The best pickup trucks 2023: More than 2.1 million full-size pickups were purchased in the United States in 2022, with the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram 1500 taking the top three spots. Last year, GM sold three-quarters of a million half-tons of the GMC Sierra/Sierra lineup. Moreover, inflation and supply chain bottlenecks have made 2022 a dismal year for shoppers.
The adaptability of these massive machines has contributed significantly to their widespread popularity. Despite their practical origins, modern trucks come in a dizzying array of styles, from stripped-down delivery vans to luxury vehicles suitable for a yacht club or stables. Most come in various off-road configurations, from base models to specialized desert racers like Ford’s F-150 Raptor, TRX, and Ram’s Ram 1500.
Customer choices in truck customization say a lot about the pickup market. In the 1990s, traditional taxi vans were the most popular, but by 2023, four-door cabs have won. This is because many people who drive pickups also use them as family cars. Big trucks still sell because of their formidable reputation, but nowadays, passengers and fuel efficiency also matter.
The Toyota Tundra was redesigned just last year, and the Ram 1500, our favorite full-size truck since 2020, will undergo several changes throughout the 2023 model year, including removing the optional EcoDiesel V6, which could affect its current ranking.
Only the classic “1500” or “half-ton” models powered by internal combustion engines made our selection of the best full-size trucks of 2023. The best electric pickups will soon be added to the existing rankings of both midsize and multi-work vehicles. Some vehicles from 2022 are included here due to model and supply chain delays.
2023 Ram 1500 Classic
Price starts from $30,110
Despite the launch of a new generation of the Ram 1500 in 2019, the company strangely kept the previous version of the truck in its lineup. The regular short-bed cab and other 2022 options have been removed as Ram continues to trim the stock classic 1500. Even though it first hit the market in January 2008, this full-bed truck can still tow up to 10,610 pounds and come in handy.
Only the compact Express, the work-oriented Tradesman, and the sporty off-road Warlock were available last year, and none of them had any luxury trappings. The eTorque mild-hybrid system isn’t standard on the newer Ram 1500 with older V6 and V8 engines. Few technology options are available, and no high-tech security features are installed. It’s simple, but the timeless classic is still reliable and affordable. This classic truck probably won’t be seen again after 2023.
2023 Nissan Titan
Price starts from $39,700
Twenty years ago, with the introduction of the first Titan, Nissan had lofty goals to dominate the full-size pickup industry. However, unlike the more compact Frontier, the Titan could not match the well-established domestic competition. That’s especially the case when the second-generation Titan (released in 2016 after a long delay due to the Great Recession) is one of the oldest trucks in its class and has fewer customization options than the competition made in the States. It has a crew or extended cab, two beds, and an essential off-road spoiler.
You get a standard 400-horsepower V8, a quiet, comfortable interior, and advanced safety technology. Nissan also provides an extended warranty with its products. However, the new Toyota Tundra offers more customization options and a similar standard safety package. At the same time, the Titan falls short compared to domestic competitors regarding payload and towing capabilities. The Titan’s cabin is charming but has poor ride quality. Some consumers may be interested in Titan, but it’s hard to suggest alternatives in this crowded market.
Nissan expects to manufacture the Titan through 2024, though production could cease in the fourth quarter of 2023 if a replacement is not offered.
2022 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price starts from $69,905
The Ford F-150 Raptor is regarded as the vehicle revitalizing the performance pickup market. Unlike previous performance trucks like the original F-150 Lightning, Silverado 454 SS, and Dodge Rumble Bee, the Raptor was built from the ground up to be a fast off-road adventurer. The design’s excellent functionality and instant appeal paid off, and that popularity persisted through short manufacturing runs in 2015 and 2016. The 14th generation Raptor based on the F-series will debut in mid-2021.
A high, reinforced chassis engineered for speed on sand, dunes, and off-road retains its former looks while propelling a 450-horsepower twin-turbo V6 engine. Much like the Ram TRX, the Raptor is a massive improvement over the regular F-150 in many respects, including interior design and usability. Although it can’t match the F-150 SuperCrew’s performance, it can tow up to 8,200 pounds, 100 pounds more than the TRX.
The Raptor isn’t as fast or powerful as the Ram, but it costs $8,000 less and uses much less gas. The 700-horsepower Raptor R will be available in early 2023 for individuals who can’t get enough speed.
2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Price starts from $35,600
The Chevrolet Silverado is mechanically comparable to its GMC Sierra cousin, but it looks more solid and comes standard with more advanced features. Both GM trucks launched with new generations in 2019, but the Silverado was reportedly less successful due to its divisive styling, sparse interior, and outdated technology. Chevrolet made significant overhauls to the Silverado’s interior and technology systems last summer, and it’s been popular with buyers despite supply chain challenges that have caused 2021 cars to stick around as “limited” editions for a few months.
Extensive changes were made to the interior, including higher-quality materials, new screens, updated infotainment software, and additional basic safety features. To compete with monster trucks like the Ram TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor, Chevrolet released the ZR2, the more aggressive off-road variant of the Z71 Silverado. In addition to the ZR2’s potent 6.2-liter V8 that’s available in other high-end Silverado trims, Chevrolet offers a total of four capable engines (all shared with GMC; for additional info, see this entry), one of which is a turbocharged inline-six.
The Silverado is cheaper than the Sierra overall, and the ZR2 is more affordable than the Sierra AT4X. Its maximum tow rating of 13,300 pounds is second only to the F-150 and 100 pounds greater than the GMC Sierra. Each truck has a bed slightly larger than a typical bed and a spacious cabin. While the Ram is more upscale and feature-rich than the Ford, the Silverado is a stronger competitor in the market in 2023 than in the past.
2022 Ram 1500 TRX
Price starts from $78,790
The Ram TRX, with 702 horsepower and its ability to reach speeds up to 70 mph, is undoubtedly the most potent fuel-powered pickup ever. At its release, this model was the most significant, loudest, and noisiest production truck anywhere. However, the TRX is a sad truck over time.
Ram Ford has taken the same basic concept as the F-150 Raptor and made it even more extreme, prompting Ford to release the Raptor R as a direct response for 2023. However, electric trucks like the GMC Hummer EV and Rivian R1T pose a severe challenge to the TRX. Although few vehicles can blast through desert dunes like the TRX, Rivian blows the TRX’s doors off the pavement and excels in slow-moving traditional off-road thanks to its Individual Torque Control.
The point is not that EVs can do everything the TRX can do or that they generate the same exhaust noise. The TRX has a vast, luxurious crew cabin and a wealth of high-tech equipment regarding safety and infotainment, but it is more fuel-efficient than the regular Ram 1500. It is also instrumental in everyday life. It has a payload of 1,310 lbs. and a towing capacity of 8,100 lbs. You can be rugged and practical with your design.
2023 GMC Sierra 1500
Price starts from $36,400
Although the GMC Sierra has slightly lower towing ratings than the Chevrolet Silverado, the two trucks are so similar that the main differences are cosmetic and functional rather than mechanical. Despite the Silverado ZR2’s more aggressive looks, the Sierra’s sleek, large-platform style feels much more subdued. In 2022, GMC will launch a new flagship model called the Denali Ultimate, featuring upgraded luxury accommodations across the board.
GM trucks’ crew compartments and beds are much larger than the competition’s. Both use a four-cylinder engine, starting with the only four-cylinder in the class (a 2.7-litre turbocharged unit produces 310 hp) and ending with another such team. There’s also a 5.3-litre with 355 horsepower and a 6.2-litre V8 with 420 horsepower, but the 3.0-litre turbodiesel with 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft is the real deal because it gets 29 mpg on the highway. The Sierra has a maximum towing capacity of 13,200 pounds, and its most straightforward configuration can carry over 9,000 pounds.
Although it lacks Ram’s smoothness and agility, the Sierra handles well as a large pickup and comes in various off-road and luxury trims. The AT4X and Denali Ultimate prices start at over $80,000, which is a considerable drawback. While GMC still lags behind the competition in a few key areas, the company made significant technology and interior upgrades to the truck last year, including the addition of more standard safety equipment and the availability of a Level 2 Super Cruise system. Trailer-Aware Blind Spot Monitoring is one of Sierra’s many superior tow-assist technologies.
2023 Toyota Tundra
Price starts from $36,965
For the first time in nearly a decade, the redesigned Toyota Tundra was genuinely competitive with top-tier domestic trucks when it was released last year. The new Tundra focuses on the truck’s most popular trends and the model’s historic qualities, including simplicity, utility, quality, and ease of use, unlike in 2007 when the automaker fielded V6 and V8 trucks in every combination imaginable to battle the F-150. Innovations include Sophisticated Toyota Now Medical Assistance.
Unlike the original Tundra, which was only available with a gas-powered V8 through 2021, the new Tundra is powered exclusively by turbocharged 3.4-litre V6s. Previously offered with either 348 or 387 horsepower, a new hybrid model boasts 437 horsepower and a class-leading 583 lb-ft of torque. They all have much better fuel mileage than the original V8, though not as much as we’d hoped. While the new Tundra can’t carry as much weight as the Maids, it can still tow up to 12,000 pounds in some configurations. Neither Ram, Chevy, nor GMC can make that claim.
Redesigned screens dominate the interior with easy-to-use software, while the massive 14-inch center panel is confined to the upper corners. Toyota’s off-road lineup remains extensive, and it even has a new luxury trim for 2023 that aims to compete with the GMC Sierra Denali. The Tundra’s design is divisive (reminiscent of a GMC) and lacks convenient features like trick-or-treat gates and comfortable seating options. Despite its slightly smaller cabin, Toyota’s major redesign makes it an excellent alternative to General Motors and Ford.
2023 Ford F-150
Pricing starts at $34,085
The Ford F-150, America’s favorite truck, will continue to be the best-selling vehicle in 2023, just as it has been since REO Speedwagon was the most popular band. The F-150’s streamlined shape has changed little over the years. However, in 2015, the body was updated with a lightweight aluminum body, and a complete redesign in 2021 (the 14th generation F-series since 1948) introduced several high-end upgrades. The F-150 is the most adaptable truck, and it also has the highest towing capacity (14,000 pounds) and payload (3,325) in its class.
Including a regular cab with a 6.5-foot bed, the F-150 has more configurations possible than any other pickup. Although the F-150 diesel will no longer be available after 2021, six engines will still be available (five V6s and one V8) ranging in power from 250 to 430 horsepower, including a powerful and fuel-efficient hybrid. Ford’s high-performance F-150 Raptor and Ford’s battery-powered Lightning are both available, but we’ll give them different ratings. The F-150 isn’t quite as elegant or fluid as the Ram, but it can still get where it’s headed.
The F-150’s cabin is pleasant and roomy, with many useful features, though it’s less related to storage than the Ram is. Many active safety features and plenty of techs are used inside the car. Simplified compared to the Ram, the F-150’s upper trim levels are nonetheless fairly lavish and come with a sizeable tablet-style infotainment screen similar to that of the Mustang Mach-E. Other comforting inventions, such as portable generators and air filtration systems, are in bed. No one in his class works harder than him.
2023 Ram 1500
Pricing starts at $36,820
Since the fifth-generation model debuted in 2019, the Ram 1500 has dominated the half-ton truck segment. Despite Ford releasing a more advanced and capable F-150 in 2021, the Ram still has the upper hand due to its superior design. High-precision cabin, premium, optimized handling (for a truck), easy-to-use technology, and a powerful engine. It helps that it looks good and has some of the classiest interiors in its price range.
However, as time goes on, the 3.0-litre EcoDiesel V6 will be removed from the 2023 Ram 1500 around the middle of the year. Production of this powertrain will end early this year, leaving the Ram with only the 3.6-litre and 5.7-litre Pentastar V6. This engine delivers best-in-class gas mileage, outperforming GM, Ford, and Toyota hybrid diesel engines. Although the Hemi V8 has more power and better gas mileage, both cars benefit from mild hybrid assistance systems.
Ram still has its benefits. Larger trucks may enjoy a comfortable ride and agile handling thanks to the standard coil-link rear suspension and available air suspension. The interior is stylish, functional, and packed with convenient features. Hats are the best examples of their kind. Although the Ram lacks Ford’s sophisticated workplace tricks, it offers a superior standard infotainment system, superior in-car technology, and abundant active safety features.
Although Ford and Chevrolet offer more engine options and the Ram can’t match overall towing capacity, it still has enough advantages to make it a must-have when looking for a new truck.
