DRIVER’S JOURNAL
Day 1: Interesting back-seat cubbies. Peppy I6 diesel motor. A bit of an annoying sound is coming from the engine compartment while driving. This was my first impression. Apple Carplay needs to be plugged in to work. Great fuel economy. Off the mark, I’m averaging about 10L/100 kilometres.
Day 2: Upgraded buckets look nice but the seat pad seems to be on the small side, especially given the typical truck consumer (i.e., men, and some really big men). Also, the sides of the bucket (the bolsters) are way too small and soft. This is really noticeable when cornering, which it does well for a big vehicle. Really love the motor, have travelled some 200 km and still averaging about 10L/100km. Weird that there is no place for business cards or frequently used loyalty cards (gas station cards, Costco, etc.).
Day 3: Love this motor — tons of torque and excellent fuel economy. Had to get the truck into a tight entrance for the car wash. Same basic turning radius as my 2011 F150. Infotainment system is not as intuitive to use as a buyer would expect.
Day 4: Costco groceries day. Really missed some of the thoughtful conveniences that my F150 has, such as grocery hooks under the back seat. Also discovered Sport mode. This changes the transmission to shift faster and at higher revs. With the incredibly awesome Duramax I6, off the line and to the speed limit (never over) leaves all other vehicles as very small images in the rear-view mirror.
Day 5: Loaded up the family and drove Highway 1A. Although the truck has a very firm suspension, around town and highway driving are not unpleasant. After a while in the driver’s bucket seat, it does become uncomfortable. The padding under the thighs seems to be much firmer than the rest of the seat pad. I’m a little over 200 pounds, lighter drivers may not notice.
Day 6: Love the rear-view camera. The image is great, with guidance lines that adjust to indicate where you are backing up to. Also, the camera stays on while the vehicle is moving forward, until you’re going 5 km/h or faster. Front and rear parking sensors are a very nice feature to have in a vehicle, especially a truck.
Day 7: USB ports and 120V outlet are very handy. They are everywhere. And I love that there is one in the centre console. I’m assuming that an iphone or an Android phone would still integrate with the stereo system from the centre console. Bottom line: I love the motor. GM has knocked it out of the park with this engine. It has amazing fuel economy (under 10 L/100 km over 350 km). It has better fuel economy than my Toyota Venza. And it pulls like a demon. This truck is quick — and that’s saying a lot for a vehicle that weighs just over 5,000 pounds.