DRIVER’S JOURNAL
Day 1 Picked up the truck and drove with my wife to Canmore for lunch with friends. Found the engine to be very powerful and responsive. Was able to cruise at speed limit at 1,500 rpm climbing Scott Lake Hill, easily revved up to 2,000 rpm while maintaining speed using cruise control. Ride was comfortable for having basic interior. Would have preferred a telescoping steering wheel to be able to stretch my legs. Impressive fuel consumption at 9.6 litres/100 km over 225 km.
Day 2 Ran errands close to home. Vehicle is easy to manoeuvre in tight spaces such as parking lots. The engine auto-stop/start feature was flawless, as it was ready to go as soon as the vehicle in front was moving. Accelerating from a complete stop, the engine is responsive but loud, with a very “throaty” sound.
The most missed accessory is the assist steps. Even at sixfoot-two, I struggled to enter the vehicle, while my wife, who is much shorter, resorted to using a step stool.
Day 3 Travelled to the Calgary Herald for the photo shoot and did a couple of errands on the return trip.
Day 4 Stayed close to home, running errands, and checking out some of the newer communities in the southeast and southwest. Fuel consumption ranged from 9.0 to 10.3 L/100 km for about 50 km per day.
Day 5 Hooked up my 26-foot camper and, along with friends, drove a circle route to Tuner Valley and back home.
The trailer has a dry weight of 5,725 lbs and a tongue weight of 595 lbs. Actual weight is probably 6,200 lbs with the contents we carry. There are several hills along this route and the truck climbed them effortlessly. We cruised at 2,000 rpm and did not exceed 3,200 rpm while climbing. Was able to maintain the speed limit at all times. Friends were impressed that a four-cylinder engine would perform so well. Fuel consumption for over 120 km was 23.1 L/100 km. This would be comparable to my 2014 Sierra 1500 with 6.2-L engine.
Day 6 Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the hardwired block heater cord that pulls through the grill. This vehicle requires removing a piece of plastic in the lower bumper near the fog lamps and inserting a proprietary cord which has the standard NEMA-15 plug on the other end. Just one more thing to misplace, and I am concerned that the connector in the bumper will then require constant cleaning.
Day 7 Refuelled the vehicle and returned it. Total fuel consumption was 77 L. Onboard computer indicated 12.4 L/100 km for 600 km. I was impressed with the turbo engine. For someone who needs a full-sized pickup truck with lower towing capacity, this would be an ideal vehicle. While it performed well on my tow test, I would not attempt mountain passes on the Trans-canada or Icefields Parkway. The standard mirrors worked for towing, but I would still get the larger tow mirror option.