If you’ve decided you need a new 2022 heavy-duty pickup truck, you already know that it will provide higher payload and towing limits than a half-ton truck. But you also know it will have a harsher ride-especially a one-ton truck with the dual-rear-wheel option, known as a dually or duallys. The good news is that over the years the automakers have improved the ride and handling of these workhorses without sacrificing towing and payload figures. But which one tops the chart in providing the best ride today?
For comparison, we looked at our own notes on tests performed by the MotorBiscuit staff. But we also looked at the conclusions of both Consumer Reports and JD Power, the two consumer advice juggernauts. All of the data aligns to show that one truck in the heavy-duty class has a better, smoother ride than the rest.
Which heavy-duty trucks are included?
2022 Ford F-250 | Ford
The trucks we looked at are all American-made and are all ¾-ton models. Those opting for better payload and towing capacity opt more often for this more versatile segment rather than the more extreme one-ton truck. The one-ton variety is used mostly as a full-time work truck with towing and/or payload is the prime use.
So the four trucks are the Chevy Silverado 2500, Ram 2500, GMC Sierra 2500, and Ford F-250. We should note that the Silverado and Sierra pickups are virtually the same truck. So our findings for one will usually apply to the other. But not in this category, as you’ll see.
Consumer Reports ranks based on a number of characteristics, and how the truck handles is its own segment. The higher the number, the better the ride. For JD Power, it has a similar system, but the lower the number is, the better.
The 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500 was ranked as the best-riding truck for 2022
2022 Chevy Silverado | Chevrolet
For both JD Power and Consumer Reports, the trucks ranked daily close to each consumer advice group. So the winner for the best ride is the 2022 Chevy Silverado 2500. It scored a 3.7 out of four from CR and a 115 from JD Power.
The Ram 2500 came in at number two with a 3.7 ranking from CR, but a 123 ranking from JD Power. That placed it above the Sierra even though it, too, ranked a 3.7 from CR. But JD Power gave it a low 143, which was its lowest ranking of the four. The Ford F-250 scored only a 2.7 for its ride according to CR, while JD Power gave it a 130, placing it above the GMC Sierra.
What’s new for 2022?
Red 2022 Ram 2500 | Ram
The 2022 Sierra and Silverado feature new interiors this year, which helped push them above the Ram 2500. Since its debut in 2019, the Ram 250 has scored the top marks for interiors. Though the Silverado and Sierra were also all-new in 2019, it took them a few years to match Ram’s effort in the cabin.
Part of the seat-of-the-pants feel comes from the seat-of-the-pants. That’s where the Silverado’s improved seats come in. The suspensions always signal some ruts, potholes, and irregular surfaces. But the best seats help to smooth out those uneven road features that will never go completely away.
So if a smooth ride is critical to your heavy-duty truck purchase, the revised 2022 Chevy Silverado wins hands-down.
Keyword: What Is the Best Riding 2022 Heavy Duty Truck?