Most pickups are made to last because they are meant to be sturdy workhorses that can last you many a year to come and take on as much of the work you throw at it. Remember also, that along with being gas-powered mules, most pickups also double up as family haulers and daily drivers, so they only have to do punishing stuff, they have to do it in style, looking good while they do it all. Be it off-roading or trail-exploring, pickups are the best bets always.
This means that good pickup trucks usually have big engines that can belch out lots of power when needed, and have to be built tough as well with the best of materials to last for years to come.
Do remember that the indomitable V8-powered pickups are usually the top of the trims, and accordingly are also going to be expensive as well. But then again, think of these as a one-time investment, the kind that is going to last you at least 200,000 miles, if not more.
So here go some V8-powered pickups, new and old, which are going to be your BFFs on the road.
8 Ford F-150 Raptor R
The 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor standard model comes with an EcoBoost V6, but there is going to be a V8 version as well. Since this is basically a performance-based F-150 pickup, clearly, this is a truck that is going to last you long, with decent reliability ratings in the recent past.
The engine is likely to be the supercharged 5.2-liter V8 from the Mustang Shelby GT500, or the 7.3-liter pushrod V8, both capable of jetting vast amounts of power. Agreed, the tow and payload ratings on this aren’t likely to be high, but this pickup is what you need of performance is your middle name.
7 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
The Toyota Tundra is getting old, having carried on since 2007 in the same form with minor updates and upgrades along the way, but sometimes old really is gold. It may not be as fancy as the other trucks around, but its standard V8 gets the work done efficiently, with decent fuel economy as well.
If you really want something that can last you miles to come, and then some, the TRD Pro model is a good bet, considering it comes with underside armor, beefier suspension, as well as 381 horsepower and 401 ft-lb torque.
6 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The Silverado did have some bad years in between with poor ratings and more, but with a 2019 redesign, it's back in business, edging ever closer to the bestseller status and giving tough competition to the Ford F-150, the reigning champion, and the Ram, another hopeful challenger.
The 6.2-liter V8 in it offers 420 horses and 460 ft-lb torque, with a towing capacity of 12,200 pounds. Clearly, the Silverado is a good bet when you want a truck that looks good, is feature stuffed and can pull its weight when needed. The LTZ trim is another good option.
5 Ram 1500 TRX
The 3.5 ton Ram 1500 TRX, simply put, is a whole lot of truck, and the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, taken from the Hellcat, makes 702 horses. Obviously, this is a performance trim and manages to get to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.7 seconds.
The 2021 Ram TRX rides on nitrogen-charged Bilstein dampers, 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain tires, with tons of luxury touches on the interiors. It comes built to withstand just about anything, flying over bad roads and obstacles with ease, so used right, it will stay in your garage, forever.
4 Nissan Titan
While the Titan has been in the same generation since 2016, 2020 saw a new refresh for the model with the diesel engine dropped, and the 5.6-liter V8 mill now making 400 horses and 413 ft-lb of torque, a lift up and above the 390 horses and 394 ft-lb of before.
Agreed, the Titan lags in tow and payload ratings, but it’s a great truck when it comes to bad terrains, and can take you just about anywhere with ease, especially when it comes to the PRO-4X models.
3 GMC Sierra 1500
With cleaner looks, a carbon-fiber bed, and a MultiPro multifunctional tailgate, the GMC Sierra may outshine the Silverado finally, even though it does come a little more expensive. While the interiors may seem a bit dated, the Sierra is otherwise a powerful beast when it comes to the engines with not one but three V8 options.
The Sierra may not be the top of the line when it comes to the driving experience, but it is a sturdy truck with plenty of good things about it, likely to be with you for a long time.
2 Ford F-250
The 6.7-liter turbocharged diesel V8 in the Ford F-250 gives you a crazy 935 ft-lb of torque, meaning if and when you need this truck to deliver, it will give all it has to the work at hand. Of course, the Ford Super Duty trucks are less of lifestyle rides and more pure work mules, but even so, in the F-250, the work can be done in style.
The Lariat trims give you plenty of interior plush like climate control, the Ford sync 3 infotainment system as well as leather upholstery.
1 Ram 2500
The Ram 2500 is a very capable foil to the Ford Super Duty and the Chevy HD models, and the 6.4-liter V8 manages to make a cool 410 horses. Reinforced properly, these diesel-powered V8s can pull close to 20,000 pounds, for the 2019 models.
The Laramie trims offer plenty of creature comforts as well with a ten-speaker surround-sound audio system, fog lights, dual-zone climate control, and much more. It also wins hands down because of a far smoother ride and reliability ratings are pretty impressive as well.
Sources: Motor1, Forbes