Dive Brief:

• If you were brought up believing that only wannabes drive V-6 pickups, it's time for an upgrade, according to manufacturers.
• Ford expects V-6 units to make up 70% of sales of its aluminum 2015 F-150, and its 3.5-liter V-6 is far ahead of its 5-liter V-8 in sales.
• Dodge Ram will sell you a V-8 for a few hundred dollars less than its V-6 because the V-6 comes with an eight-speed automatic that will stretch gas mileage, and the V-6 is in demand.

Dive Insight:

V-6 engines have greatly increased power compared with that option when your father's pickup truck had to be a V-8. And manufacturers readily agree that if your job involves loading your truck with heavy materials or towing heavy trailers, you still want that V-8 power plant.