Best Trucks For Value For 2022

 In terms of overall value, the 2022 Ford Maverick packs a punch. Not only is its $21,490 (including $1495 destination fee) base price thousands less that of the next closest competitor, its remarkable 42 mpg EPA city rating (33 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined) is sure to help keep operating costs down. That low price reflects the base XL trim, which comes with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder based hybrid powertrain with a CVT and front-wheel drive. (The turbocharged 2.0-liter gas engine is $1850 upcharge and gets less impressive fuel economy.) With seating for five and a bed that can accommodate 4×8 sheet goods, it can work when it needs to. However, part of its low-price strategy is not to offer any advanced native infotainment options, so standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are your friends. That said, it does include an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, power locks and windows, and a pair each of USB ports and 12v outlets as standard equipment. Forward collision warning with automatic braking is standard, but blind spot monitoring and lane keeping assistance are $650. Ultimately, it’s hard to find a vehicle of any type in this price range that offers the versatility and fuel economy of the Maverick. 

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is the automaker’s first pickup truck and a uniquely civilized, sophisticated take on the genre. Priced starting at $25,175 (including the $1245 destination fee) for the base SE trim, it offers an attractive front-wheel drive alternative for those more concerned with weekend fun and chores rather than hard work on a daily basis. (All-wheel drive is a $1500 upgrade.) Unlike many on this list, it comes relatively well-equipped with cruise control, power door locks, an 8-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio and a pair of USB ports as standard. Safety kit includes forward collision assist with pedestrian detection and lane keep assist, though you’ll have to move up the trim ladder to get a comprehensive set of driver assistance features. Equipped with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder and front-wheel drive, it earns EPA fuel-economy ratings of 21 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined, which helps keep operating costs from getting out of control. 

$26,630 (including a $1995 destination charge) is an impressive price for a genuine 2022 model-year body-on-frame pickup. (Chevy inched up the price by $235 for 2022.) Dubbed WT for Work Truck, you get an extended cab, a six-foot bed and a 200-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed auto and rear-wheel drive. There’s a choice of three exterior colors at no charge: Summit White, Satin Steel Metallic and Black; Bright Blue Metallic is a $395 upcharge. Be forewarned: Though the Colorado WT has six airbags, common safety features like forward collision alert and lane departure aren’t even available. You’ll need to move to a higher trim to get them. The highly recommended $530 Work Truck Convenience Package adds Remote keyless entry, cruise control and a remote locking tailgate with lift assist, bringing the Colorado partially out of the dark ages. 

Getting the best price on a Ranger means going for the base XL trim with the extended cab (Super Cab in Ford Speak) with a six-foot bed and steel wheels. The ticket is $26,795, including the $1295 destination fee. (Ford bumped the base MSRP by $680 for 2022.) Ford’s venerable turbocharged 270-horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline four-cylinder makes the power, and a ten-speed automatic funnels it to the rear wheels. (Four-wheel drive is $3855 upcharge.) It’s a pretty basic affair with cloth seats, a tiny 3.5 touchscreen with basic SYNC software and vinyl flooring. Standard power door locks, intermittent wipers, and a pair of 12-volt outlets keep things from getting too dismal, while the $1345 XL 101A package adds cruise control, power rearview mirrors, upgraded audio and a locking tailgate.
The Ranger does a good job balancing the utility and capability demanded of a truck while keeping the whole package relatively compact. Rear passengers pay for it in room, however. Powered by a proven turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four and ten-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, it returns solid EPA estimates of 20 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined. The Ranger can be had with a wide array of active safety features, offers credible off-road and towing performance, and has class-leading payload capacity. The new Tremor package boosts the truck’s off-road chops considerably but also adds cost to what sometimes feels like an unrefined machine. Read the full review.

You can’t talk value without Toyota entering the discussion and the Tacoma has been the brand’s value-leading truck for years. For $27,915, including a $1,215 destination fee (the price increased $550 from 2021), the base Tacoma SR trim comes with an extended cab, six-foot bed, 16-inch steel wheels and a 159-horsepower 2.7-liter inline four-cylinder mated to a six-speed automatic. Interior features are limited to a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, dual-zone climate control, a sliding rear window and little else. However, it does include Toyota Safety Sense P, which brings automatic braking with pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, lane departure alert and automatic high beams, features that cost extra on many of its base-model competitors. Though it could stand to be a bit more comfortable during everyday use, it’s easy to see why the Tacoma is almost the stuff of legend and has been the best-seller in the midsize truck class for so many years. Read the full review. 

 The 2022 GMC Canyon is a reasonably competitive midsize pickup truck, but with compromises. Still, its $27,995 base price, including a $1,195 destination fee, is attractive for an established player. For that price, you’ll get an extended cab, a 200-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-four cylinder and a six-speed automatic with rear-wheel drive. So equipped, it can tow 3500 pounds and has a payload capacity of 1599 pounds. A re-styling in 2021 added a little sass, but the Canyon’s higher-level trims aren’t quite as premium as GMC bills them. Its biggest competitor is the very similar Chevrolet Colorado which starts about $1,000 less. Read the full review. 

New for 2022, the Nissan Frontier is marginally improved in almost every metric: It’s quieter, more comfortable, displays increased agility and has a much overdue updated offering of available safety features and technology. Power comes from a new-ish 310 horsepower V6 mated to a nine-speed automatic. Leading the value charge in the lineup is the Frontier King Cab 4×2 (extended cab, rear-wheel drive), which retails for $29,565, including the $1,225 destination fee. It’s not a total penalty box at that price, as it includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, remote keyless entry, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen and Apple CarPlay. If you want additional driver assistance and safety items like blind spot warning, radar cruise control, lane departure warning and a few more, you’ll need to pony up $990 for the Technology Package. Read the first drive. 

Ram introduced a new 1500 pickup truck for the 2019 model year, but the previous version was such a solid value that the maker kept it in production to sell alongside the new one. Dubbed the Ram 1500 Classic, it lacks many of the luxury and tech items of the new one, but it can still pull its weight when it comes to getting work done. For $31,310, including the $1795 destination fee, you get a regular cab with a 6.4-foot bed, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and the eight-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive. You can opt for a club cab or crew cab, a V8, upgraded electronics and several cosmetic and feature packages, but at that point, it makes sense to go new updated Ram 1500. As of this writing, Ram offered additional incentives of up to $2000 to bring the price down even further. 

Ford’s best-selling pickup is as bold and handsome as ever, and the XL trim single cab F-150 is the value leader in the lineup. It’s made for work first and foremost, leaving the luxury territory to the higher trims. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 3.3-liter V6 good for 330 horsepower, a ten-speed automatic transmission and rear wheels drive. Four-wheel drive is a $3650 upgrade. It does get Sync 4, an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4g Wi-Fi hotspot, so it’s not entirely devoid of features. Priced at $31,685, including a $1695 destination fee, it’s the antithesis of the F-150 Platinum that can easily crest the $85,000 mark. Read the full review.

The Silverado 1500 LTD Work Truck leads the value charge for Chevrolet at $32,095, including the $1695 destination fee. This price refers to the “Silverado 1500 LTD,” essentially a continuation of the 2021 model year truck, not the heavily revised 2022 model. A single cab and eight-foot bed team with a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and eight-speed transmission to get stuff done. You can spec a club- or crew cab, but it drives the price up by $3900 and $6200 right off the bat; four-wheel drive is $4600. You get a choice of vinyl or cloth seats, but power windows, mirrors and locks, cruise control, tinted glass, a locking tailgate and trailer hitch come as part of the heavily discounted $445 Work Truck Value Package—a steal at that price. Like the Ram, at the time of writing Chevrolet was offering up to $3000 off in package discounts and cash incentives to bring the price down.