'Consumer Reports' best pickup a surprise

• Consumer Reports says the best pickup is a Chevrolet Silverado

Consumer Reports' newfound love of Chevrolet continues with its surprising choice as the best pickup truck in the land.

It's the new Chevrolet Silverado 1500, which it rates excellent in road testing. Chrysler Group's Ram 1500 came in second, lauded as a daily driver. And the best-selling pickup in the nation, the Ford F-150, comes in third.

The Silverado was found to have a larger cargo bed, more payload capacity and more towing capacity, up to 11,200 pounds in Consumer Reports tests. The tailgate is easier to use, it has a lower step-in height than the rivals and there are steps to make it easy to climb in.

Plus, at 16 miles per gallon overall, it got better gas mileage. Ford's F-150 was tested both in its EcoBoost V-6 version and the non-turbocharged V-8. After them came Toyota's Tundra and Nissan's Titan.

For decades, Consumer Reports disparaged Detroit vehicles, including General Motors' products, as shoddy compared to their Japanese or German competitors. But in recent years, it has found a lot more to like from the Motor City. The love affair culminated earlier this year when it named the Chevrolet Impala the best sedan in the land, better than luxury cars like those from Lexus or Mercedes-Benz. The consumer publications findings are considered among the most important because of its independence. Among other things, the non-profit buys its own vehicles for testing rather than borrowing them from automakers.

For its money, Consumer Reports heaped praise on both 355-horsepower, V-8-powered Silverado, which is new for 2014, and the Ram.

"The reality is that you can't go wrong with either one. Both are capable trucks that get decent gas mileage and are as quiet inside as a good luxury car," said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports.