannot do later?
 
This video was recommended to me by YT as well, and I took the bait. Overall, I thought it was fairly well done but as mentioned, some of the numbers were off. I guess a lot depends on what trim level of vehicle they are provided with and what can be done with the vehicle.

What I wonder about is what percentage of buyers even take the time to research the particular truck they plan on buying? Do they watch video reviews or read the ones available online? If so, how many? Are they only influenced by the reviews that place their truck in a positive light?

I guess what I am asking is this… are most buyers like the members of this forum and spend hour after hour after hour digging into this stuff or do they just find truck they like off the lot and buy it and figure out what their truck can and cannot do later?

My experience comes from watching friends and relatives buy trucks. The majority of them end up at a specific brand dealer lot because of bias or just a good previous vehicle. They don't do much research at all. My father in law had a 2014-2016 RAM 1500 (I can't remember but leaning towards 2016) he had lifter, failure, issues at less than 80k miles and felt like he couldn't trust the truck anymore. He went straight to the RAM dealer and purchased a new 2023 RAM 1500. No research. They did drive the new Tundra but neither he or his wife liked it. I think this experience is the norm from most people.

My buddy drove an 08 Titan forever and really liked the truck but after almost 300k miles it broke again and wasn't worth repairing. He wanted a slightly used half ton and went to the closest dealership (Chevy) and ended up buying a 3-4 year old used RAM because it was cheaper than the similar used Chevy's/GMC on the lot. No research, no other test drives.

My dad wanted a new mid-luxury half ton and liked the F150 more than the others so he walked into the dealership and ordered a new Lariat. The only research he did was on available gas tank sizes. The Ford have an optional, I think 36 gal tank. He regularly drives to Montana from the Seattle area and hates stopping for gas. However, every time he gets in my AT4 he's impressed with the ride and options it has that his lariat doesn't. He also always brings up his 36 gallon tank lol. I admit, that's a feature I would be interested in but probably not enough to change trucks.

My ridiculous amount of research and testing is the outlier amongst the "normal" buyer I think. Trucks manu's specifically greatly benefit from the normal buyer. People just walk in and pay up without asking many questions.
 
My experience comes from watching friends and relatives buy trucks. The majority of them end up at a specific brand dealer lot because of bias or just a good previous vehicle. They don't do much research at all. My father in law had a 2014-2016 RAM 1500 (I can't remember but leaning towards 2016) he had lifter, failure, issues at less than 80k miles and felt like he couldn't trust the truck anymore. He went straight to the RAM dealer and purchased a new 2023 RAM 1500. No research. They did drive the new Tundra but neither he or his wife liked it. I think this experience is the norm from most people.

My buddy drove an 08 Titan forever and really liked the truck but after almost 300k miles it broke again and wasn't worth repairing. He wanted a slightly used half ton and went to the closest dealership (Chevy) and ended up buying a 3-4 year old used RAM because it was cheaper than the similar used Chevy's/GMC on the lot. No research, no other test drives.

My dad wanted a new mid-luxury half ton and liked the F150 more than the others so he walked into the dealership and ordered a new Lariat. The only research he did was on available gas tank sizes. The Ford have an optional, I think 36 gal tank. He regularly drives to Montana from the Seattle area and hates stopping for gas. However, every time he gets in my AT4 he's impressed with the ride and options it has that his lariat doesn't. He also always brings up his 36 gallon tank lol. I admit, that's a feature I would be interested in but probably not enough to change trucks.

My ridiculous amount of research and testing is the outlier amongst the "normal" buyer I think. Trucks manu's specifically greatly benefit from the normal buyer. People just walk in and pay up without asking many questions.
Your dad must have a bladder as big as his gas tank😮
 
Honestly that’s the hardest part of this job - the options. You see what’s in front of you and forgot the press release or the build and price tool exists. Often you are pressed for time as well.

I’ve started really doing a lot more build and price videos and paying attention to options in recent years. I think that really helps with my reviews, but I definitely still miss things.
That's why I think you do a better job at its Tim. You point out the differences that are the same across models like ease of entry, control layout, etc. She focused on options. She was comparing apples to oranges, but it was obvious she preferred the taste of apples.......
 
This video was recommended to me by YT as well, and I took the bait. Overall, I thought it was fairly well done but as mentioned, some of the numbers were off. I guess a lot depends on what trim level of vehicle they are provided with and what can be done with the vehicle.

What I wonder about is what percentage of buyers even take the time to research the particular truck they plan on buying? Do they watch video reviews or read the ones available online? If so, how many? Are they only influenced by the reviews that place their truck in a positive light?

I guess what I am asking is this… are most buyers like the members of this forum and spend hour after hour after hour digging into this stuff or do they just find truck they like off the lot and buy it and figure out what their truck can and cannot do later?
 
I think you make a good point and ask a good question. I'm trying not to fall into the trap of, on the one hand, watching videos, talking to others, reading forums, and making the most informed decision I can, especially given how much trucks cost, while, on the other hand, not overthinking by putting outsized weight on what I see, hear, and learn from others and scare myself out of buying something I'd prefer. For example, when I'm out driving around, the one truck that gets me looking twice at it over my shoulder as I drive by one is a Silverado High Country. Man, I just love the looks of those and I read and hear about how they would tick a lot of the boxes I'd want. BUT, I see a couple videos about lifter failures and I freak myself out, imagining laying down $65k on something that has a major problem. So, then I think about another brand, watch a lot of videos, kind of get fixated on it as my probable choice, but then see or hear something about that brand. Then, someone wise points out we can find complaints online about any make/model, but the stats are on our side that most modern trucks are really good and the odds of getting a bad one are small, so then I tell myself to get what I want. I almost with I was a fanatic of one brand of another to make my decision making simpler, but I'm actually not.
 
I think you make a good point and ask a good question. I'm trying not to fall into the trap of, on the one hand, watching videos, talking to others, reading forums, and making the most informed decision I can, especially given how much trucks cost, while, on the other hand, not overthinking by putting outsized weight on what I see, hear, and learn from others and scare myself out of buying something I'd prefer. For example, when I'm out driving around, the one truck that gets me looking twice at it over my shoulder as I drive by one is a Silverado High Country. Man, I just love the looks of those and I read and hear about how they would tick a lot of the boxes I'd want. BUT, I see a couple videos about lifter failures and I freak myself out, imagining laying down $65k on something that has a major problem. So, then I think about another brand, watch a lot of videos, kind of get fixated on it as my probable choice, but then see or hear something about that brand. Then, someone wise points out we can find complaints online about any make/model, but the stats are on our side that most modern trucks are really good and the odds of getting a bad one are small, so then I tell myself to get what I want. I almost with I was a fanatic of one brand of another to make my decision making simpler, but I'm actually not.

I think it would be tough to go wrong on any truck today as for reliability. Sure, as they are much more complicated, there is more to break so your odds will be greater than 20 years ago of it needing service but that goes for everything. My wife showed me a Samsung oven that has a camera in it so you can watch your food cook.
 
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