Wow, what a terrible article.

Hybrids and domestic SUVs and Pickups have been a disaster. Poor sales. Who would pay the 5000 to 8000 premium.

GM and Ford should have built a small V6 diesel like Mercedes and VW/Audi. Their SUVs get 25 to 27 mpg on the highway which is better than any hybrid.

@Sharoon: Where are you getting the $5000-$8000 premium for a hybrid Silverado? It costs $3000 more than a Silverado with a conventional 6.0-liter V-8, which is the gas engine used in the truck. There is currently a $2,200 federal rebate available on these trucks, reducing the premium to about $800.

That’s Mike of Pickuptrucks.com, people. He knows what he’s saying.

Sherrice- you say: “Many moms are fans of pickup trucks because of their utility and tough reputations.”

Admit it, Sherrice- MOST moms are fans of pickups and truck-based SUVs because of their IMAGE. While there are Moms out there who are wives of husbands with toys to tow / things to haul regularly who actually require a full size truck, how many Moms do you know who buy pickups / truck-based SUVs for their utility vs. their image? I think perpetuating the “tough” image of these vehicles directly at Moms without stating the cons:

- SAFETY for themselves and their families:
Minivans offer 5 star crash test ratings and excellent IIHS ratings and rollover ratings, truck-based pickups/SUVs don’t. Minivans also offer vastly better emergency handling than trucks.

- Fuel economy- this one speaks for itself, especially in this economy

- Cargo room- here again the minivan wins hands down.

If a minivan isn’t fashionable enough, crossover SUVs offer many of these benefits, as well. I think writing articles about pickups and truck-based SUVs geared at an audience that admittedly drives them purely for image, without pointing out misconceptions about safety and other alternatives, is misguided if not irresponsible.

Actually Vanessa, I have to disagree with your comments. 1st as far as safety the Silverado is a 5 star all the way around and has a 4 star roll over(best in class and better than minvans). In fact most minivans have a 3 or 4 star rear crash test scores. It has been recommended not using the third row because the rear door can be pushed into the last row of seats.
On Economy look at the combined rating for minivans, most get 17 to 24, combined 19. That means you can expect to get 19mpg while driving. My wife currenty get 18 in our Honda Odyssey. In the Hybrid truck you can expect 21 to 24 mpg in real world driving (based on Tahoe Hybrid articles).
Cargo room - Try picking up a queen mattress in a minivan, you cant. Try multiple dressers, again you cant. Oh need to go pick up some gardening supplies from your local hardware store, becareful not to put too much cargo in the minivan or it will ride on the axles(again this is from personal experience). Oh yeah dont forget to vacume it out when your done.

Also I am 6’5” and do not fit comfortably in any minivan, I would trade in the minivan and day for this truck.

Gene- let’s compare facts and not opinions:

2009 Chevy Silverado vs. 2009 Honda Odyssey:

NTHSA (see nhtsa.gov):
  Chevy:
  Front Driver / Pass / Side Driver / Side Rear Pass: 5/5/5/5
  Rollover: 4 stars

  Honda:
  Front Driver / Pass / Side Driver / Side Rear Pass: 5/5/5/5
  Rollover: 4 stars

IIHS- By FAR the tougher of the crash tests (see iihs.org):
  Frontal Offset: Chevy: Good
            Honda: Good
  Side Impact:
            Chevy: Poor (with or without Side Airbags)
            Honda: Good
  Rear Crash:   
            Chevy: Poor
            Honda: Good

Considering these crash test ratings (especially the rear crash test ratings), I’d love to see you show me how the Chevy is safer in any respect.

You say most minivans have 3/4 star crash test ratings: WRONG (check the above referenced websites)

You say the Chevy rates “better than minivans”: WRONG, especially when it comes to the tougher IIHS tests

You talk about hauling matresses, etc- how often do you haul matresses? I don’t buy a U-Haul for my daily driver because I’ve had to move a few times. Ask yourself what most MOMS haul- kids and groceries, maybe clothing. A Minivan does offer more room for passengers and cargo vs. a truck-based SUV (obviously not more cargo room than a pickup) but again this is a mom-oriented site, and it’s not oriented toward moving companies. I haul gardening supplies in my Odyssey all the time, no problems. If you’re talking more hardcore landscaping, you can rent/borrow a truck for the once a year that happens- certainly not worth purchasing a vehicle based on a once-a-year event.

Also, please post a reference on that third row comment. Overall, it seems most of your comments are based on hearsay and not facts. I’d love to hear your response to the facts I’ve posted that contradict your points.

Thank you everyone for your responses. Vanessa, I live in a rural area that is filled with horse lovers. In fact, many if not most of the Mom’s I see dropping off and picking up their children do have large trucks or truck-based SUV’s for towing their own toys, not their husbands’ toys.
As a Mom who has never owned a truck, I aprreciated these new GM models because they were comfortable and they were tough AND I applaud GM for seeking ways to improve fuel economy. Granted, I am aware these trucks will not be mpg super stars, but they are more efficient than their predecessors.

@Vanessa: Yes, let’s chat fuel economy. According to the EPA, the 2009 2WD Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid has a higher combined fuel economy (21 mpg) than the 2009 Honda Odyssey (20mpg). That’s a fact. See fueleconomy.gov, if you don’t believe me.

Mike- I see you’ve picked at low-hanging fruit, while ignoring what is arguably one of the most important factors for mothers: the safety of their children. I don’t think the Silverado will haul around kids quite as comfortably as a minivan, especially with all the kid-friendly amenities minivans offer. In addition, I don’t see the 1MPG difference as a strong point vs. the other benefits I’ve stated, including safety, emergency handling, and passenger room.

Sherrice- I think you’ll agree your vehicle usage patterns do not represent the majority of American moms, who use their vehicles mainly to haul around their children and go shopping, and also possibly to go to work.

By all means, if you’ve got something to tow or haul arond regularly that requires a full size truck, more power to you. But I think you and Mike are intentionally ignoring the fact that most Moms who drive around truck-based SUVs and pickups are driving those vehicles for image more than for utility, and a minivan or crossover would be a better vehicle in the practical and functional sense- in terms of the factors I’ve presented.

I wanted to say one more thing: this is America and, by all means, people should drive whatever they want even if they never plan to use your vehicle for its intended purpose. I just think we’ve upped the stakes when there are children involved, and if parents were more aware of the trade-offs they might be making in terms of image vs. safety / functionality where their children are involved, they might make different choices.

@Vanessa: Thanks for recognizing safety as one of the most important purchase factors for moms. In that case, I point to the 2009 Ford F-150, recognized with the same 5-star safety ratings as the Honda Odyssey by NHTSA and as a Top Safety Pick by IIHS. *Some* full-size trucks are just as safe as *some* minivans. If you like smaller pickups, the Honda Ridgeline scores the same on safety.

And for the record, you did say, “Fuel economy- this one speaks for itself, especially in this economy”. The Chevy’s 1 mpg advantage is 5 percent better FE than the Odyssey. I’ll gladly take a 5 percent improvement in any vehicle.

Just another environmental disaster. Natural gas is the way to go. Civic makes one. Check out how the batteries are made. Nickel mines are very bad. I hope you greenies don’t use toilet paper. That is even worse on the environment. Electric cars are bad to (plug ins). Look at the power plants that produce the power for your plug in goods. They pollute more than gas powered vehicles. I like solar but its very expensive and is not 100% in many areas.  Twenty years from now we are going to be freaking out about how bad hybrids were and not thinking about the consequences of the nickel waste. Don’t get me started on lithium the next new rage for hybrids. I am very green but only for the purpose of recycling everything I can and where I buy my products. Global warming is a joke and lemmings are falling for it everyday. Last year a couple of liberal scientist reported the Artic on the west territory lost 196,000sq.mi because of advanced global warming. Just a month ago, scientist went to check there sensors were the ice melted away and found that the ice was still there and in fact growing in size and the sensors were broken. Did the drive by media report that. NO! They have an agenda with the hard left. Global warming is “BIG BUSINESS”.

Mike- again, you seem to be picking at low hanging fruit while ignoring a lot of my major points. Let’s see if you can address them:

By all means, if you’ve got something to tow or haul around regularly that requires a full size truck, more power to you. But I think you and Sherrice are intentionally ignoring the fact that the average Mom in America who drives around in a truck-based SUV or pickup is driving that vehicle for image more than for utility, and a minivan or crossover would be a better vehicle in the practical and functional sense- in terms of the factors I’ve presented.

What are some of those factors?

1. Safety: Mike- you’ve presented one full-size truck that is somewhat safe. You ignore, however, that the rollover rating for the 4WD 2009 F150 is only 3 stars vs. 4 stars for the minivan. In addition, are you telling me that you believe a full size pickup truck with a solid rear axle and empty bed will have emergency handling characteristics as good as a modern minivan? One more thing- look at the average safety ratings of full size pickups vs. minivans on NHTSA and IIHS and you’ll see the minivans are much safer, on average than the pickups or truck-based SUVs- you’ve just picked an exception, and even it’s not up to par. Finally, I see you’ve ignored a very important discussion about roof strength safety standards for minivans vs. pickups/SUVs. Even after the new roof strength standard came into effect, trucks with a GVWR of > 6k (read: Silverado/ F150, and NOT the Odyssey) are not required to meet the same roof strength standards as vehicles under 6k GVWR, making the F150 less safe: not only is a rollover as likely or more likely to occur in an F150 vs. an Odyssey, but the roof strength safety standards are weaker for the F150, so you wouldn’t be as safe in a rollover accident.

2. Fuel economy / maintenance costs- You can pick out a hybrid pickup and show it meets or exceeds the fuel economy of a minivan by a small margin, but you are picking at the exception and not the rule. In general, minivans provide better fuel economy vs. full size pickups. Maintenance costs are also lower for minivans, esp. since many pickups are 4WD.

3. Passenger room- minivans generally offer greater room for passengers vs. truck-based SUVs

4. Cargo room- here again the minivan wins hands down vs. most truck-based SUVs, though obviously not against pickups. But this is Motherproof- and I’m assuming most Moms haul around kids more than cargo. Minivans also provide plenty of cargo caryying capability. 

5. Easier step-in/out, easier access to child safety seats- very important for most Moms

6. Comfort / NVH- minivans with independent suspensions and comfort-oriented suspensions generally offer a much quieter, more comfortable ride vs. truck-based SUVs and offer all the gadgets one could need for kids and adults.

7. Foul-weather traction not a problem- most if not all minivans are FWD, which is great for foul weather, and for those that need it AWD is available

8. Dual sliding power doors are most convenient for anything kid related, not to mention keeping kids from opening the doors into other cars (very common problem). Compare that to manually opening pickup/SUV doors with your hands full of kids/groceries/other items (just ask any Mom how often this happens)

9. 3rd row seating area is usually more spacious and comfortable than the 3rd row in a truck-based SUV, especially those SUVs with solid rear axle due to drivetrain space requirements; 3rd row seating is almost always easier to access in a minivan vs. an SUV

A major factor I’m not seeing mentioned is that this is Motherproof, not Pickuptrucks.com. So you tell me, Mike- do you believe MOST Moms in America purchase full size pickups and SUVs because they regularly tow/haul things, or do you think most buy them for image reasons? Do you think MOST Moms in America are towing around horse trailers or loading their pickup truck beds with gravel, or do you think MOST Moms are using their vehicles to shuttle their kids around to soccer practice and to the grocery store/mall? How many full-size, truck-based SUVs and pickup trucks do you see being driven around by Moms where they are actually being used for the utility/towing/payload they provide vs. the image they project? Granted there ARE exceptions out there where families have boats/trailers/businesses where they need a dual purpose vehicle, but I’m not talking about the exception- I’m talking about the rule.

Considering that most Moms in America don’t use the utility of a truck-based SUV or pickup truck, don’t you think it’s important to relay the fact that minivans and crossover vehicles can not only make mothers and their children safer in the case of an accident (or help to prevent an accident with better emergency handling), but also provide numerous other advantages for families vs. a truck-based SUV or pickup? Again, I think writing articles about pickups and truck-based SUVs geared at an audience that admittedly drives them mostly for image, without pointing out misconceptions about safety and bringing up alternatives, is misguided if not irresponsible, especially when the safety of children is involved. I appreciate good discussion, and I’d love to hear your comments on all the items I’ve presented in this post, and not just the low hanging fruit, Mike.

Come on, just buy a vehicle you would enjoy driving and try not to worry so much of what others think. The pickup is pretty weak in terms of hauling. Why would anyone buy a hybrid truck is beyond me. You want to haul stuff, than buy a diesel truck. Otherwise, buy something that fits your need. All the Moms I know that have trucks, use them to pull there horse trailers and would laugh at the idea of a hybrid truck. When you hit the mountains, you need torque which the Hybrid just can’t do.

I’m coming in late here…just stumbled on this article and discussion.  I bought a 2-mode hybrid silverado and I love it!  Is it big?  Yes, but I’m 6’6” and have 2 growing boys.  Is it comfortable?  Absolutely!  It’s very well appointed and rides like my dad’s old Cadellac.  Is it safe?  It’s safer than my old dakota.  That counts for something.  Is it fuel efficient?  Yes, although so far I haven’t been able to reproduce the lab-efficiencies quoted by everyone but again, I’m better off than my dakota.  As Sherrice noted, you pay an aweful lot of attention to the Eco gauge and ecomony computer scores which translates to defferent driving habits.  You slow down, accellerate more gradually and coast rather than brake hard.  I find I push myself to see how long I can keep the truck running in electric-only mode.  When was the last time a vehicle taught YOU how to drive differently??

I’m not selling this truck or endorsing anything.  I bought it for my own reasons and so far it does just about everything the GM sales literature said it would (including pulling my 4000lb boat in electric-only mode!)

I love coming to these forums and reading all the negative things people have to say - regardless of the topic.  People just want something to complain about.  Period.

To Sharoon: the premium wasn’t that high.  I’m in Canada and there was a $2000 tax incentive, so the premium was more like $4000 which isn’t bad considering all the options and features that come standard.

To Vanessa: take a pill and buy a Volvo.  We all get it, you’re the minivan-warrior-princess.  Now stop telling everyone what they should or shouldn’t buy.  It’s annoying.  Minivans are the bain of our motorways. I HATE them.  And a crossover is a fancy way of saying minivan.  Ugh! (I suppose you’re gonna lay me out with both barrels now, huh?)

To Gene: I feel your pain brother.

To Angelo: Dude…seriously.  The internal combustion engine is only about 40% efficient and loses 60% efficiency to heat (thus the need for lubricants and radiators, etc.)  There is nothing in the man-made world that could even remotely be called “green” or efficient.  As a species we suck.  Who cares if you’re buying a Prius or a diesel or a Volt?  It’s just a matter of who sucks more?  Oh, and the natural gas industry wouldn’t exactly be an ideal specimen of corporate ecological purity either what with kilometers of pipelines hacked through wilderness areas and drilling operations in ecosystems that cane barely tolerate a mouse fart.  Geez everyone go jump in Vanessa’s minivan and pray she doesn’t get into an ice storm with a bunch of transport trucks.

*sigh* Angelo’s best advice was to go out and buy a vehicle you would enjoy driving and stop worrying about what others think.  Articles like this are simply ment to give you the author’s opinion on what their experience was like.

Oh, and Angelo…the 2 mode hybrid combines the V8 with the electric motors to produce the most torque in class.  It’s fantastic!