VAF84
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- Oct 20, 2023
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- 2024 Sierra EV Denali
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- Consultant
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This same review will be posted on the Lightning and Silverado forums.
Same disclaimer as last time for this next comparison. One, I have no attachments to EV or ICE vehicles. I look for value and driving experiences and accept each has their trade-offs. Two, the Lightning extended range was my first and is my only EV. Three, I was excited for the latest EV truck iterations based on my experience with my LER, but more so for the potential of the added range compared to my LER. In this case, in contrast to the Silverado, I test drove it with the idea that it would be an option assuming an extended battery pack becomes available. So, in this case, I wanted to see if I’d consider it based on driving impressions and interior space for us.
I’ll preface this by saying, as opposed to my more relaxed test drive where my wife and I took the Silverado RST with the kids and w/o a time constraint or salesperson, I was given a 5 min timeslot to drive the CT. I drove it with the salesperson and the three kids.
SHORT SUMMARY: A square peg in a round hole. It’s a fun truck for individuals or small families (= or < 4ppl) built primarily for urban and suburban living, recreation, and unique use cases. IMO competes directly with LER due to similar range and driving experience, but at equal pricing with RST, RST takes it for traditional truck owners seeking traditional truck capabilities. When prices drop to sub $80k, then it will compete directly with LER.
LONG REVIEW:
EXTERIOR: As with the RST review, everyone has their own opinion, especially on CT. Subconsciously, I could feel the sharper edges of the doors when using them, but not a big deal to me, who knows over time. The bed is cool and for average homeowner, truck duty didn’t seem compromised. Subjectively the traditional truck bed is more appealing. Obviously, the look is polarizing. My wife hates it, but she doesn’t like a lot of flash; for example, she started to like the X, but complained about the extravagant gullwing doors. I like the front, but not the back. However, having owned cars that attract attention, I’m not a fan of that in something I must drive all the time, but I know that eventually the look will get normalized. There was another woman around my wife’s age that was test driving as well. So IDK, what to say about it. It’s by no means ugly, just “different”; a word that will ultimately sum up my review.
INTERIOR: Space was a major strike for my use case. The good news: we squeezed in the car seat and two boosters in the back bench. It can be done. However, it was tight and I had to buckle them, they couldn’t do it themselves as they could in both the LER and RST. The back space is definitively smaller than the ½ ton competitors. I’d never take the trip we took to Colorado recently with the kids in the CT like we opted to do with the LER. .
Rear cab didn't feel spacious. I have filled the ½ ton versions of the RAM, Ford, and GMC to the brim in the rear cab. Office chairs, file boxes, bicycles, suitcases, etc. I feel like I will really miss having those capabilities in the CT. Front was fine, and seats at least as comfortable as the RST, I think LER still wins seat comfort.
Steering wheel; different but non-issue to me. It’s one of those things that I know one can get used to. Personally, I’m not a fan of Ford’s gigantic steering wheel, so I’d go for anything smaller, including the RST’s. I think the steering was nice, but it will never be a deciding factor for me. If I buy it, I’ll just adapt as I have to other things like one pedal driving. Same with the turn signals, they just remind me of newer Ferrari’s. Prefer a stalk, but not a deal breaker. I was surprised to find that the touch screen gear selector wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, it’s intuitive.
Rear mirror. I suggest Tesla take a page from GM and use their rear-view camera mirror. CT alright, more compromised than I’d like to be. I'd prefer freeing up the screen for touch screen stuff than for another video cam square that’s used for the rear view with tonneau down.
Front windshield from inside. I can get used to it, but I don’t know if I want to. It was “different”, more like being in a glass bowl. If I’m being fair, I didn’t notice it much while driving as I was over stimulated trying to soak everything in. I keep flashing back to it though and feel like I might take issue with it after ten hours on a road trip staring out the window. It also feels like there’s a lot of wasted space with the extended dash. More to keep clean too.
TECH: Honestly, I didn’t get much time to mess around with it. I couldn’t test lane centering and adaptive cruise. A big sales point for me has been better EV related software and integration. I’m not sure if it’s worth the trade off with Apple CarPlay. Subjectively though, I’d be willing to give Tesla the benefit of the doubt more so than GM. CarPlay IMO has been the saving grace for Ford, because instead of being royally pissed when something doesn’t work the way I expect it to with Ford’s UI, I just happily go back to my CarPlay. Even when I had GM’s refreshed UI in 2022, it didn’t take long for me to revert to CarPlay due to bugs and lagging apps.
Another negative for me is a lack of dealers in rural areas if something goes wrong. However, I have first-hand experience with my LER breaking down in a less urban area, and frankly I’m starting to wonder if Tesla would have been able to diagnose and fix my vehicle more quickly just due to being able to do a lot of stuff remotely and having more experienced technicians.
DRIVING: Here we go, always my favorite part. Instantly liked it better than the RST. However, subjectively equal to my LER from an acceleration standpoint. I did prefer CT’s slightly stiffer driving feel compared to the LER’s Towncaresque ride. The turning radius is spectacular. For better or worse (depending on your preference) I could not get the tail end to come out (oversteer) when trying to pull the u-turn in a dirt section. Yet, it was impressive to see that it did not understeer either, it completed the turn tightly in the dirt. Again, reinforcing its urban pickup chops. Very impressed! I could have used more time with it to explore more settings, but this is what I could gather from my initial drive.
A GEAR HEAD'S CONCLUSION: This review hasn’t been as comprehensive as the last because of the shorter drive time. I’m still struggling to reconcile the CT with traditional trucks, but I guess it's not supposed to be one. I’d opt forgoing the category “trucks” with CT, and just examine one’s use case and see if it fits. I wouldn’t say, “I need a truck and I need to compare the CT to these”. I’d say, “I need a vehicle that does X, I like the CT, does it fit my needs?”. I’m not going to lie, I wanted to convince myself that I could fit my needs to the CT, and I couldn’t make it happen. Today, would I buy this? No. Not with GM offering a more luxurious option with extended range for the same price. When the $80k version comes out, the answer is more challenging. I’m really struggling with this, so let me cut to the chase. IMO today it does not provide a special enough experience to compete at today’s prices. Without added range, it will have tough competition at $70-80k from the F150L. Today, it does not provide a “Leatherman” type utility for multiple use like the legacy builders who have nearly a century's worth of feedback from truck owners. BEV architecture has resulted in body design flexibility, and I think the CT is something that falls somewhere between an SUV and a pickup. IMO people’s complaints are more because it is “different”, than because of a lack of capability.
How I see the traditional EV truck competitors today:
LER: Everyday sleeper super (sport) truck, with traditional truck capabilities, best for those who charge at home every night. “Value” is a word I value. Great truck, but… I find myself using the word “but” a lot when describing my ownership experience to others.
WT/RST: First true, no excuses, ICE replacement ½ ton EV pickup… if you can afford it. I can finally tow comfortably, at the speed limit, in reasonable time frames. I probably don’t find myself reducing my speed to squeeze out every last mile on road trips. My long road trips no longer get days added to them. Wind and cold don’t scare me anymore.
Tesla CT: Commuter, urban and weekend warrior pickup. Aside from commuting, works best for recreational truck use, and local projects. Protects me when going into areas where prosecutors don’t prosecute, and where people are constantly throwing their doors out to ding my truck at strip malls. It’s HD capable, but not its primary use case. It does everything a homeowner or independent tradesperson would need it to.
Rivian: Sorry, not a ½ ton size and not included.
Same disclaimer as last time for this next comparison. One, I have no attachments to EV or ICE vehicles. I look for value and driving experiences and accept each has their trade-offs. Two, the Lightning extended range was my first and is my only EV. Three, I was excited for the latest EV truck iterations based on my experience with my LER, but more so for the potential of the added range compared to my LER. In this case, in contrast to the Silverado, I test drove it with the idea that it would be an option assuming an extended battery pack becomes available. So, in this case, I wanted to see if I’d consider it based on driving impressions and interior space for us.
I’ll preface this by saying, as opposed to my more relaxed test drive where my wife and I took the Silverado RST with the kids and w/o a time constraint or salesperson, I was given a 5 min timeslot to drive the CT. I drove it with the salesperson and the three kids.
SHORT SUMMARY: A square peg in a round hole. It’s a fun truck for individuals or small families (= or < 4ppl) built primarily for urban and suburban living, recreation, and unique use cases. IMO competes directly with LER due to similar range and driving experience, but at equal pricing with RST, RST takes it for traditional truck owners seeking traditional truck capabilities. When prices drop to sub $80k, then it will compete directly with LER.
LONG REVIEW:
EXTERIOR: As with the RST review, everyone has their own opinion, especially on CT. Subconsciously, I could feel the sharper edges of the doors when using them, but not a big deal to me, who knows over time. The bed is cool and for average homeowner, truck duty didn’t seem compromised. Subjectively the traditional truck bed is more appealing. Obviously, the look is polarizing. My wife hates it, but she doesn’t like a lot of flash; for example, she started to like the X, but complained about the extravagant gullwing doors. I like the front, but not the back. However, having owned cars that attract attention, I’m not a fan of that in something I must drive all the time, but I know that eventually the look will get normalized. There was another woman around my wife’s age that was test driving as well. So IDK, what to say about it. It’s by no means ugly, just “different”; a word that will ultimately sum up my review.
INTERIOR: Space was a major strike for my use case. The good news: we squeezed in the car seat and two boosters in the back bench. It can be done. However, it was tight and I had to buckle them, they couldn’t do it themselves as they could in both the LER and RST. The back space is definitively smaller than the ½ ton competitors. I’d never take the trip we took to Colorado recently with the kids in the CT like we opted to do with the LER. .
Rear cab didn't feel spacious. I have filled the ½ ton versions of the RAM, Ford, and GMC to the brim in the rear cab. Office chairs, file boxes, bicycles, suitcases, etc. I feel like I will really miss having those capabilities in the CT. Front was fine, and seats at least as comfortable as the RST, I think LER still wins seat comfort.
Steering wheel; different but non-issue to me. It’s one of those things that I know one can get used to. Personally, I’m not a fan of Ford’s gigantic steering wheel, so I’d go for anything smaller, including the RST’s. I think the steering was nice, but it will never be a deciding factor for me. If I buy it, I’ll just adapt as I have to other things like one pedal driving. Same with the turn signals, they just remind me of newer Ferrari’s. Prefer a stalk, but not a deal breaker. I was surprised to find that the touch screen gear selector wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, it’s intuitive.
Rear mirror. I suggest Tesla take a page from GM and use their rear-view camera mirror. CT alright, more compromised than I’d like to be. I'd prefer freeing up the screen for touch screen stuff than for another video cam square that’s used for the rear view with tonneau down.
Front windshield from inside. I can get used to it, but I don’t know if I want to. It was “different”, more like being in a glass bowl. If I’m being fair, I didn’t notice it much while driving as I was over stimulated trying to soak everything in. I keep flashing back to it though and feel like I might take issue with it after ten hours on a road trip staring out the window. It also feels like there’s a lot of wasted space with the extended dash. More to keep clean too.
TECH: Honestly, I didn’t get much time to mess around with it. I couldn’t test lane centering and adaptive cruise. A big sales point for me has been better EV related software and integration. I’m not sure if it’s worth the trade off with Apple CarPlay. Subjectively though, I’d be willing to give Tesla the benefit of the doubt more so than GM. CarPlay IMO has been the saving grace for Ford, because instead of being royally pissed when something doesn’t work the way I expect it to with Ford’s UI, I just happily go back to my CarPlay. Even when I had GM’s refreshed UI in 2022, it didn’t take long for me to revert to CarPlay due to bugs and lagging apps.
Another negative for me is a lack of dealers in rural areas if something goes wrong. However, I have first-hand experience with my LER breaking down in a less urban area, and frankly I’m starting to wonder if Tesla would have been able to diagnose and fix my vehicle more quickly just due to being able to do a lot of stuff remotely and having more experienced technicians.
DRIVING: Here we go, always my favorite part. Instantly liked it better than the RST. However, subjectively equal to my LER from an acceleration standpoint. I did prefer CT’s slightly stiffer driving feel compared to the LER’s Towncaresque ride. The turning radius is spectacular. For better or worse (depending on your preference) I could not get the tail end to come out (oversteer) when trying to pull the u-turn in a dirt section. Yet, it was impressive to see that it did not understeer either, it completed the turn tightly in the dirt. Again, reinforcing its urban pickup chops. Very impressed! I could have used more time with it to explore more settings, but this is what I could gather from my initial drive.
A GEAR HEAD'S CONCLUSION: This review hasn’t been as comprehensive as the last because of the shorter drive time. I’m still struggling to reconcile the CT with traditional trucks, but I guess it's not supposed to be one. I’d opt forgoing the category “trucks” with CT, and just examine one’s use case and see if it fits. I wouldn’t say, “I need a truck and I need to compare the CT to these”. I’d say, “I need a vehicle that does X, I like the CT, does it fit my needs?”. I’m not going to lie, I wanted to convince myself that I could fit my needs to the CT, and I couldn’t make it happen. Today, would I buy this? No. Not with GM offering a more luxurious option with extended range for the same price. When the $80k version comes out, the answer is more challenging. I’m really struggling with this, so let me cut to the chase. IMO today it does not provide a special enough experience to compete at today’s prices. Without added range, it will have tough competition at $70-80k from the F150L. Today, it does not provide a “Leatherman” type utility for multiple use like the legacy builders who have nearly a century's worth of feedback from truck owners. BEV architecture has resulted in body design flexibility, and I think the CT is something that falls somewhere between an SUV and a pickup. IMO people’s complaints are more because it is “different”, than because of a lack of capability.
How I see the traditional EV truck competitors today:
LER: Everyday sleeper super (sport) truck, with traditional truck capabilities, best for those who charge at home every night. “Value” is a word I value. Great truck, but… I find myself using the word “but” a lot when describing my ownership experience to others.
WT/RST: First true, no excuses, ICE replacement ½ ton EV pickup… if you can afford it. I can finally tow comfortably, at the speed limit, in reasonable time frames. I probably don’t find myself reducing my speed to squeeze out every last mile on road trips. My long road trips no longer get days added to them. Wind and cold don’t scare me anymore.
Tesla CT: Commuter, urban and weekend warrior pickup. Aside from commuting, works best for recreational truck use, and local projects. Protects me when going into areas where prosecutors don’t prosecute, and where people are constantly throwing their doors out to ding my truck at strip malls. It’s HD capable, but not its primary use case. It does everything a homeowner or independent tradesperson would need it to.
Rivian: Sorry, not a ½ ton size and not included.
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