Best Trucks | 2026 New Pickup Truck Models Ratings | CarBuzz

Pickup trucks have been the most beloved means of transportation in the USA for decades by virtue of their unrivaled versatility and hardy capabilities. From compact to full-size models, today’s trucks are packed with modern technology and premium features, which is why they remain strong in their position at the top of the sales charts.

However, this popularity means that competition is stiff and buyers won’t settle for a second-rate product. Finding the best pickup truck in 2026 can, therefore, be challenging, which is why we have provided our rankings to help you out.

Vehicles are assigned a BuzzScore in relation to their direct segment competitors, and as such, vehicles in this list, while similarly scored, do not necessarily compete directly against one another. Find out more about how the BuzzScore ratings work here. These lists are continuously updated with the latest BuzzScores and vehicles as they become available.

1 GMC Sierra EV

Some people might not agree with starting off our list of the best trucks with an EV, but we're confident that the GMC Sierra EV is one of the best overall pickups we've driven. Not only is it capable of truck stuff, but it's plush and comfortable inside. Our road tester explains how it feels twice as nice as the Chevy Silverado EV inside. It's available in three trims that start with the Elevation at $62,400, and end with the Denali at $69,700 before destination and options. It has a range of up to 478 miles, leaving range anxiety out of the question. Plus, it can tow up to 10,000 pounds.

"Road noise in the Sierra EV is lower than its Silverado counterpart, and there is no annoying pedestrian hum that's audible when you are sitting in traffic. Super Cruise is available on most trims, taking full advantage of the truck's impressive range to make highway driving a joy. Even tight parking maneuvers are simple thanks to four-wheel steering on AT4 and Denali trims."

- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz

2 Ram 1500

The Ram 1500 is the next best truck on our list with a BuzzScore of 8.7 out of 10. Buyers will be happier about this model, since it marks the return of the Hemi V8 engine. We've driven one with its resurrected V8, and found that it's tons of fun, loud, and feels right - even if it's less powerful and less capable than the Hurricane I6s. When properly equipped, the V8 can tow up to 11,320 pounds, but the standard Hurricane inline-6 can pull 11,610 pounds when properly equipped. Buyers can choose among ten trims that range in price from $41,575 to $88,645 before destination and options.

"The sweet and smooth sound of the Hemi is also paired with the same basic 8-speed automatic transmission as the Hurricane engine. The transmission is equally silky most of the time, but it's quite sluggish. It doesn't hurry through any shift except for when it kicks down with more throttle input, which does feel a tad abrupt. On the plus side, though, the shift logic seems a little more refined for the V8 than for the inline-six."

- Joel Stocksdale, CarBuzz

3 GMC Hummer EV Pickup

Another EV on this list of the best pickup trucks is the GMC Hummer EV Pickup. It's not like a traditional pickup; this model is capable of some truck stuff, but it's more of a statement piece than a work vehicle. That's not to say it's bad - it's still among some nice trucks here - but it costs at least $97,200 before destination. It comes with either a dual-motor or tri-motor setup with horsepower ranging from 570 hp to 1,160 hp with the right options. The tri-motor model can sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 2.8 seconds, too. When properly equipped, ths 2X trim level can tow up to 12,100 pounds.

4 Ford F-150 Lightning

As far as new pickup trucks go, the Ford F-150 Lightning is a great option for those interested in electric power. It's a shame that Ford decided to pull the plug on this truck after a relatively short production run, but the 2026 model year should still be available for orders. Excluding the Pro model that's reserved for fleet orders, the base model for everybody else is the STX, which starts at $63,345 (the same as the XLT trim it's replacing). This version will have 536 horsepower, 775 lb-ft of torque, and a range of 290 miles.

"This thing puts any truck that doesn't have a Hummer or Rivian badge to shame. No gas-powered truck gets off the line like the Lightning, including supercharged behemoths like the Raptor R and Ram TRX. That instant torque hits like a gut punch, and there's no transmission shifts to delay the acceleration."

- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz

5 Honda Ridgeline

Good trucks don't have to be huge or extremely powerful; some of us just want a simple, reliable model with a bed. The Honda Ridgeline fits the bill. This Honda truck has some off-road capabilities, all trims have standard all-wheel-drive, and they can all tow up to 5,000 pounds. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V6 that makes 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, which gets paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission. This midsize truck starts at $40,795 for the Sport trim, and scales up to the Black Edition with two-tone paint for $47,895.

6 GMC Canyon

Another midsize model that ranks among our top-rated trucks is the GMC Canyon. It directly rivals truck models like the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and its Chevy counterpart that we'll get to later. The Canyon is a great balance between rugged capabilities, respectable towing and hauling capacities, and it has a comfortable interior. Under the hood is a 2.7L turbo I4 that makes 310 hp and 340 lb-ft of torque. There are four trims to choose from, starting with the Elevation for $38,900 and ending with the Denali for $53,300. Our favorite, though, is the AT4X, which comes with a 2-inch lift, larger all-terrain tires, a skid plate for the transfer case, rock protectors, and more. When properly equipped, the Canyon can tow up to 7,700 pounds.

"Thanks to those impressive DSSV dampers, the ride in the Canyon AT4X was smoother compared to what we observed in the Colorado Trail Boss. Absorbing road impacts seems to be a wonderful side effect when tuning a truck for grueling off-roading. We didn't notice too much road noise from the mud-terrain tires, meaning that the AT4X offers few compromises for street driving."

- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz

7 GMC Sierra 1500

The GMC Sierra 1500 is the best-looking half-ton truck on sale today. Not only does it have the best styling, but this GMC captures our hearts with its range of powertrains, premium interior, and impressive capabilities. Under the hood is your choice of a 2.7L turbo I4, a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel I6. When properly configured with the diesel engine that makes 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque, the Sierra 1500 can tow up to 13,300 pounds. There are eight trims available; the Pro trim starts at $38,300, but buyers with deeper pockets will surely enjoy the luxurious Denali Ultimate for $84,400.

8 Chevrolet Colorado

The Chevrolet Colorado is the same truck under the skin as the GMC Canyon. They're built on the same platform, which means it also gets a 2.7-liter TurboMax inline-4 that makes 310 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque. It can tow up to 7,700 pounds when properly equipped. The best part about this truck, though, is that it's cheaper. There are five available trims; the WT starts at $32,400, and the lineup is capped by the ZR2 for $50,700. This model gets all the off-road upgrades you could ask for in a midsize truck, like 33-inch mud terrain tires, a 3-inch lift, DSSV dampers, and more.

"As it did on the road, the Colorado transmitted small vibrations back from the trails, but larger dips in the road were virtually eliminated. The suspension loves speed, doing its best work going over huge impacts rather than smaller ones. The Bison Edition adds Multimatic jounce control dampers, which are essential bump stops, that cushion the truck if it happens to get airborne. We can report that they really work."

- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz

9 Ford F-150 Raptor

We've talked a bit about off-road capabilities a few times now, but it doesn't get much better than sailing over sand dunes in the Ford F-150 Raptor. It's a bit too large, in our opinion, to make it down the more technical trails that the Canyon AT4X would excel at. However, this Ford pickup is more than capable of climbing, crawling, and jumping over obstacles with force. Under the hood is either a standard 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, or an optional 5.2-liter supercharged V8 in the Raptor R that makes 720 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque. It's not cheap, though, since the standard Raptor starts at $79,005 before destination.

"Thankfully, in Baja mode, the suspension and the all-wheel-drive system does a superb job of taking the edge off of inexperience, but it's not magical. Physics can only be held off so far, but the Raptor R often defies it, particularly when braking hard to set up for a corner when sand is building up under the front of the tires and wanting to unsettle the chassis as you let off. Getting the power down is grin-inducing, with the tires hooking up and needing gentle corrections to get and keep it in a straight line."

- Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz

10 Ford Maverick

Rounding off our list of the best trucks is the Ford Maverick, which we feel belongs here for a few reasons. Firstly, it's not often that automakers give buyers affordable options these days; even though the Maverick is not as cheap as it was when it was first released, it's still the only truck in its segment with a base price of $28,145. Secondly: it's surprisingly capable despite being so small. It cna tow up to 4,000 pounds and hold up to 1,500 pounds in its bed - that's not far from the larger Honda Ridgeline we talked about earlier. Under the hood is either a 2.5-liter inline-4 hybrid, or a .20-liter turbocharged I4 that makes 250 horsepower.

"[The Lobo trim is] a lot more fun on a back road than the XLT, and that's all about the extra grip and braking. You can legitimately chuck the Lobo into a corner in Sport mode and chuckle as you pop out the other side, with the rear giving a little drift if you choose, and the steering allows a surprising amount of precision."

- Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-At-Large, CarBuzz

Characteristics Of The Best Pickup Trucks

While there are many pickups to choose from on the market, each with different capabilities and target consumers, all trucks share a similar foundation.

• Size: Even the smallest of trucks is larger than any regular car, and even increasingly popular SUVs will seldom exceed the footprint of these burly brutes. This is more than just a cosmetic concern, as their large size grants them superior ride height and enough ground clearance to handily overcome most rough terrain.
• Power: Potent V6 or V8 engines are common among pickup trucks. These powertrains aren’t just there to bestow trucks with surprisingly lively acceleration, but also enable them to tow and haul impressive loads. That said, turbocharging and torquey electric motors are being incorporated more and more often.
• Capability: A combination of size, power, and engineering, the capabilities of pickup trucks exceed those of almost any other type of vehicle. They can haul impressive loads thanks to their reinforced bodies. Towing is similarly impressive, with some trucks boasting max capacities in excess of 20,000 pounds.
• Customizable: A very common quality among pickups is their ability to be built to spec. This means that new owners can often choose from several body configurations to go along with the choice of engine. These customizations generally come down to the type of cabin and the length of the loading bed. Sometimes, dual rear wheels are also available. Trucks with lifts are also a relatively common sight, but this is an aftermarket alteration not recommended by manufacturers.
• Dependability: The best trucks are built to last, with plenty of hard plastics inside and resilient metal outside. So long as they are well-maintained, trucks can remain fully functional for many years, which helps keep the used market saturated with options. It also means that top new pickup trucks could last you half a lifetime.

What To Consider Before Buying A Pickup Truck

As impressive as they may sound, pickups are not perfect, nor are they for everyone. These vehicles are far from perfect, despite their many endearing qualities. Before you spend your hard-earned cash on one of the new trucks of 2026, carefully weigh the pros and cons like we have:

Pros

• They are extremely capable when it comes to doing hard work or venturing off-road
• Versatility is also a primary factor, allowing them to be customized to suit specific needs
• Their hardy construction makes them long-lasting and extremely safe vehicles
• There is no denying the curb appeal of a monstrous pickup truck

Cons

• Sometimes, their size can work against them in the urban environment
• The elements that make them sturdy and durable often come at a cost to ride comfort
• Pickups are generally not cheap, and the cost of running them only adds to the price

Sources: GMC, Ram, Ford, Honda, Chevrolet