Mandalorian

A little different angle from the SUV side of things. 5.3 with the 3.42 rear end feels about 90% as good as the 6.2 which exclusively comes with a 3.23 rear end (STUPID). Non-trivial cost increase plus increased operating costs due to premium fuel. If I'd wanted the 6.2, I'd have gone for a Yukon Denali, which I did test drive and like, but they're nearly impossible to find with a tan interior on dealer lots (especially in my area) so I would have had to fly out to somewhere. Also didn't really want 22 inch wheels.

For that sort of a trailer, the NHT is unnecessary. Better off having the 2-speed transfer case. A 4x4 truck without it is kind of silly.

Long live the crotch cooler

Ventilated seats alone give the win to the AT4, despite the weird interior color

I'd guess Subaru Forester

Some of those gripes are legitimate like the lights or sunglasses holder/storage, but manual transfer case, really? It isn't 1978 anymore. That just sounds like "Old man yells at cloud" type of thinking.

I'd highly recommend waiting for the 2020 MY trucks before making any decisions. They're adding features in they should have had in 2019 (namely adaptive cruise control) as well as expanding the 6.2 and 10-speed across the lineup. First year vehicles always have some teething issues regardless of the make/model. To me, the most serious competition is the F-150. Rams have problems with A/C, even in the obs it was adequate at best. Tundra is reliable, but ancient and doesn't do too great with the most modern crash test methodology. Ford does a better job packaging the options/trim levels than GM for one thing, the trucks also have great A/C systems. The interiors have a better design than the GM trucks, but the materials aren't quite as good. There is also the Raptor, which is an absolute beast. I've never really been a fan of Ford products, but the latest F-series/Expedition/Navigator are seriously impressive. Definitely worth test driving and seeing what's out there.

Some competitors offer 33-36 gal tanks, about 30-40% more range. GM did not see fit to do so, and for the K2s only offered an upgraded tank on the regular cab 1500s.

Swap the tires and rims if they're big. The 22s don't ride as well as the smaller sizes.

12v Cummins Rams are a 500,000mi engine in a 50,000mi truck

It's kind of typical for GM, they do weird stuff like this. On the K2s you couldn't get push button start or rear air vents even in the top trims. On the SUVs it's a super rare feature to actually find equipped on dealer lots, despite being standard in a $16k Toyota Corolla. Yes, some of the "Old man yells at cloud" set don't want it, but guess what it's not 1975 anymore. Truck capabilities are all so high and evenly matched more and more people are shopping based on features rather than numbers, which is why the new Ram is doing so well.

Ram is selling the old version of the 1500 alongside the new one, that's undoubtedly helping.

GM and Subaru have notoriously soft paint. A pinecone fell from a tree in my yard and scratched my Outback's paint. Unfortunately, pretty much everyone except the Germans has gone in the soft direction.

Nice to see them using an inline-6 design. Should be really smooth with the 10-speed.

Subaru is really in touch with their customer base. They might not make the best cars, but they give the people what they want.