The reality check starts with the engine. Despite the promise of three-valve-per-cylinder and variable-valve-timing technology, its 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque disappoint when called upon by the driver's right foot. Maybe the relaxed acceleration from a stop and middling mid-range punch are sufficient for a pickup hauling building materials or pulling a trailer, but they left us wanting more from a vehicle positioned principally as a people mover.

Fuel economy tried to make up for the lackadaisical performance, however; rated by the EPA at 14 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, the four-wheel-drive Mark LT we tested averaged a respectable 15 mpg over the several hundred miles we racked up in our week with the truck. (EPA estimates the two wheel-drive mpg at 14/19 city/highway.) In contrast, Cadillac gives the '05 EXT 345 horsepower and 380 pound-feet to motivate approximately an equal mass, with the obvious result a sprightlier truck. Fuel economy is lower, though, on the EXT with an EPA mpg estimate of 13/17 city/highway.

The Mark LT is a full-size truck, make no mistake. It rides like a truck, rocking and rolling over pavement heaves and mid-corner ripples. This is a consequence of a relatively high center of gravity that plagues pickups and SUVs, but we wonder how much the old-fashioned live rear axle and heavy duty leaf springs contribute. Especially when we didn't experience similar dynamics on a recent ride in a Cadillac EXT, which employs a live rear axle but with trailing links, coil springs, Panhard rod and automatic load leveling. The Mark LT tracks around sweeping freeway on-ramps about the way we expect a full-size pickup to track: Initially, it understeers, where the front end wants to slide. Lift off the throttle and the relatively lighter back end teases with hints of oversteer, where the back end gets loose and starts to come around.

Steering was about par for a pickup, with decent on-center feel and reasonably responsive turn-in; most certainly, there's no dartiness in the Mark LT's directional stability depth chart.

Braking was solid and linear. Even with the front-end dive that hard braking induces, we experienced no rear wheel lockup, thanks to Electronic Brake-force Distribution.

The Mark LT is rated to tow up to 8600 pounds with four-wheel drive, 8900 pounds with two-wheel drive. Maximum payload is 1460 pounds with four-wheel drive, 1620 pounds with two-wheel drive.