Like the Dodge Ram, our T100 had a roomy standard cab, wide enough for three on the bench seat with plenty of legroom for the driver and right-side passenger. The center seating position contends for space with the transmission and driveshaft tunnel.
If you want the kind of extra space that goes with an extended-cab model, though, you?ll have to shop elsewhere. This popular variation isn?t in the T100 inventory.
Although it was a little short on interior storage for bulky possessions, our T100 did have some nice touches for small object storage including coin holders that come in handy for drivers who have tollways as part of their daily regimen.
It also included cupholders that pop out of the top of the dashboard. Unfortunately, when they?re out they interfere with the climate controls.
The T100?s adjustable upper seat belt anchors are another nice touch, and belts at all three seating positions automatically retract and lock, providing extra security during sudden stops.
Like most of its competitors, the T100 is equipped with a driver?s airbag as well as side-impact door beams. Rear-wheel anti-lock braking (ABS) is standard.
Overall, we found the T100?s cab a comfortable place to be. The bench seat is firm but nicely padded and includes a fold-down center console/armrest for use when the center seat is empty. Air conditioning and an excellent 3-speaker AM/FM stereo with cassette player, both extra-cost options, made the driving experience more pleasant.
About the only false note inside our test truck was its cheap-looking vinyl headliner and sun visors; they seemed out of step wit the T100?s overall quality.
Increased power is the T100ls big story for ?95 and it was apparent the first time we tramped on our test truck?s gas pedal. The ?95 T100 V6 surges forward with more authority than the ?94, and it does so with the same smooth, quiet efficiency.
More power equals better acceleration, better passing performance and a bigger appetite for hard work. Our test truck?s maximum payload rating - 1540 lb. - was about the same as last year, and its towing capabilities were increased by 200 lb.
However, load ratings have more to do with spring rates and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) than with power. The lighter 4-cylinder version of the T100, for example, has higher payload ratings than the V6. So although its ratings are similar to ?94, the ?95 T100 V6 can handle these loads more easily.
On the other hand, even with its marked improvement in power, the T100 V6 is still only on a par with the basic engines of its competitors. When there?s really heavy work to do, Ford, Dodge, Chevy and GMC all offer optional V8 engines with lots more muscle.
Where the T100 does excel is in ride comfort and handling. We liked the direct feel of our test truck?s power-assisted, rack-and-pinion steering, and its suspension did a very good job ironing out lumps and bumps.
Although high ground clearance limits the T100?s response during quick maneuvers, it?s still more athletic than most trucks in this class - more like driving a car, which seems to have been the engineering priority.
The car-like feeling is enhanced by a quiet interior. The engine is smooth and all but inaudible at ordinary operating speeds.