We've Ranked the Best Pickup Trucks Available in 2024
Pickup trucks are a staple of American car culture and consistently rank among the bestselling vehicles in the U.S. year after year. Offering a wide range of uses, pickup trucks can do just about everything. They can pull heavy loads, haul large items such as furniture or lumber, provide plenty of room for passengers, and even embark on off-road adventures—all while cosseting you in a comfortable, high-tech environment. Their strength, versatility, and rugged charm are precisely why people enjoy them. If you're trying to decide which truck to buy, here we've rated best pickup trucks that you should consider. We started with the smallest and least expensive models and went up from there in terms of size, price, and capability.
Compact: 2024 Ford Maverick
Base Price: $25,410
The Ford Maverick is a star even among Ford's impressively broad pickup-truck lineup. It is a compact truck with plenty of capability that is also priced competitively and has impressive fuel economy. The FWD hybrid powertrain has an EPA rating of 37 mpg combined, while the more powerful turbo 2.0-liter engine with AWD is rated at 25 mpg. But what about its ability to do truck things? The hybrid model has a 2000-pound towing capacity, while the turbo-four can pull up to 4000 pounds. A true Maverick indeed.
Why the Maverick Tremor is the one to get
Compact: 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz
Base Price: $29,000 (est)
Another mild-mannered compact truck, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is for people who need to do truck-type things but don’t want to deal with the size or expense of a mid-size or full-sized truck. It looks more like a crossover than a conventional truck, and the Santa Cruz’s unibody provides a much better ride and handling balance than body-on-frame trucks do. It's also fuel-efficient for a truck, scoring up to 23 mpg combined according to the EPA. A high-tech digital gauge cluster and an expensive-looking interior will make you think you’re in a nice SUV rather than a chameleon of a pickup.
Check Out our review of the Santa Cruz
Mid-Size: 2024 Chevrolet Colorado
Base Price: $31,095
The Chevy Colorado is a mid-size truck that can do the work of a full-size truck. Powered by a turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four engine, it offers between 237 or 310 horsepower depending on which version you choose. The Trail Boss and Z71 models can tow up to 7700 pounds. For the Colorado's latest generation, Chevrolet upgraded the interior with more driver-friendly ergonomics, and it comes only as a crew-cab model with a relatively roomy rear seat.
We Drive the Colorado ZR2 with a 1970 Blazer
Mid-Size: 2024 Toyota Tacoma
Base Price: $32,995
The Toyota Tacoma was redesigned for the 2024 model year, and the fourth-generation model is a big step up from the old model. More modern features and numerous options for the off-road adventurer make this Taco even beefier than before. Rugged good looks both inside and out prove that the Toyota Tacoma can hold its own compared to its rivals. It's one of the few trucks still offered with a manual transmission, and dare we say it's as fun as a Baja Blast?
Review: New Tacoma Is a Huge Leap Forward
Mid-Size: 2024 GMC Canyon
Base Price: $37,595
The mid-size GMC Canyon is an affordable truck at the base level, but it can change exponentially depending on the trim and options. Fancy it up with the $52,595 Canyon Denali, or go balls to the wall with the off-road-oriented Colorado AT4X AEV. Either way, any GMC Canyon will offer you a balanced ride in comfort and style. It shares its mechanicals with the Chevy Colorado, including the turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that's standard across the board.
Review: The Canyon AT4X Does Everything
Mid-Size: 2024 Honda Ridgeline
Base Price: $41,145
The Honda Ridgeline boasts the same no-nonsense character and value found in Honda's cars and SUVs. It may not be the truck for climbing rocky terrain or rolling coal, but the Ridgeline is highly practical and is an ideal truck for many real-life, day-to-day uses. The lockable cargo trunk inside the bed accommodates lots of stuff, and the rear seat inside the cab provides excellent legroom for the average adult. In a sea of fuel-guzzling, middleweight-class muscle trucks, the Honda Ridgeline is a fuel-efficient, highly competent, well-mannered truck.
We Drive the Ridgeline Black Edition
Mid-Size EV: 2024 Rivian R1T
Base Price: $71,700
The electric Rivian R1T is the quickest pickup truck on the market. Let’s just start by saying that. The quad-motor Rivian R1T has 835 hp, gets to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, can tow 11,000 pounds, and can do it quieter than a mime screaming. A plush interior with a roomy rear seat and a large display screen will keep you and your passengers comfortable for long hauls. The R1T is not short on storage, either, with hidden lockable compartments in the frunk (front trunk), the bed, and the side-accessible Gear Tunnels. Depending on the battery pack you choose, the driving range is between 270 and 410 miles. It’s adventure and road trip-ready.
Full-Size: 2025 Ram 1500
Base Price: $42,270
The 2025 Ram 1500 has an upgraded interior with a larger infotainment screen, but the exterior styling and powertrains are new, too. The V-8 goes away and is replaced with a stout twin-turbo inline-six engine with up to 540 horsepower. With lots of trim levels and powertrains to choose from (including the upcoming plug-in-hybrid Ramcharger or electric Ram REV), the Ram 1500 can help with everything from trips to the lumber yard or getaways in the mountains. Every Ram 1500 offers a smooth and comfortable ride thanks to the coil-spring rear suspension; most full-size-truck competitors still use rougher-riding leaf springs.
Review: Hurricane Engine Makes for a New type of Ram
Full-Size: 2024 Ford F-150
Base Price: $38,765
No matter which version you choose, the Ford F-150 remains one of the best full-size trucks on the market. Generous passenger space adds to the comfort and capabilities of a mobile workspace, and the optional max-recline seats make it a decent sleeping den. With multiple powertrain choices including twin-turbo V-6s, V-8s, and even a hybrid option, plus endless configurations inside the cabin, the F-150 is a highly appealing truck for the modern Renaissance person.
Full-Size: 2024 GMC Sierra 1500
Base Price: $39,345
The GMC Sierra 1500 attempts to meet the needs of a vast spectrum of drivers. It's available with a choice of four different engines including a Duramax diesel; either two- or four-wheel drive; regular, double, or crew cabs; and short, standard, and long bed lengths. It makes us feel like it’s the good old days when manufacturers offered a-la-carte options when building your perfect truck. All come with a large 12.3-inch infotainment screen, but again, with multiple options for interior trim, you can have everything from a head-up display to open-pore wood trim and fancy leather. Eeenie, Meenie, Money, Mo.
Take a look at the hard-core off-road AEV Edition
Full-Size: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2
Base Price: $71,895
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 hasn’t changed much in recent years, but the off-road-oriented ZR2 model—our favorite of the bunch—adds a 305-hp Duramax turbo-diesel 3.0-liter inline-six engine option. This gives it a leg up on the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500, which don't offer diesels. The ZR2 also has skid plates protecting the underbody, and modified front bumper makes crawling over rocky terrain even easier. Only available as a crew cab, the ZR2 has plenty of room for passengers, and it comes with a 147-inch cargo bed for hauling.
Review: ZR2 is happiest in the mud
Full-Size: 2024 Ram 1500 TRX
Base Price: $98,335
Just like the last season of Seinfeld, all good things must end, and why not end it on a high note and still be loved by all? Ram has gotten the memo, and it will be “No soup for you” for the future of the Ram 1500 TRX. Ending production this year, the TRX and its massively powerful supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine will be available in a limited Final Edition that offers special color combos, beadlock-capable wheels, and other unique styling options. Still sad you can’t afford one? Us too. Luckily, the TRX has a little sibling coming in as a replacement. Called the Ram 1500 RHO, this new model begins production for 2025 and is a six-cylinder performance model meant to fill the T-rex shaped gap in the lineup.
Watch Ram TRX Donuts go Wrong very quickly
Full-Size: 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor
Base Price: $80,325
If going bananas is your style and cash is just burning a hole in your pockets, then the Ford F-150 Raptor could be the truck for you. There's no doubt that roaring around in this 450-hp twin-turbo V-6 powerhouse will make you smile. That’s when Ford will say, “..but wait..there’s more.” The Raptor R has a 720-hp supercharged V-8 that brings even more of a party. The interior styling is similar to the standard F-150's, and the impressively modified suspension incorporates Fox shocks and provides both incredible ride quality and desert-running capabilities. This aggressively styled truck is eager to please on and off the road. It’s not the best of the best, it’s the best of the beasts.
Full-Size EV: 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning
Base Price: $57,090
The Ford F-150 Lighting may be hiding in plain sight compared to other EV trucks on the road. It fashions the same face as the gas-powered F-150 for the most part, but underneath is a significantly quicker truck with impressive driving range range. Ford claims that opting for the Extended Range battery pack will give you 300 miles of range and a towing capacity of 10,000 pounds. Depending on the weight of your load, the range will drop considerably under towing, so maybe don't go chasing waterfalls.
Read our review of the Lightning
Full-Size EV: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV
Base Price: $74,900 (WT) / $96,495 (RST)
The Chevrolet Silverado EV is GM's attempt to build a mainstream electric pickup. It's is available in two trim levels, the fleet-only WT and the nicely trimmed RST (pictured), with prices for a fully loaded model approaching $100,000. Powered by two electric motors and using GM’s Ultium battery technology, the lowest trim level of the Silverado EV will make do with 510 horsepower and 393 miles of range, and the Silverado EV 4WT offers a very respectable 450 miles of range and 10,000 pounds of max towing capacity. The midgate wall between the bed and the cab provides additional storage space.
Why the Silverado EV is the Future of GM
Heavy-Duty: 2024 Ford Super Duty
Base Price: $46,965
The Ford Super Duty is exactly what it says it is. Gas engine options include a standard 6.8-liter V-8 with 405 horsepower, or if that’s not enough, a 7.3-liter V-8 with 430 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque. The Popeye spinach-eating Power Stroke turbo-diesel 6.7-liter V-8 offers up to 500 pretty ponies and a whopping 1200 pound-feet of torque. It can tow up to 40,000 pounds of whatever you feel like depending on configuration, with a payload capacity of 8,000 pounds. With plenty of interior and exterior options and features that can take the cabin to luxury-car levels of plushness, this Clydesdale on wheels is a workhorse.
Super Duty is a workhorse refined
Heavy-Duty: 2024 Ram 2500 / 3500
Base Price: $47,245
The heavy-duty Ram 2500 and 3500 are some of the best heavy-duty trucks available on the market today. Available in single-cab and crew-cab configurations, the Ram also offers the next level of roomy rear seats, the Mega Cab. There’s no doubt that the well-padded and bolstered Ram HD trucks are the best for living large and luxurious. Standard acoustic glass and active noise cancellation help muffle the roar of the 6.4-liter V-8 or the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engines in this hauling and towing machine. Depending on the trim level, the Ram HD can tow between 14,370 and 37,090 pounds and can really move mountains.
Ram also makes a heavy-duty off-road Rebel 2500
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