Once upon a time, trucks were judged upon whether or not they had 4WD or AWD. Then came the battle between diesel and gasoline engines. Electric engine trucks are joining the race, but there aren’t enough trucks available at this point for consumers to decide if it’s as great as nonelectric rivals. 

The new war that decides whether a truck is worth the money invested in it may surprise you, however. According to Motor Trend, automakers like Ford, Chevy, Ram, and GMC are looking at more functional ways a tailgate could draw in consumers, and it seems to be working. 

Instead of a trick pony, it appears we’re being lured in with a trick tailgate. Let’s take a look at some of the new tailgates automakers are designing and if they’re really as impressive as automakers want us to believe.

GMC Sierra 1500 and HD

GMC really went all out with the MultiPro tailgate. The tailgate has not one, not two, but a total of six different configurations. While it may take some time to figure out all the configurations, some of the features are really cool. 

The tailgate’s upper portion is hinged, allowing it to become a small table when the gate is up, a step when the gate is lowered, and a load stop. There is also a handle on the driver’s side that will allow you to pull yourself up while the step is out.

With all these amazing features, it’s only natural that there be one drawback. In this case, it’s the added weight. The Sierra HD MultiPro adds 21 lbs, and the Sierra 1500 adds 51 lbs. 

The MultiPro tailgate is standard on the 1500 Denali, SLT, and AT4 models.

Ford F-150 and Super Duty

The F-150 has been America’s favorite truck for many years now, and one of the reasons is that it’s had a multi-function tailgate before it became the new fad. 

The F-150’s tailgate comes with a spring-loaded ladder that makes climbing up into the truck bed less of a pain. There is also a handle located on the gate which folds up so it isn’t in the way when you’re trying to load or unload goods. 

If you’re wondering how much weight the step adds, it’s 46 lbs. Because this may make using the tailgate more of a pain than it’s worth for some consumers, Ford has added a lift assist feature which helps with the extra weight.

Honda Ridgeline

While the Ridgeline is now making a name for itself as a great mid-size truck that is perfect for families, this doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have a functional tailgate. 

Honda took a note from the station wagon playbook and created a tailgate that swings open or drops down. There is also the added benefit of an in-bed trunk that is hidden beneath the floor of the bed. 

For families who need to haul goods that they don’t necessarily want the world having access to, this feature couldn’t get any better. 

According to Motor Trend, “Both features come standard on the Ridgeline.”

Non-functional but very cool

The Drive reports that the tailgate wars got very interesting at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, and it wasn’t all based on functional tailgates. 

Chevy went all out with a Lego Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss. It was a promotional vehicle for The Lego Movie 2, and the entire truck was made out of 334,544 Legos. It weighed over 3,207 lbs.

According to the Drive, “Everything about the truck is stunning, but hidden away, between the truck’s rear and a wall, is a tailgate complete with embossed Chevrolet lettering.” While no one was driving away in this incredible truck, it’s still very cool.