These days, the average cost of a truck is hovering around $50,000. More expensive trims can easily go for upwards of $80,000. With prices like these, you’re pushing in on luxury sedan territory. For that price, you could get a BMW with a motion-operated infotainment console or a sound system designed to mimic some of the worlds greatest concert halls. But features like these are conspicuously absent from even the most expensive pickups. Some don’t even have features that are now considered basic like touch start. Why is this, and is it going to change anytime soon?Here’s what the future may hold for the luxury truck.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat’s The Hold-Up?
So, why are truck manufacturers so slow to adopt cutting-edge interior features? First, to state the obvious: pickup trucks are much larger than sedans. This increases manufacturing costs before you even get to the feature-planning stages. There is also more of a focus on performance. Not just horsepower and torque, but offroad performance and towing performance as well. In fact, many of the features that you find on modern pickup trucks are quite advanced. For example, technology to automatically detect and counteract a swaying trailer is now fairly standard. So manufacturers like Ford and Chevy clearly have their hands full developing new features. They just don’t happen to be the opulent interior features that you see in luxury sedans. But, that’s not to say that this can’t all change.
Looking Forward
Some automakers are recognizing that there’s at least some demand for more feature-packed interiors in their pickup trucks. Ram, for example, recently released an extravagant pickup with luxury seats, a huge 12-inch touchscreen — the largest in its class by far — and a 900-watt Harman Kardon sound system with 19 speakers. You can and should check out some pictures of this gorgeous vehicle. Perhaps as a result of this, Ram’s market share increased from 19 to 24 percent. It’s likely that other manufacturers will follow suit on the heels of this success.
Of course, it should also be pointed out that many people buying trucks aren’t in it for the luxurious interior. For every person who wants a luxury vehicle that they can take offroad on the weekends, there are five who just need performance day in and day out. Raw power is still king when it comes to pickups. Truck owners want to be able to tow what they need to tow and store what they need to store. If they have to pay a premium for that they’re more than willing to.
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