The best-selling vehicle in America is a pickup truck. These vehicles have commanded the attention of many buyers for years, despite the SUV rising in the ranks of late and competing for the top throne in the scene. That’s because the pickup truck is the most utilitarian vehicle you can buy. It can tow massive loads, drive through impassable terrain, and do all these with a ton of power that falls neatly in the realm of sports car performance.
This formula was well-defined in the ‘90s when automakers started taking a lot of risks with pickup trucks. In this era, pickup trucks with sports car performance, not just in terms of horsepower but straight-line speed as well, were made. Pickup trucks also became highly reliable workhorses, while some were infused with mechanical off-roading capabilities that were unheard of at the time.
All this can be gotten affordably today. In this list, we’ll look at 10 amazing pickup trucks from the ‘90s that won’t require a declaration of bankruptcy after the purchase.
10 1998 Toyota T100 - $9,995
The Toyota T100 is one of the most reliable midsize pickup trucks you could get from the late ‘90s. This marque was renowned for its amazing power, great bed size, and mechanical grit that made it a great workhorse.
Today, the 1998 Toyota T100 is a rather scarce pickup truck. None of these models are available locally, though you can get a few owners who’ve hung onto theirs over the years. Most of them are still in great working condition, given how well this marque was built by the Japanese maker.
9 1999 Ford F-150 $3,609
The 1999 Ford F-150 lands in the series of light-duty trucks that Ford has been manufacturing since 1948. Since 1977, this pickup truck has been the best-selling Ford pickup truck, and also currently, the best-selling vehicle in America, specifically the F-150. That’s why the 1999 Ford F-150 is one of the best ‘90s pickup trucks you could get.
This specific release sported new improvements that made it a formidable machine. The long-running 4.9L inline-six engine was swapped for a harder-charging V6. That meant more power and performance from an already highly-capable pickup truck.
8 1997 Nissan Navara -$2,450
The Nissan Navara is used as the collective name for the D23, D22, and D40 pickup trucks that hail from the Navarre region of Northern Spain. The D22 first came into the market in 1997 as a compact-sized pickup truck that packed a lot of speed. Since most buyers complained that it was too small, Nissan finally released a four-door version that most people associate with the Nissan Navara.
The ’97 Nissan Navara was also extremely capable with a well-powered engine, well-tuned suspension, and a nice transmission. There was a special edition “Desert Runner” trim that packed a king-size cab and bigger tires.
7 1997 Toyota Tacoma - $11,995
The 1997 Toyota Tacoma is arguably one of the best Toyota pickup trucks built towards the end of the decade. This impressive marque was built as the final statement of the decade by the company. Thus, they packed the best they could inside it.
The ’97 Toyota Tacoma was blessed with two engine options, either a 2.4L gas engine or a 3.4L gas engine option. These power units could hit 190hp of output, with a 2.7L gas engine option also being available with some models. The ’97 Toyota Tacoma was ranked highly thanks to these powerful engines, rugged looks, and great reliability.
6 1992 Mazda B2200 -$2,500
Most people associate Mazda with non-pickup truck models such as the Mazda Miata, the formidable RX7, and its spiritual successor, the RX8. However, since the 1960s, the Mazda has been producing one of the best pickup trucks in the market, under the B-Series brand.
The 1992 Mazda B2200 is the fourth generation of this impressive nameplate. This pickup truck was not only reliable but also very powerful, thanks to Mitsubishi and Ford engines that sat under the hood. These engines have been used by Mazda for a long while in their B-Series pickup trucks.
5 1995 Ford Ranger - $2,314
The Ford Ranger was a formidable pickup truck that sadly found its way out of America for a while. But before its long hiatus that got a befitting comeback, the Ford Ranger was the best smaller alternative to the Ford F-150. The 1995 Ford Ranger, in particular, is the best ‘90s Ranger you can get.
What makes the Ford Ranger the best midsize pickup truck in the market, even today is its remarkable fuel economy and reliability. The Ford Ranger thus serves well in the lightly-loaded business and industries.
4 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 - $11,980
The Dodge Ram is one of the few pickup trucks that give the formidable Ford F-150 a big run for its money. And that’s for a good reason. This Dodge pickup truck is packed with power, performance, reliability, and great off-roading capabilities.
These are among the reasons why the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 happened to be one of the best pickup trucks of its era. The 1998 Dodge Ram 2500, apart from being highly reliable and powerful, also packed impressive build quality that made it one of the most valuable purchases at the time.
3 1999 Chevrolet Silverado - $10,999
The 1999 Chevrolet Silverado was one of the fastest, most utilitarian pickup trucks you could buy in the late 90s. Under the hood of this marvelous machine lied a 5.3L V8 that could do 270hp on the dyno. That massive power unit gave the Silverado enough grunt to be a powerful towing machine.
Inside the 1999 Chevy Silverado was a loveable interior filled with leather upholstery, cd/cassette player, and power/heated front seats. The Silverado’s utility was a subject taken seriously by Chevy. This marque came loaded with trailer wiring, a transmission oil cooler, and a hitch for all your towing needs.
2 1999 GMC Sierra 2500 - $11,995
The GMC Sierra is built to be a work truck. That is what has earned it a great reputation over the years and a plethora of fans who love it for its great utility.
The 1999 GMC Sierra carries the unique qualities of the GMC Sierra nameplate in a rather stylish package. That’s because the ’99 Sierra 2500 got a complete makeover that gave it a smoother ride, better handling, more powerful engines, and new, better brakes. You can get this marque in either the regular cab or extended cab trim.
1 1996 Mitsubishi Triton - $8,800
This pickup truck was considered the first true new version of the L200, Mitsubishi’s longest-running pickup truck. This 3rd generation Triton gave buyers exactly what they wanted from a ‘90s pickup truck. It was the right size, packed the right ride height, had a better interior, and sported a better engine than what Mitsubishi had in their earlier models.
The 1996 Mitsubishi Triton thus took the market by storm. Its performance in the market was so good, that Mitsubishi created a new SUV inspired by the Triton, known as the Challenger/Montero Sport.