There is something very important and imposing about a pickup truck, and somehow they have become a massive part of the culture of the United States. Ford and Chevrolet have become the leading contenders when it comes to the building of pickups, accompanied to some extent by GMC and Cadillac, and new models come out most years to expand the range of what is on offer.

Japan has also jumped onto the pickup wagon, and they have produced some very good models that can rival that of the Detroit manufacturers. Nissan and Mazda, plus Toyota, have all produced American beating pickups that have surprised many. Offering reliability and durability, they have become increasingly popular over the years.

One thing to consider when buying a pickup truck is how good a used model could be, and that is something a lot of people often forget they can purchase. Used cars do often outlast newer versions, particularly if the newer models have suffered when it comes to build quality.  Of course, you can't forget the price differences either, with older models going to be a lot more affordable than newer ones.

Below is a list of a wide range of trucks that with used models, can more often than not outlast newer ones, which is something that you should always consider when buying not just a pickup, but really any vehicle.

21 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Ford Explorer Sport Trac is certainly a long name, and often why the truck is just called the Sport Trac. But it was Ford’s first mid-sized pickup, produced between 2000 and 2010 and is a very affordable used alternative to other pickup trucks. It was aimed at being for those who didn’t want the size of the F-Series and who found the Ranger a bit too small, and it was made up of parts from those trucks as well. The Sport Trac though is more than a badge job and a very dependable machine, and the size is a plus as well, considering how big the F-Series trucks can be.

20 Dodge Dakota

The Dodge Dakota was in production for a good many years, before the production run ended in 2011, where it was known as the Ram Dakota. First launched in 1986, the motorist after a used pickup are better off looking for more recent models of the truck, with 1980s versions being a bit more unreliable. A very capable pickup despite all that, it was available with a V6 or, if you wanted more power, a V8 engine and it proved to be very popular and useful for many motorists, so it is very much worth considering for a used model, and with care will probably last a very long time.

19 Mitsubishi Raider

The Mitsubishi Raider may actually seem familiar to people who have owned a Dodge Dakota. That’s because it was based on the Dakota, and also built by Dodge at their Michigan plant before being affixed with Mitsubishi badges. The Raider then became a very successful truck and proved quite popular with motorists. The reason it was built by a US company was that the truck would have been subject to the chicken tax, which is imposed on imports from Europe and Japan, in response to taxes Europe and Japan made on America exports of Chicken. Despite all that, the Raider faired incredibly well and remains a popular truck on the used car market.

18 Cadillac Escalade EXT

The Cadillac Escalade EXT is certainly one of the more unusual pickups that is currently on the market. Ever wanted a bit of luxury with your pickup truck? Well then the Escalade EXT is certainly one you should consider. It is a pickup version of the SUV, and the pickup bed is rather small compared to what most pickup trucks feature. Despite that shortcoming, Cadillac is, of course, one of the leading car manufacturers in the United States and the Escalade EXT is a reliable car, and also very reliable even when picked up second-hand, and the luxury feel will certainly still be there.

17 Hummer H2 SUT

I haven’t said too many kind things about the H2 SUT before, but the Hummer certainly does have some good points. Based on the military Humvee, the Hummer was in production between 1992 and 2006, although sales were hurt with the rise in climate change concerns. The H2 SUT is actually quite a rare machine on the used car market, with spare parts relatively hard to find for the vehicle. But despite all that, it is still a very reliable machine, and if taken care of well by owners it can be a very good vehicle. Although its size is certainly something that would put many people off.

16 Mazda B Series

Japan has not been well known for making pickup trucks, as these vehicles are much more of a U.S. staple. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t built any, and the Mazda B Series is one of a few pickup trucks from Japan that have been built over the years. Built between 1961 and 2009 it was sold in both Japan and the United States. Older models are very reliable, and newer ones are too making it very much worth purchasing. They are particularly good for those on a tighter budget and whom cannot afford a more lucrative and expensive pickup for themselves.

15 Original Ford F150

The original Ford F150 spawned a rather long legacy and range of pickup trucks that is still growing to this very day. The first generation of Ford pickups was simply known as the Ford F-Series and production began in 1948. The model has proved to be perhaps the most successful pickup truck that has ever been produced, spawning a total of thirteen generations over its long lifespan. Older ones are very much dependable still and even an original can last a long time, although it is going to need a lot of care and attention. But it would be certainly worth it, especially for the gorgeous looks.

14 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Ford, of course, has a direct rival in the pickup truck business, and that is Chevrolet. The flagship of the Chevrolet range is the Silverado, one of the biggest and best pickup trucks that the company as ever built. The 2500 is the bigger of the two models, the other being the 1500. The 2500 was first launched in 1999 and is a top seller, and perfect for those who want the Chevrolet reliability but who also want a bit more power over the smaller 1500 model. Either is a great choice for the common motorist but the 2500 has a slight performance edge which perhaps makes it more favorable in the used car competition.

13 Toyota Hilux

The Toyota Hilux has been around for a good many years now and has been through multiple changes and iterations over its lifespan. The Hilux is most famous for being the ‘indestructible truck’ from Top Gear, where it was put through a multitude of destructive tests and yet at the end of it all, was still in relatively in one piece and still able to run. The Hilux was first launched in 1968, and it is still in production to this very day, no doubt because it is a very dependable machine that is also incredibly popular among motorists, and one of the best models to come out of Japan.

12 Chevrolet Colorado

Despite the popularity of the Silverado, it isn’t the only truck that Chevrolet produce. The company also produces the Colorado, a mid sized pickup truck that has been in production since 2003. The Colorado was a created as a direct replacement for the previous Chevrolet S-10 which was in production itself from 1981 to 2004, and as it got more outdated then Chevrolet thought about a new model, hence the Colorado was born. Over 100,000 are sold every year, and it is a very reliable and dependable truck and perfect for those seeking a pickup from the used market. Even with a few scratches and some dirt, the Colorado is still a very dependable pickup truck.

11 Nissan Frontier

There is an overwhelming belief that the best pickup trucks are those that come from Detroit, and they simply disregard pickups from other brands such as Mazda and Nissan. Nissan though has given the US manufacturers are run for their money in recent years, and one of those trucks to do so is the Frontier. First introduced in 1997, it has become one of the most successful trucks in the world and sold in Europe, Asia and Australia as well as the United States. With sales on the rise, then that is only good for buyers after used models, with more being on the market once their first owners decide to sell them on.

10 Honda Ridgeline

Honda are perhaps not a company that springs to mind when producing a pickup truck, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t going to have a go. And indeed they did with the Honda Ridgeline, a very capable and dependable pickup truck, with a big size and all the Honda reliability and durability that you may well expect from any product from the Japanese company. The only downside is that for a new vehicle, the Ridgeline is quite expensive, and perhaps not as well equipped as other pickups. But for used buyers, it is perfect and will last an awfully long time.

9 Toyota Tacoma

The Hilux is one of the most successful trucks Toyota have produced, but so has the Tacoma. Toyota made their first pickup truck in 1935, and the Tacoma became a member of the Japanese pickup family in 1995, and it grew into a mid-sized truck for the second and third generation models. The Tacoma has been so successful because it has been designed with the US market in mind, and was actually derived as a replacement for the Hilux. The Hilux is more agricultural, whereas as the Tacoma is more luxurious and comfortable. The Tacoma is also a great vehicle to pickup used, and very reliable and durable despite the more luxury feel.

8 RAM 1500

The RAM 1500, originally known as the Dodge Ram, was first introduced in 1993 after the launch of the first generation back in 1981. 1993 saw the truck become a 1500 half-ton truck, and went alongside the larger 2500 and 3500 versions of the truck. The pickups have a great reputation for durability and they are ideal therefore as second hand purchases, and they can even give trucks such as the Silverado and F150 a run for their money, although overall they are not quite as popular. Another good reason to purchase one second hand is that spare parts are often quite cheap and easy to source.

7 Nissan Titan

The name Titan certainly makes it sound like a big truck, and you’d be right. The Titan is the Japanese take on a full size pickup, and is certainly more than a match for anything the Detroit rivals can produce. The 2017 model also saw a huge increase in sales for the Titan, with the truck being incredibly good value for money compared to other similar vehicles from the United States. The reliability is also impeccable and on a direct par with that of those trucks from Ford and Chevrolet, and second hand the Titan is a perfect buy, especially as it is an easy to maintain vehicle too.

6 Ford F350

We have already talked about how good the F-Series of Ford’s are, and perhaps they are the granddaddy of the pickup truck range. Production began in 1947 with rollout the following year, and they are one of the most recognizable vehicles no matter the form or generation they are. The F-350 is a super duty vehicle, meaning it is a step up from the more regular pickup trucks such as the F-150 as well as being more powerful than the F-150 and even the F-250 truck as well. The F-350 doesn’t get spoken about in the same tongue as the F-150 but it is still very popular with motorists and well worth picking up used as well.

5 Ford F250

The F-250 is another of the Ford Super Duty trucks and a step down from the larger and more powerful Ford F-350. The F-250 has the advantage of being more practical for urban drivers and also impeccable off road too, striking a very good balance between size and dependability. An important thing to note of course is how big a pickup truck can be, and despite being bigger than the F-150 it is still at a relatively good size for towns and cities. The F-250 was also the best selling car in the US in 2017, selling close to 900,000 models and proving how successful the F-Series of trucks are.

4 Ford F150

The Ford F-150 is perhaps the most recognizable of the Ford range of pickup trucks, and certainly one of the most recognizable in the world. Its direct rival is of course the Chevrolet Silverado, and the trucks certainly attract a wide range of opinions from motorists, although it would appear normally that the F150 has the edge over the Silverado. The F-150 is the smallest of the pickups in the F-Series range but also the most popular, its smaller size making it incredibly well suited to driving around towns and cities, at least in pickup truck terms. Its popularity is still sky high and shows no sign of waning.

3 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

If you want a pickup truck that is used, and not going to break down on you quickly, then you can’t go wrong with the Silverado 1500. It is a great option for anyone after a used pickup truck. Much like the larger 2500, the 1500 itself is a full sized pickup truck and can come with a V6 or V8 engine, and is a very reliable choice for that matter. New models were priced at around $28,000 in 2018 and used ones can go for well under the $20,000 price point, and they will have a very good record for durability and also dependability.

2 Dodge Ram 2500

We have already looked at the RAM 1500 truck, but there is also a larger version available. The Dodge Ram 2500 is a larger pickup truck, for the truck owner that perhaps is seeking a little bit more bang for their buck. The only downside though is that the Ram 2500 doesn’t have a very good reputation for fuel mileage or economy, but the 2500 does have very good reliability and is also very durable, in fact, it is one of the most impressive on the used market when it comes to durability. Long term, the 2500 is certainly a very good investment and particularly if you can look after it as well.