There’s one constant when it comes to shopping for trucks, they are quite costly. Getting a brand-new truck can cost nearly six figures, especially if you are crazy about options and settle for a heavy-duty engine. All hope is not lost, and more so, if you are looking to forego luxuries and niceties such as big touchscreens, and leather seats and stick to the truck’s entry price.
Every pickup truck owner needs a truck with cargo hauling and towing capabilities, and depending on your finances, today’s trucks offer a wide range of engines with impressive capabilities and performance that will cope with the toughest of tasks. So, are there any cheap options that won’t leave you stranded by the roadside? Absolutely! Here’s a list of 10 cheap trucks that are more powerful than they look.
10 1992-1998 Toyota T100
It's no surprise a Toyota truck features on this list. Toyota has quite a reputation for reliability and in the U.S, the Japanese manufacturer has firmly established itself in the North American compact truck market. The Toyota t100 truck is your ultimate old-is-gold truck. With a simple search, you’ll find options as cheap as $5,000— but that’s not entirely what we are after. Does the t100 pack any power? Certainly! There are four choices to choose from, the 2.7L 4-cylinder, 3.0 L V6, 3.4L V6, and the 3.4 L supercharged V6. The 3.4 L supercharged version produces 260hp. Now, that’s one heck of a nice truck!
9 1999 Ford F-150 Lightning
Ford is a well-known brand in the automotive industry; let's face it; they produced the first-ever combustion engine. The Ford SVT F-150 Lightning is a high-performance pickup truck that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to acquire. The first-ever Ford SVT F-150 Lightning debuted in 1993 and stopped production in 1995. In 1999, Ford had a change of heart, and it came back as a 5.4 Liter Supercharged triton SOCH V8. Due to its shorter wheelbase, and extremely powerful motor, the 1999 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning produces 350 hp and 44 lb.-ft of torque. This truck hits 60 mph in 6.2 seconds!
8 2004-2015 Toyota Tacoma
If you love trucks, you’ve probably owned a Toyota Tacoma or at least thought of buying one. It's not difficult finding a decent looking option under $10,000. These trucks have won numerous awards, and in 2005, the Toyota Tacoma won Motor Trend’s Truck of the year. It also won the IIHS Top Safety Spot in 2009. The Tacoma has a unique design and great safety features including mounted side airbags, curtain side airbags, and active front headrests. These features are quite rare in pickup trucks. When it comes to performance, the Toyota Tacoma doesn’t disappoint; it comes with a 4-Liter engine paired with a six-speed manual gearbox.
7 2007 -2013 Toyota Tundra
Since there are already two awesome Toyota’s on this list, it's only wise we added the Tundra. Perform a quick search online, and you’ll discover how cheap these trucks are, with numerous decent options well under $10,000.
Based on what the 1st generation of the Toyota Tundra has, its predecessor, the Second generation 2007 -2013 Toyota Tundra held nothing back. It's bulkier, with a 2,000-pound payload and a 10,000-pound towing capability. The 2nd Gen Toyota Tundra packs a furious 5.7L V8 and produces 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft of torque. The Toyota Tundra is a decent cheap truck with a ton of power.
6 2019 Nissan Frontier $20,035
The Nissan Frontier has been pretty much available since 2005, and it is perhaps one of the oldest pickup trucks that are still up for sale. Nissan designed this pickup truck for the consumer looking for a simple, cheap, but no-nonsense truck (you’ll still need a mini arm-workout to crank up the windows). If that's what you are looking for, the Nissan frontier is your truck of choice. You’ll get a used version for under $20,000 in pristine condition. The 2019 Nissan Frontier packs a 4Liter engine paired with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. This truck produces 261 hp and 281 lb.ft of torque. The Nissan Frontier is one of the cheapest trucks in the U.S.
5 2019 Chevrolet Colorado WT $22,395
If you are looking for a cheap everyday truck that packs a ton of power, the Chevrolet Colorado is an awesome pick-up truck choice. Its nothing like you'd find on Mad Max: Fury Road, but at least, it's cheaper than the Silverado and its GMC twin the Canyon. It's also not as stripped out as it was before. You won’t get it with a manual transmission either; all Chevy Colorado owners have to bask in the decadence of an automatic transmission system. A consolation however is, Colorado has the off-road performance of a ZR2, and a crew cab variant with a back seat that is adult-friendly. You won't find too many trucks with that.
4 2019 GMC Canyon $23,295
The 2019 GMC Canyon is in fact, Chevy Colorado’s twin and it's possible to get an almost identical version of the Canyon with the same 2.5L 4-Cylinder engine. There’s also a turbo-diesel variant with a 4-cylinder engine available.
The GMC Canyon offers more than just towing capabilities, its a refined ride experience with reduced external noise. Its cabin features updated modern tech with all the bells and whistles for passengers to enjoy. Its extended cab design offers a big truck impression kind of like it’s bigger sibling the GMC Sierra. This trim doesn’t come with rear seats or floor carpeting; it's more industrial minded.
3 2019 Nissan Titan S 31,985
While it’s differently configured, 2019 Nissan Titan S is no doubt the ostensive rival of full-size GM pick-up trucks. The Nissan Titan S is no way your typical cheap truck, but they make the cut in case you are looking for a brand-new truck without breaking the bank. It's not the most popular truck among truck lovers either; it can hardly keep up with the competition when it comes to hauling. However, it doesn’t make it a poor choice either. The Nissan Titan S comes standard with a V8 engine paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. This truck produces an impressive 390 hp.
2 2018 Dodge Ram 2500 HD $30,000
If you are looking for an affordable heavy-duty pickup, the 2018 Ram 2500 HD makes an excellent choice. With an average price of $30,000, buyers get an unpainted bumper cover, manual windows, and locks, air conditioning, steel wheels, and that’s pretty much all you can expect. To compensate for its poor features, buyers get to enjoy the sheer power of its 5.7 L HEMI V8. The 2018 Ram 2500 has an impressive towing power of 13,000 pounds, and 3,040-pound payload capacity. If you are looking to save some money, opt for a clean used Ram 2500 HD instead.
1 2019 Ford F-150 $29,750
This list wouldn’t be complete without the F-150; it’s the most popular pickup truck in the U.S—and for a good reason. Any model of this truck you get will do you good. It's perfect for hauling and is a definite looker-just install of aluminum wheels, and you’ll have a great looking truck. The Ford F-150 has been Ford’s top-selling model for decades. The 2019 Ford F-150 is powered by a relatively new 3.3 L V-6 engine with a myriad of options to transform its interior to resemble that of a luxury car. The Ford-F150 is perhaps the most capable pickup truck in America.