Words: Christopher Rodermond
Photos: Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Honda, Jeep, RAM, Toyota,
“Well, we’ve never done this before. But seeing as it’s special circumstances and all, he says I can knock a hundred dollars off that Trucoat.” – Jerry Lundergaard, Fargo
If you are in the market for a new work truck, this could be the perfect time to make that purchase for your business. Manufacturers and dealers are faced with an unprecedented lack of demand and are offering extremely generous financing options and discounts on new models. We’ve compiled a list (from lowest to highest base MSRP) of the more than 20 options on the market today, as well as a few others that should be dropping in 2021, including the new fully electric Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T. Although we’ve arranged these available vehicles on base price, there are dozens or even hundreds of possible upgrade options available which can easily double the sticker price. With careful comparison shopping, there is no excuse for not finding an option that meets your needs.
2020 Chevrolet Colorado
Base MSRP $21,300
MPG City/Hwy 20/30
Avail. Max Towing 7,700 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 49.9 cu.ft.
With the lowest base price of a new truck on the market, the Chevy Colorado is one of the most affordable new trucks out there. However, if you opt to upgrade to four-wheel drive or to the 3.6L V6 engine or to the 2.8L Duramax Turbo Diesel from the standard 2.5L 4-cylinder engine you are going to see the price start to jump dramatically. We priced out the Z71 package with a 4WD Crew Cab and Long Box and added the all black 17” wheels, an integrated trailer brake controller and got a quote just north of $40,000.
2020 GMC Canyon
Base MSRP $22,200
MPG City/Hwy 20/30
Avail. Max Towing 7,700 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 49.9 cu.ft.
This truck comes with the same engine options as its Chevrolet cousin, the Colorado. The Canyon comes in an SLE and SLT, All Terrain, and Denali models. Some key features available on these vehicles include a remote locking tailgate, HD Rear Vision Camera, 4G LTE Wi-FI hotspot and a CornerStep rear bumper, but the sky is in the limit in the way that a GMC truck can be tricked out.
2020 Ford Ranger
Base MSRP $24,410
MPG City/Hwy 21/26
Avail. Max Towing 7,500 lbs/
Avail. Max Cargo 26.5 cu.ft.
Reintroduced in 2019, the Ford Ranger is not the compact pickup you remember, graduating to a modern mid-size pickup with great torque and all the technological bells and whistles. The truck is offered in three models, the XL, XLT, and Lariat, which all boast a 2.3L EcoBoost Engine (4-cylinder inline) with an electronic 10 speed automatic transmission. The vehicle has Auto Start-Stop Technology which might help to make it extra efficient when idling at the job site. The truck is also available as a 4×4, The XL edition with 4-wheel drive starts at $28,570.
2020 Toyota Tacoma
Base MSRP $26,050
MPG City/Hwy 20/23
Avail. Max Towing 7,500 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 47 cu.ft.
The Tacoma first arrived on the market in 1995 and was redesigned in 2016. It is a trusted model in the market, and the TRD models are known to be some of the best off-road light pickups on the market. The 2020 Toyota Tacoma comes in SR, SR5, TRD Sport, and TRD Off-Road models all available in access cab, double cab, short bed, and long bed options. Engine options include a 2.7L 4-Cyl. Or a 3.5L V-6 both available in either two- or four-wheel drive.
2020 Ford F-150
Base MSRP $28,745
MPG City/Hwy 21/29
Avail. Max Towing 5000-8000 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 47 cu.ft
The Ford F-150 comes in a Regular Cap, Super Cab, and SuperCrew Cab Configuration. That means two door, extended cab, and four door options and each can receive a 5.5, 6.5, or an 8-foot bed on the Regular or SuperCab models. Engine offerings include a 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 with Auto Start/Stop Technology on up to a 5.0L V8 with Flex Fuel Capacity. There is also an option for a 3.5L EcoBoost V6 Diesel which features 375 HP and 470 lbs.-ft of torque.
2020 GMC Sierra 1500
Base MSRP $29,600
MPG City/Hwy 23/30
Avail. Max Towing 6,600 to 9,800 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 47 cu.ft
The baseline version of the Sierra 1500 is a double cab, standard box, 2wd version which comes with a 2.7L Turbo engine, but there is a 3.0L Duramaz Turbo-Diesel I6 option, as well as a 4.3 EcoTec3 V6 and a 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine options. If that is not enough for you, the 4wd version offers a 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 which offers 420 HP @ 5600 RPM. Although, we must note that the standard 2.7L Turbo I4 offers a respectable 310 HP and 348 pounds of torque.
2020 RAM 1500
Base MSRP $32,145
MPG City/Hwy 22/32
Avail. Max Towing 12,750 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 61.5 cu.ft
The RAM 1500 has one of the most diverse offerings within the model portfolio. Customers can choose between the Classic, Tradesman, Big Horn, Lone Star, and Laramie editions. The standard engine on this model is 3.6L V6 24V VVT eTorque Engine, and can be upgraded to either the 5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT Engine or 5.7 V8 HEMI MDS VVT eTorque Engine. The 3.6L V6 offers 305 HP and 269 pounds of torque. According to Car and Driver, “The Ram 1500 isn’t just a great truck, it’s a great vehicle, and that’s why we named it to our 2020 10 Best List”.
2020 Jeep Gladiator
Base MSRP $33,545
MPG City/Hwy 17/22
Avail. Max Towing 7,500 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 47 cu.ft
The 2020 Jeep Gladiator is a new offering this year from Jeep and comes in four configurations, Sport, Sport S, Overland, and Rubicon. Under the hood is a 285 HP, 260 lbs.-ft of torque 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine. Regarding the variation in price, the Rubicon version starts at $43,875. The Trailer Tow Upgrade features a 240-Amp Alternator, Class IV Receiver Hitch, among other features.
2020 Toyota Tundra
Base MSRP $33,575
MPG City/Hwy 13/18
Avail. Max Towing 7,500 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 81 cu.ft
The Toyota Tundra is known for its reliability and great room in the back seat, but it’s also known to be the oldest truck on the market- not having had a full redesign since 2007. The standard SR5 is a 4×2 Double Cab with a 4.6L V8 and a 6.5-foot bed. The Limited and Platinum editions feature a 5.7L V8, which is a gas guzzler!
2020 Honda Ridgeline
Base MSRP $33,900
MPG City/Hwy 19/26
Avail. Max Towing 3,500-5000 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 33.9 cu.ft (with a 7.3 cu ft. in bed trunk)
Even though the 280 HP V-6 Engine will get you where you need to go and the fuel efficiency is decent for a large truck, when we look at the specs, we can easily see that this vehicle is not as heavy duty as some of the other trucks on this list. The stylish interior and embedded technology would make it a smooth vehicle, with plenty of room for gear, but for hauling heavy loads you might look somewhere else. This truck comes in 4 configurations; Sport, RTL, RTL-E, and Black Edition, all of which offer AWD.
For the next few models, we combined several of the offerings as they mostly differ in max payload and overall towing capacity, although many of the main trim and accessory options remain the same.
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD / 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
Base MSRP $34,100
MPG City/Hwy 23/29
Avail. Max Towing 14,500/35,500 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 83.5 cu. ft
This truck stands out in size and strength when compared to most of the previously mentioned vehicles. It can be spec’d in Regular, Double, or Crew Cab options, and offers either a 6.6 L V8 with 401 HP or a Duramax 6.6 L V8 Diesel with 445 HP. The main difference between the 2500 and the 3500 is the dramatic difference in towing capacity and overall payload. Also, if you want a truck with 15 cameras, this is your choice.
2020 RAM 2500 / 2020 RAM 3500 –
Base MSRP $35,440
MPG City/Hwy 20/23
Avail. Max Towing 10,350 to 15,040 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 57.5 cu.ft
The RAM 2500 comes in three configurations: Tradesman, Lone Star, and Bighorn, and all available in 4×2 and 4×4 options. In addition, customers can choose between a Regular Cab (8’box), Crew Cab (6’4” box), Crew Cab (8’ box), and Mega Cab (6’4” box). According to Car and Driver, “the brand’s legendary Cummins turbo-diesel engine packs 1000 lbs.-ft of torque–more than its heavy-duty competitors from Ford, Chevrolet, and GMC”.
2020 Ford Super Duty F-250 / F-350 / 2020 Ford F-450– MSRP 35,550 Combined MPG NA
Base MSRP $35,550 /$90,530 (for the F-450 Limited)
MPG City/Hwy 20/23
Avail. Max Towing 24,000 to 37,000 lbs.
Avail. Max Cargo 47 cu.ft
These trucks all have one thing in common: they can pull huge machinery, trailers, toys, and other vehicles. The question lies in how much style and comfort you’re looking for and what sort of work you do. You need to consider how often you need to routinely need to pull extremely heavy machinery or campers/RV’s as this will determine where on this spectrum of extremely powerful trucks you will need to be.
2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD / 2020 GMC Sierra 3500HD– MSRP 35,600 – Combined MPG NA
Base MSRP $35,600
MPG City/Hwy NA
Avail. Max Towing 18,500 to 31,180 lbs/
Again, with the 3500HD, it’s all about towing capacity, but both vehicles have similar torque, horsepower, seating, warranty, and trim. However, with the 2500HD though you will find it much easier to find a parking spot with its thinner profile. These trucks come in a Sierra Heavy Duty, SLE, and SLT, a Sierra HD AT4, and Sierra HD Denali configuration. The GMC website notes that the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) has increased on the Sierra Heavy Duty trucks for this year, so check with the Department of Transportation if you need a Commercial Driver’s License to drive one of these beasts!
2020 Nissan Titan / 2020 Nissan Titan XD–
Base MSRP $36,190 / $44,580
MPG City/Hwy 20/23
Avail. Max Towing: 9,210 to 10,990 lbs.
The 2020 Titan XD is 15 inches longer and 3 inches taller than the standard Titan. According to Edmunds.com, the cabs are identical and thus the extra length is in the bed. There is an S, SV, and PRO-4X configuration for these vehicles, and the engine is a 5.6L V8, which offers 400hp.
On the Horizon:
2021 Rivian R1T MSRP 69,000: Available for preorder now, the first all-electric truck company, Rivian, is launching this year with a 400-mile range, 750HP, 11,000 lbs. of towing capacity truck that can go 0-60 in 3 seconds. We see Elon was not too pleased about that, hence the final truck for this article…
2021 Tesla Cybertruck The base price model has a single motor RWD for $39,900 with a 250-mile range and a towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. Amazingly, the Tri-Motor AWD version ($69,900) will have a 500+ mile range, 14,000 lbs. of towing capacity and can do 0-60 MPH in less than three seconds. The Tri-Motor AWD production is expected in late 2021.