10 of the Cheapest Pickup Trucks for 2023
Tow and haul without breaking your budget.
Ford
Article QuickTakes:
| | | | |
Need a capable hauler, but have a limited budget? One of the trucks on this list might work for you. All start under $40,000, but note that these prices correspond to base models, which tend to offer few amenities and may require extra dough for a hitch receiver.
GMC
2023 GMC Canyon: around $38,000
GMC presents itself as a tough yet premium brand, evidenced by its midsize Canyon, which in two-wheel-drive base form can haul 1,640 pounds and tow up to 7,700 pounds, but costs substantially more than the closely related Chevrolet Colorado. One reason for the price difference is that all Canyons use a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder making 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque — an extra-cost engine tune on Colorados below the ZR2.
Chevrolet
2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: around $37,000
Shoppers who need to carry and tug big loads will want to stick to the half-ton segment. Equipped with GM's 310-hp, 430-lb-ft turbo 2.7-liter four, the entry-level, regular-cab, standard-bed Chevy Silverado boasts a 2,260-pound payload capacity and a 9,100-pound tow rating, making it plenty practical for work or play.
Ford
2023 Ford F-150: around $36,000
Part of the perennial bestselling lineup of trucks, the F-150 is popular for a reason: It's capable and affordable. The budget buy — a regular-cab, standard-bed, two-wheel-drive XL — comes standard with a 3.3-liter V6, making 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. That combination can haul 1,935 pounds in the bed and tow 5,000 pounds, but select the 3.73 axle ratio for $80, and the latter figure increases to 8,200 pounds.
Ram
2023 Ram 1500 Classic: around $33,000
The Ram 1500 Classic is actually the previous-generation Ram 1500 and has a more dated infotainment system and fewer premium appointments than the current model, but it's the cheapest option in the full-size segment. Equipped with a 305-hp, 269-lb-ft 3.6-liter V6, the regular-cab, long-box truck can carry a respectable 1,910 pounds in the bed. Unfortunately, its tow rating of 4,720 pounds is below average for the segment.
Nissan
2023 Nissan Frontier: $31,000
Don't forget about the Nissan Frontier, which employs a 310-hp, 281-lb-ft 3.8-liter V6. It entered a new generation last year and received some much-needed refinements, including an 8.0-inch infotainment system and a 7.0-inch driver display. It's also tough enough to tow 6,690 pounds and haul 1,590 pounds in the base King Cab S 4x2 configuration.
Chevrolet
2023 Chevrolet Colorado: around $31,000
The Chevy Colorado is similar to the GMC Canyon, but in base form, lacks some of the latter's features, like cruise control, a seatback pocket, proximity key entry and start, and rear USB ports. It also makes do with a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder that produces 237 ponies and 260 pound-feet of torque. Other engines are available for more money, but at this price and with this powertrain, you're looking at a tow rating of 7,700 pounds and a payload of 1,684 pounds.
Toyota
2023 Toyota Tacoma: around $29,000
The starter Toyota Tacoma is a bit sluggish, with just 159 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque on tap. With that powertrain, the truck boasts a relatively meager tow rating of 3,500 pounds, but its payload is decent, at 1,685 pounds. If you're in the market for a manual-transmission truck, the mid-level Tacoma TRD Sport with a 278-hp V6 is the most affordable option, at $38,000. (The only other pickup to offer a stick-shift is the Jeep Gladiator, which starts around $41,000.) The Tacoma's manual-V6 combo can tow 6,500 pounds, but carry only 1,260 lbs. in the bed.
Ford
2023 Ford Ranger: around $29,000
A step down in size from the F-150, the entry-level Ford Ranger — motivated by a turbocharged 2.3-liter four making 270 horses and 310 pound-feet — can haul up to 1,905 pounds and tow 7,500 pounds when properly equipped. The interior is a bit spartan, with cloth seats and hard plastics everywhere, not to mention the dinky 3.5-inch infotainment screen, but upgrades are available if you care to breach the $30,000 mark.
Hyundai
2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz: around $27,000
Hyundai recently entered the pickup truck fray with the Santa Cruz, a unibody design that rides on the same platform as the Tucson crossover. The front-drive model with the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder offers up 191 ponies and 181 pound-feet of torque and can tow up to 3,500 pounds and move 1,753 pounds in the bed.
Ford
2023 Ford Maverick: around $24,000
The price leader of pickups is the compact Ford Maverick, which is also the cheapest way into a Ford in 2023. Shoppers of this front-drive-based unibody truck must choose between a 191-hp, 155-lb-ft hybrid powertrain and a 250-hp, 277-lb-ft turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Either way, they'll enjoy the same payload capacity of 1,500 pounds and a tow rating of 2,000 pounds. Select all-wheel drive and the towing package for about $3,000 more and you can tug a 4,000-pound trailer with your Maverick.
