Don’t ask me what the scenario is where The Autopian is somehow empowered to force everyone to get a pickup truck and why we’re not forcing you to buy something more on-brand for us (for example, the weirdest shitbox within your Facebook Marketplace range settings), but go with me here.
You’re getting a pickup truck. Whether or not you need one doesn’t matter. Heck, let’s even say it’s on the government’s dime, so don’t worry about whatever your cash flow situation is. You’re getting a pickup truck. And by “pickup truck,” I mean anything with a bed that a regular person would say is a pickup truck, even if they have to squint a bit. So, no utes, but Autopian Asks isn’t very big on rules, so don’t expect the Comment Cops to bust in if you start talking cars with beds attached.
That said, some people– probably not you, but some people – will decry trucks like the Ford Maverick, Honda Ridgeline, and Hyundai Santa Cruz as mere cars with beds attached, because they’re not body-on-frame and don’t have a solid rear axle. To which I say: nah, they’re pickup trucks. And of those three, it’s probably the Maverick for me, even though I chose a Ridgeline for the topshot. I’m not a big fan of driving pickups when they aren’t actively doing truck things, so the more car-like a truck is, the better. And the lower the better, too.
But that’s just me. Maybe this is your chance to get a mucho-macho lifted truck just for lulz. Perhaps you’d like to go full cowboy Cadillac, since value and practicality are only as much of the discussion as you want them to be. Or maybe … I dunno, I’m asking.
If you must have a truck lest you run afoul of the truck-having police, which do you choose?
Top graphic image: Honda
Do I need to buy a pickup as just a pickup or as my only car? As an only car I’m going Maverick or Ridgeline. As just a pickup, give me a ’90s era Nissan Hardbody.
If I’m not paying then it’s Rivian R1T. Since I don’t really need a truck for long distance towing, having something I can throw bikes in the back (or a hitch rack) and do other around-town truck things like home depot runs would be easily served by the Rivian. In the meantime it doesn’t take much maintenance, is pretty fast/fun in its own way, and has more ground clearance for snow than my daily. If I’m paying it’s probably something more like a Colorado ZR2 or whatever the closest Tacoma to that is.
Realistically, I’d want 1990-1996 F-Series. A sweet spot between classic “truck” styling and modern convenience with EFI, OBD, etc. Unrealistically, I have a soft spot for the Canda-only Mercury pick-ups built from 1947 until 1968, so give me a ’68 in light blue.
Peugeot 504 PickUp Dangel please.
And an El Camino and a Baja of course.
I’d take a Gladiator since it can hit the trails and I don’t need massive towing or bed capacity.
Are we talking new or used?
Used, thats tough. Shelby Dakota, 6-speed SSR come to mind. But give me a Dakota 4×4 Convertible.
New? Ill take a Ranger. I llike the Maverick, but they feel cheap. Ranger for me, but lets make it a proper modern SVT Lightning.
We already have the Lariat Maverick. Since money is no object, I’ll take one of these please.
Unimog Pickup
https://www.daimlertruck.com/en/newsroom/pressrelease/mercedes-benz-special-trucks-unveils-the-most-luxurious-unimog-ever-53293578
Slate, Telo or if I need to pick something which actually exists, how about a 1965 Austin Mini pickup!
If I’m not paying, then it’s of course going to be an Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster.
If that’s too “4X4 with a bed”, then crap, I imagine my backup choice, Rivian R1T, is too “SUV with a bed”.
Then my third choice is probably something like a Toyota Tundra Hybrid.
Assuming that it has to be brand new and I’d be getting rid of my 2002 Tundra, my choice would be a Tacoma with the 6-Speed. Gas milage should be about the same if not better than my Tundra (It’s a V6) and it should have about the same amount of utility despite the bed being a foot shorter. Used I’d look to Australia and bring back a BA Falcon ute.
Hybrid Maverick Lariat with “4WD” and the 4k tow package.
Comfortable, all the truck I need and actually capable of towing.. slowly.. if it really comes to it.
Alternatively.. if it was a year or so from now. I’d probably say some version of the new electric pickup Ford is working on.
Maverick Hybrid XLT with a moonroof and a couple other options is what I’d best live with given my current situation. If such truck was available, at MSRP, at the time of introduction, it’s what I’d probably be driving already.
Waiting for Comment Cops comments … I take a Lamborghini LM002.
I need a huge truck to tow the boat I don’t have, and obviously signal to the rest of the roadgoing public that I’m not a little liberal ninnyshins. So RAM 2500 it is, and the rest of you better get out of my way or you’ll be seeing the real thin blue line-supporting punisher come out, not just the sticker on the back. That’s how real americans drive.
For real life, probably a Frontier. The new ones are handsome and understated, past the first year pretty reliable too. If Nissan does one thing really well, it’s trucks.
We’re going through the “used but recent enough to be safe” pick-up shopping experience for our youngest who works in the trades. She needs to be able to haul 4 x 8 sheets regularly along with a bunch of tools but does not want a full-size truck or 4 doors and does not need 4 wheel drive.
We’re leaning towards a V6 Nissan Frontier King Cab with the longer bed (if we can find it – definitely not a deal breaker). Used Tacos and Ridgelines just seem poor value and the reliability reports on the Canyon/Colorado are eyebrow-raising.
She may well also just say “fuck it” and get a minivan that she can take the rear seats out of (or fold flat) easily. Looks like quite a few can hold a stack of plywood and it would be more versatile and comfortable overall.
As a former Nissan Xterra owner – this is the right answer. The Gen II Frontier after 2009 is every bit as reliable as a Tacoma but the Nissan is built on the same F-Alpha chassis as the Titan and the rest of their body-on-frame vehicles. (I will hold my rant about Toyota chassis design and rust problems for another day.) That means under that 1/4 ton truck is a 1/2 ton chassis. The VQ40 is dead nuts reliable after 2009 and the earlier ones are just as good as long as the previous owner did the timing chain guides with the updated part numbers. Prior to 2009 the automatics were prone to being killed by the radiator, but that was fixed with a new radiator; or buy the six-speed manual which didn’t have that problem. Oh yeah, you can get it in a manual and with a factory rear locker.
I beat on my Xterra off road for over 200,000 miles like it owed me money; it was simply unkillable. I finally sold it to a friend who needed something to take his kids camping because I needed something with a truck bed.
Slate
Well, I already have a 2006 Silverado GMT800 SCSB and a 1963 Ford F100 with a straight six and three on the tree, so I’m pretty well covered for Autopian purposes.
If I have to have another one, and it has to be new, a Rivian looks pretty cool.
If I can have anything, I’d add another classic. I had a 1960 Chevy El Camino in high school, so how about one of those?