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TuesdayFebruary3201515BridgestoneBlizzakMichelinX-IceNokianR2TIRENORTHLTD.917MacKenzieHwySS22HayRiverNTX0E0R8Callusat867874-2686GREATSAVINGSONALLTIRESTHATHAVEBEENTAKENOFFBRANDNEWTRUCKS-BUTHAVENEVEREVENSEENTHEROADTAKEOFFEHGreatWhiteNorthTHEMOTORTRENDmagazineandwebsitebenchmarkTruckoftheYeardesig-nationisusuallyawardedforcreativedesignpowerfulyetefcientenginesorsomeotherinnovationbutthisyeartheprestigiousbench-markawardwasbestowedontheChevroletColoradoamid-sizedtruckchosenforitssimplicityandpurityaccordingtoaMotorTrendspokesman.Ontheirwebsitetheysayitiswell-designedandthoughtfullyengineered.Itsonlycompetitorsinthemid-rangetruckclassabandonedbybothFordandDodgearetheToyotaTacomaandNissanFrontierandtheColoradodominatedthetwoJapa-neserivalsinalloftheevaluationclasses.Itcancomewithafourorsix-cylindermotor.Thesix-cylinderisratedtotow7000lbsandhasacombinedcityhighwaymile-ageofabout30mpg.Availablesafetyfeaturesincludecamera-dependentforwardcollisionalertandlane-departurewarningsystems.Backupcamerasarestandardforallmodels.ItalsofeaturesGMsnew3Grollingwihotspottechnologyallowingittoconnecttotheinternet.Meanwhilethebiggerplayersinthehighlycompetitivepick-uptruckmarketsegmentcontinuetodukeitoutwiththethreeNorthAmericangiantautomanufacturersinthelead.DodgeRamwontheTruckoftheYearawardtheprevioustwoyearsinarowtherstevertoreceivethehonoursconcur-rentlybecauseitintroducedtheEcoDie-selenginewithits9200lbpayloadandanindustryleading25mpgcombined.DodgeclaimsthisyeartohaveshavedabitmoreoffthemileageofthatsameRam1500die-selaccomplishedbyeliminatingthetrailerhitchandtweakingtheweightinotherways.Thatisagoodlessonforthosewhodrivearoundwithanunnecessaryloadintheirtruckbedwastingfuel.Fordwonthehonourthreeyearsagowhenitintroduceditspowerfulturbochargedsix-cylinderEco-Boostengine.Itcantowover11000lbsyetisratedat20mpgcombined.ThisyearFordintroducedasmallerversionofthatturbo-chargedsix-cylindercapableoftowing8500lbs.WithitslighteraluminumchassisnowstandardonallnewFordpick-upsitwillbeveryclosetotheDodgeRamdieselinfueleconomy.Sincedieselismorecostlythangasolinetherewillbelittletodifferentiatethetwointermsofcostoverthelifeofthevehicle.Infactbothhavesmoothrideswonderfulin-teriorsandasmanyfeaturesandgadgetsasyouwouldwant.ChevSilveradoandGMtrucksaresimilarlyrobust.Sofartheyhavestayedwithnaturallyaspiratedgasolinepoweredmotorsalthoughtherearerumoursadieselisonitswayandthesmalleight-cylinderissimilarlymiserlyongasandcanpullover11000lbs.OtherplayersinthelighttrucksegmentareToyotawithitsTundraandtheNissanFrontier.ToyotaredesignedtheTundralastyearandisnowcompetitiveinperformanceandratingswiththeNorthAmericantrucksplushasthatrenownedToyotaqualitybuildsoitisbecomingaseriouscompetitor.Nis-sanisintroducingalargeCumminsdieselinitsTitandueoutsoonawelcomeaddi-tiontoanyonewantingaheavyhaulerinasmallerpackage.Northernerslovetheirtrucksandtherearemanygreatoptionstochoosefrom.ThatisunlessyouwantasmallertruckwithgreatfeaturesandthenatleastaccordingtoMotorTrendtheColoradoistheonetobuy.SmallishbutstylishChevColoradoTruckoftheYearSmallinstaturebutbiginstyleandfeaturestheChevyColoradohasbeenselectedtheMotorTrendTruckoftheYear.