Best Pickups For 2021

General Motors’ Chevrolet brand trailed cross-town rival Ford into the truck business by just a single year and the two have been duking it out ever since. The 1960 arrival of the C/K line turned up the fire, and was renamed Silverado in 1999. Chevrolet “only” sold about 575,000 Silverados in 2019, but adding the 232,000 sales of the closely-related GMC Sierra, GM is nipping at Ford’s heels.

In its fourth generation, Silverado takes a traditional approach with a proven leaf-spring suspension and steel body. Unique to the segment, it offers a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. The new four out-muscles the older 4.3-liter V6 by 25 ponies and 43 pound-feet.

Both have their merits, but where the Silverado shines is in the mid-level LT Trail Boss trim with Z51 off-road package and the new for 2020 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel. It’s quiet—for a diesel—clean and returns an EPA-estimated 22 and 29 mpg in four-wheel drive versions. Still, while the Silverado’s capability has never been in question, its tech interfaces and graphics feel a little behind the pack. Plus, while the competition has gone subtly upscale with grille and fascia designs, the Silverado’s aggressive styling hasn’t been universally loved.

While the F-Series nomenclature didn’t arrive until 1948, the Ford pickup story dates to 1917 and the million-selling Model TT truck. From those humble beginnings emerged a juggernaut: the Ford F-Series trucks (including the F-250 and larger Super Duty models), which has claimed the top-selling truck spot for 43 years and the best-selling vehicle title for over a decade. More than 890,000 F-Series trucks were sold in 2019.

In its fourteenth generation, the new for 2021 Ford F-150 builds on all the breakthroughs of the last decade, including aluminum bodywork, turbocharged engines and advanced towing tech. It also brings a more aerodynamic and stately exterior, a thoughtful interior with a 12-inch touchscreen and an innovative hybrid powertrain that doubles as an onsite generator. Dubbed Pro Power Onboard, the system can be configured to provide up to 7,200 watts of A/C power, enough for numerous tools or 23 refrigerators, as Ford claims.

With six engine options from the base 290-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 to the top-of-the-line 430-horsepower turbocharged V6 hybrid, it’s no wonder a buyer is waiting for every F-150 that rolls off the production line.

Honda built its reputation by entering established segments—motorcycles, automobiles, power equipment and even aircraft—and then bending the rules to fit its own agenda. The Ridgeline pickup is no exception. Introduced for the 2006 model year, its unibody construction and front-wheel drive layout polarized truck pundits upon launch.

Relaunched for the 2017 model year after brief hiatus, the second-generation Ridgeline ditched its original transformer look for more traditional styling. A mild cosmetic refresh for 2021 brought a more truck-like face in an attempt to appeal to buyers still on the fence. Still, the Ridgeline has never made a serious play to topple the sales of conventional body-on-frame mid- and full-size trucks. Instead, it blends a car-like ride, competent handling and SUV height with a bed in the back.

If the Ridgeline’s appeal is still baffling, think of it as 80% of the truck 70% of buyers will ever need. Part of its appeal is that it asks nothing from buyers for its added utility. The interior, including the rear seating area, is spacious and the ride quality and handling from the four-wheel independent suspension is compliant and comparatively sharp. It’s 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 262 pound-feet of torque and nine-speed automatic transmission have Honda’s trademark “ready to rev” personality baked in. Leave the tailgate down, and it’ll fit the vaunted 4×8 size sheet goods; but with a max tow rating of 5,000 pounds, it’s best suited to small trailers for jet skis and the like.

The first genuine Jeep pickup since the XJ-based Jeep Comanche disappeared in 1992, the current Gladiator borrows its name from the J-Series Gladiator that ended production in 1987. Jeep fans—and about anyone else with even a passing interest in off-roading—have for years been saying “Jeep should make Wrangler pickup.” For the 2020 model year, it did.

Based on the Wrangler, the Gladiator shares that model’s iconic looks and the same casual-cool but capable message to both the passengers and bystanders. The longer wheelbase—137.3-inches for the Gladiator and 118.4 inches for the Wrangler four-door—smooths out the on-road ride and the interior is nearly identical. It’s the bed that makes all the difference, adding a dash of utility compared with Wrangler’s cramped cargo area.

For 2021, a 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V6 joined Fiat Chrysler’s 3.9-liter Pentastar V6 engine. The diesel’s torquey low-end demeanor is tailor-made for Gladiator. While it’s 7,650-pound hauling capacity doesn’t compete with the ever-escalating 11,000-pound (and up) tow ratings of full-size pickups, removing the roof and heading for the beach on a sunny day in the Gladiator is a consolation prize.

Ram Truck was spun off into a single division in 2010 shortly after Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy in 2009, but using the name “Ram” to signify specific Dodge truck models dates to 1980. Since the spin-off, Ram’s been on a non-stop quest to dethrone Ford and Chevy. It’s had some success. Collectively, 2019 sales of the Ram 1500, 2500 HD and 3500 HD topped 630,000 units in 2019, up 18% from the previous year.

A perennial underdog, in 2010, Ram made the bold decision to replace traditional rear leaf springs for coil springs and won a whole new legion of fans based on the smooth ride they provide. Revised significantly for 2019, the current fifth-generation 2021 Ram 1500 continues to deliver arguably the best ride in the segment.

Coupled with a quiet cabin with upgraded material quality, FCA’s intuitive Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, it’s a pleasant place to spend time. There’s also the mild-hybrid Etorque option that adds 130 pound-feet of torque right off idle using a belt-driven generator as well as the 3.0-liter diesel V6. Although older and noisier than the state-of-the-art inline six-cylinder diesel in the Silverado, it still manages 22 mpg in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway in rear-wheel drive versions.