2019 RAM 1500 vs 2020 GMC Sierra 1500

Sometimes you have to stop and consider just how far full-size trucks have come. I've said this before, but trucks have evolved from basic work vehicles to comfortable family haulers. Once the home of bench seats and crank windows, full-size pickups are now available with creature comforts that one might expect to find in a luxury vehicle. These are all to make the truck more comfortable for daily commuting while retaining its capabilities for the weekend warrior.

Ram has really owned the commuter-truck concept dating back to 2009, which was the first 1500 to swap out rear leaf springs for a multi-link rear suspension. This was a big moment in trucks, signaling the inevitable creep toward commuter trucks. The public has responded, and not just toward Ram—Ford, Chevy, GMC, and the rest of the pickup market have been making their trucks more and more comfortable. Trucks have gotten more expensive as they've become more comfortable, yet people keep buying them at ever-increasing price points.

And the 2019 Ram 1500 takes that everyday commuter-truck concept to new heights. This truck offers more comfort and refinement than any truck we’ve ever driven. But the real question is: Has it moved too far into the comfort zome, or can it perform the jobs of both a daily driver and a workhorse?

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It’s no surprise that trucks have improved and evolved over the years. After all, think about an average sedan from the early 1980s compared with a modern 2020 vehicle. Yet because pickup trucks are largely confined to a common shape, many shoppers are still surprised to see how nice they have become. This is especially true if your memory of trucks includes a vinyl bench seat.

Modern trucks heavily incorporate utility-minded innovations. Cargo-management tools, side steps, and bed steps make for a more useful vehicle. Under the hood, turbocharging has made V6 and even 4-cylinder engines usable, delivering the power of the larger engines they aim to supplant. And finally, cabins have become nicer and more comfortable than previously imagined for a pickup.

This evolution speaks to how trucks get used as family vehicles that can also do work. There are the work trucks, but there are also trucks like the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500, which has many of the creature comforts of SUVs and crossovers. It says “I want a truck, but I could probably be used as a minivan.”

But somewhere in the middle sits Sierra's AT4 trim. It’s comfortable, sure, but it’s also capable. Does that make it a good fit for both the worksite and the daily commute?