It’s an exciting time to try and understand the trucks market. Competition is at an all-time high, and demand for good trucks is growing. Truck buyers today aren’t merely looking for a workhorse. The list of amenities that buyers look for in modern times extends to the technology on the dashboard, eco-friendliness, fuel economy, and serving well both in the city and rural setup. For any truck enthusiast, this is one of the most interesting times to look into what’s happening around the truck market.
From the onset, it’s important to highlight that there is no shortage of good trucks in the market. Any buyer must undertake a thorough review of what exactly befits them as each automaker attempts to stand out. As Ford attempts to maintain a long-held heritage in building, Jeep attempts to make their trucks really hardened to be able to go wherever they are needed.
What exactly do you into when assessing trucks?
Each truck buyer has a set of needs they desire the trucks to do. Overall, however, there are common factors such as towing capacity, power and engine size, purpose and daily usage, gas economy, among other general factors that buyers want to understand. In ranking the most reliable trucks of 2021, we put these and other factors into perspective.
10 Toyota Tundra
The Tundra is has received very favorable reviews from several quarters. In 2019, it was awarded the J. D. Power Dependability award and won the 2020 JD Power quality award. The averages score in both years was 88 out of 100, placing it at a very competitive bid. From an evaluation putting together Tundras from 2009-2017, the truck managed 4.2 out of 5 points
The Tundra has been around since 1999. In 2000, it was awarded the North American Truck of the Year from Motor Trend, a feat that would again be repeated in 2008. Such are the highlights that have maintained the Tundra as one of the best-ranking trucks over the years.
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9 The RAM 1500
Perhaps there is no better place to start than see how the 2021 Dodge Ram 1500 is on the pecking order. According to Reparilpal, this Ram comes fourth in a ranking that includes 17 full-size trucks. The U.S News Best website ranks it at number one, ticking the right boxes in aspects such as powerful engines, cushioned, roomy, and luxurious interior, user-friendly infotainment system, among other performance indices.
One of the most attractive elements of the Ram 1500 is that all versions are available in four-wheel drive. This makes them great for off-road maneuvers, comfortably taking you across sand and snow as well as country roads.
8 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Consumer Reports says that the redesigning of the Chevrolet 1500 in 2019 “brought a more spacious cabin, along with the quiet and handling of a luxury car.” The existence of several engine options makes further makes it attractive to a wide range of consumers. With engines such as a V-6, turbocharged four-cylinder, two V-8s, and a Duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six, you can engage the Silverado in a wide range of tasks.
An exciting feature added to the 2019 version is the powered tailgate that opens with a key fob or by just pressing a button on the dashboard. Fuel economy from the more common 5.-liter V8 engine is rated at 17mpg, which is just enough for whatever ride you want to subject this truck to. The 2021 version carries on with some intuitive tech features and increased towing capacities in various engines.
7 Jeep Gladiator
The Jeep Gladiator is a vehicle built for off-roading and adventure. In this sense, you wouldn’t be very comfortable using the Gladiator for your daily commute, although it still serves the purpose. The Gladiator was introduced in 2018 and continues to find its space as a convertible truck of some kind.
The Gladiator Rubicon and the Mojave are the two top trim levels of this mid-size truck. The Mojave is thus given an increased level of performance. It gets its power from a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that produces 285-hp. You can have it with an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Pick the Gladiator for your off-road escapades, and you find one of the best performers you can get.
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6 Toyota Tacoma
“The Toyota Tacoma is a real truck.” Says Motorbiscuit. “ It performs like a truck, it feels like a truck.” Indeed, the Tacoma has stood out as a significantly reliable truck, which has been sufficiently proven by increased sales of older models. It’s among trucks with the highest resale value. Its biggest score point certainly is in durability.
Before the Tacoma nameplate came around in 1995, Toyota simply had the name Toyota Truck, although the Hilux nameplate had been around for a while. The new truck got praise for improved handling and comfort and continued to evolve over the years. The 2019 model is one of the most hailed versions. The Tacoma retains most of its offerings for 2021, but a new limited trim called the Trail Special edition comes around. Only 7,000 units are to be built.
5 Nissan Titan
The 2020 Nissan Titan ranked 5th on the list of full-size pickup trucks, according to US News Best. Among the elements that gave it a good score are the infotainment system and safety features.
J.D Power gave the 2020 Nissan Titan a score of 85 out of 100 in terms of dependability. Other rubrics include reliability, driving experience, resale, and dealership experience, all of which the Nissan Titan scores relatively well. In particular, JD Power gave the Titan 95 out of 100 in reliability.
The Titan is viewed as an acceptable alternative to some American trucks. Its biggest undoing is a single-engine and transmission combination. This is a 5.6-liter V-8 that punches 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
4 Ford F-150
Ford redesigned the F-150 for 2021. Among other desirable offers is the pipeline is a hybrid version that comes on this truck for the first time. There are six powertrains to pick from and three cab configurations offered with long and short bed designs.
The F-150 continues with a long-established heritage and legendary performance in several aspects, including admirable towing. The 3.3-liter V-6 engine, for instance, can pull 8200 pounds while the 5.0-liter V-8 pulls upt0 13,000 pounds. These are just a few highlights placing this truck well among competitors.
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3 Nissan Frontier
Since its appearance on the scene in 1998, the Frontier has only seen a design refreshment once, in 2005. To some extent, the minimal changes in most of its style have worked in its favor. It’s seen as a reliable, no-nonsense truck meant for serious work. It’s devoid of luxurious offerings and instead makes a lot of effort to remain rugged.
The Nissan Frontier is said to be scheduled for a major update in the near future. Whether it retains the same features that have made it outstanding remains to be seen. You can pick the 4-cylinder engine or a V-6 engine that’s able to crank out 261 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. The Frontier is a good car to take up serious beating and still remain in good condition.
2 GMC Canyon
The GMC Canyon is offered in three powerful and very capable powertrain options. You can have it in a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that pushes 200hp, a 2.6-liter V-6, or a 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine. The Canyon is a truck that has had a great trajectory to its spot on the market today. CarComplaints.com gave Canyon models build between 200-2012 a Seal of Awesome, noting that they reported the least amount of reported problems.
The GMC exited in 2012, only to reappear in 2015 with the redesign, which gave it a better interior, better-towing capacity, among other tweaks. US News best ranks the Canyon at number 3 in the category of Compact Pickup Trucks. It also gets 7.7 out of 10 in the evaluation of 46 pieces. In General, this car review website notes that “there are a few blemishes on the Canyon's resume.”
1 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2500
The Sierra has proven to be an incredible machine in many ways. Reliable, powerful, and versatile, it continues to attract good reviews in dependability and reliability. Both the Sierra 1500 and Sierra 2500 consistently rank among the top five best trucks.
The Sierra has undergone several design updates, the latest one being the option of a tailgate that can be configured into a workbench. A new 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder engine gets a 23 mpg rating. The Sierra sits well as a vehicle for the city and adventure travel, a point that has been emphasized by a combination of ruggedness and smooth, comfortable rides.