When we were growing up, any vehicle sounded like the greatest thing in the world. By the time high school rolls around, you're happy just to have your parents' old hand-me-down hatchback. It didn't matter what color, size, shape, or condition the car was in (although you definitely got more "cool points" if you pulled up in something special) as long as you were able to get from point A to point B. Having a car meant the world at that point and was a right of passage for every teen.

Now that we're grown up, we expect a lot more bang for our buck. Cars aren't just a means of travel, they're a way of life, and we want to be comfortable in whatever we choose. Some of us spend a lot of time in our vehicles, whether it's driving daily to work or traveling across-country as often as possible.

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Throughout our search for the perfect vehicle, we see a lot of flashy ads for sports cars and cushy SUVs. What we don't often consider are trucks. They're usually seen as gas-guzzling heavyweights but pickup trucks can be much more useful than most people think.

10 Won't Fit In The Trunk? No Problem

Via: Car And Driver

Imagine this. You're walking around a store or perusing a local market and you suddenly lock eyes with an amazing piece of furniture. It's absolutely perfect for your place and it's such a low price that it feels like stealing. The only issue? It's way too big to fit in the trunk of your car or SUV. Sure, you could go the route of tying it to the roof and battling the wind as you zip down the highway home, but you'd have a much easier time transporting it if you had a truck.

Pickups come with a variety of bed lengths and sizes, giving you the freedom to effortlessly haul almost anything you might impulse buy.

9 Dirt And Dust Are Expected

Via: Detroit Free Press

Sometimes it isn't the size of the item you're hauling but rather the material or substance. Maybe you're itching to do some work on your yard and need some dirt to fill in holes. Perhaps you need a load of decorative rocks or some dusty old wood for a project.

Tossing those items into the back of your car or SUV can wreak havoc on the interior, requiring you to line everything with plastic. You won't have this problem with a pickup, thanks to the lined bed. They're built to take on the elements and clean up easily after hauling any material.

8 Trucks Are Built To Carry Weight

Via: USA Today

Maybe the item you're carrying will fit in the back of your SUV without much effort, but exactly how heavy is it? When we're busy hustling through a project or collecting things we love, the last thing on our mind is "can my vehicle handle the weight of these items?" It's an expensive fix when the back-end of your car or SUV suddenly buckles under the weight of whatever you're hauling.

Trucks can carry a lot more payload than their smaller counterparts. This is something to keep in mind if you find yourself buying or moving a lot of heavy things.

7 You'll Be Able To Tow Almost Anything

Via: Ram Trucks

Sure, you can tow trailers with cars and SUVs but pickups are king when it comes to towing capacity and what items they are capable of towing. It's not rare to see an SUV riding down the road with a full-size boat lagging behind it but you won't see a Jeep or Kia hauling a 5th-wheel motorhome anywhere.

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Pickups give you the freedom and ability to tackle the toughest of towing jobs, with some vehicles boasting an impressive 18,000+ lbs of towing capacity.

6 Pull Like You Mean It

VIa: Victory Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM

In a grade school tug-of-war match, the pickup truck would be the kid that experienced a life-altering growth spurt and suddenly grew two-feet taller than anyone else. Trucks are designed with towing and dragging in mind, which means designers spend a lot of time altering the torque and tuning the gears and engine to ensure that you gain as much pulling power a possible. If anyone finds themselves stuck in the mud, you'll be there to help pull them out.

5 They're Safe

Via: Ford Authority

All vehicles have made strides over the years concerning safety regulations and trucks are no exception. Companies are constantly packing their pickups with an array of features and safety measures that are dedicated to keeping you safe should any accident occur. Trucks are even larger than many vehicles and higher off the ground, helping to lessen the blow to some extent.

4 Trucks Are Entering The Luxury Game

VIa: Ram Trucks

It may not look like it from the outside but there are many truck manufacturers that are turning the inside of their vehicles into luxurious leather-filled rides complete with in-dash computers and all the bells and whistles you might find in something a little more Mercedes-like.

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The ride isn't as rugged as it used to be. Some trucks feel smooth like an expensive sedan which should make your decision a lot easier.

3 The Gas Mileage Game Is Neck And Neck

Via: Detroit Free Press

If you want the best gas mileage possible you're definitely going to want to look at eco-friendly cars or enter the electric game but when it comes to "average" gas mileage, trucks aren't that far off the mark anymore. While towing and payload can affect your overall consumption, many trucks are "on par" with SUVs.

2 Price Point

Via: Ford Authority

A truck may seem out of reach at first glance, after all, all of that towing capacity and safety has to come at a steep price, right? Many trucks are falling into the affordable range nowadays and you can actually snag certain pickups for much less than traditional SUVs. Some can even be snagged in the $20,000 to $25,000 range.

1 Harder To Get Stuck In A Truck

Via: Vail Buick GMC

If you're planning on traveling through the mud, traversing the snow, or heading over rocky terrain, a truck can get you through without the worry of "high centering" or getting stuck.

Many trucks are high off the ground and can be "lifted higher" by purchasing larger tires and kits. You'll feel a lot safer with all that clearance underneath.

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