10 Cheap Alternatives To Expensive Trucks

In case you missed it, cars have gotten pricey — nearly $50,000 on average for new vehicles across the industry. Today, however, we're zeroing in specifically on expensive trucks. Considering the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado ranked first and second in overall sales for 2024, it's not surprising that automakers would aim to sell as many high-dollar examples of these full-size trucks as possible.

Take the 2025 F-150 Platinum Plus, for example. It comes with an eye-watering $90,000 price tag, and it's not the only expensive truck on the market. As a result, average new truck pricing is pushing $60,000 these days. Ford does an admirable job dolling up its best-selling pickup to justify such a fat bottom line. But what if you don't have that kind of cash or simply find the idea of spending so much money on a pickup truck sort of crazy?

We have good news on this front. There are plenty of cheap alternatives to these expensive luxury trucks. And between personal experience behind the wheel of a new $60,000+ F-150 and helping guide family and friends on new truck purchases, I can tell you it's not necessary to spend so much on a pickup. From hybrid-powered compacts to basic versions of the full sizers, these 10 reasonably priced alternatives are all 2025 model years that have been ranked from most to least expensive based on the MSRP, including any destination charges. 

For a whopping $50,000 less than the Platinum Plus luxo-barge variant, you can get into a new Ford F-150. Will it be laden with 22-inch wheels, chrome everything, and Smoked Truffle quilted leather upholstery? It will not. But the entry-level 2025 F-150 in XL spec is still a solid truck for those looking to get into something new without breaking the bank.

Like its big ticket brother, the XL features a fully digital 12-inch gauge cluster and matching-sized central touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring. LED headlights are standard, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) include forward collision mitigation (FCM), a lane-keeping system (LKS), and blind-spot monitoring. Keep in mind, the $40,140 figure is for a regular cab F-150 with an 8-foot bed and rear-wheel drive (RWD), but Ford makes it easy to swap in different configurations for more money.

Under the hood is the base 2.7L twin-turbo V6 that makes 325 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. With it, you can tow a respectable 7,400 pounds and earn 21 mpg combined in the process. Ford's headlining 13,500-pound tow rating requires a bigger motor and an associated fatter outlay of dough. We're not saying an F-150 with 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque isn't exciting or that the Platinum Plus and desert racing Raptors aren't dope. What we are saying is that for about $40,000, Ford makes a compelling, affordable alternative to what can be a very expensive truck.

Clearly, GMC is aiming upmarket with its mid-size Canyon pickup truck, as the cheapest version is only a bit less than the entry-level full-size F-150. Based on specs, it arguably succeeds. The Canyon's 2.7L turbocharged inline-four makes 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque and can tow a bit more than the F-150 XL at 7,700 pounds. Additionally, the 2025 Canyon comes standard as a crew cab, making it a good option for families. However, a 5-foot bed is the only way to get into a new Canyon.

You can spend more than $68,000 on a Canyon AT4X with its hardcore off-road bits. You can also drive the base price up with all manner of amenities like a sunroof, a head-up display, underbody cameras, and two-tone leather. But the entry-level Canyon in Elevation trim is a solid all-around package. Skipping a bare-bones utility variant like its Chevy Colorado stablemate offers, the GMC Canyon is an off-the-shelf off-roader. Standard specs include 9.6 inches of ground clearance, an off-road tuned suspension, and all-terrain tires.

On the dress-up front, those tires are wrapped around 18-inch alloy wheels, and inside, you'll find niceties like soft-touch dash wrapping and automatic climate control. Technology impresses with an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and Google built-in, while the ADAS roster includes the usual FCM and LKS suspects but tacks on a blind-spot monitoring system with active steering assistance to help avoid collisions. The Chevy Colorado can be had for less, but the Canyon is undeniably nicer.

Matching the GMC Canyon on base price is the Jeep Gladiator Sport, a decidedly different take on the pickup truck. Mainly because of its Wrangler roots that enables the removal of all four doors, a convertible top, and a windshield that folds down flat. The Gladiator also comes standard with four-wheel drive, retains solid axles at both ends, and boasts a minimum ground clearance of 10 inches.

Some might think it's nuts to spend 40 large on a vehicle with such an old-school foundation. And if you're generally using a pickup truck for paved surface runs between Home Depot and your, um, home, the Gladiator is perhaps a bit much. However, anyone looking at a cheap alternative to expensive trucks with a flair for off-roading ought to check out this Jeep. Only sold as a four-door crew cab and with a 5-foot bed, the Gladiator has a substantial 38 inches of backseat legroom and can tow 7,700 pounds in base Sport spec. A naturally aspirated 3.6L V6 with 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque motivates the entire 2025 Gladiator lineup, but alas, Jeep has dropped the manual transmission, so you'll have to sift through the used market if that's a must-have.

This Wrangler derivative has joined the 21st century by no longer offering hand-crank windows and featuring a standard 12.3-inch central display with wireless smartphone integration. There's also, let's see here, a soft-top, steel wheels, and cruise control. So yeah, the base Gladiator leans stripped out in the context of modern pickup trucks, but that's just fine for some, and the 3 years of complimentary maintenance isn't too bad either.

Sneaking in just below $40,000, the 2025 Chevy Silverado WT is currently the cheapest full-size pickup truck for sale. Note that neither Ram nor Toyota earned a spot on this list as the Ram 1500 and Tundra both come with a starting price close to $42,000. As for the Nissan Titan, it has gone bye-bye as of last year. Fortunately, the fourth-generation Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is an excellent alternative.

In base WT trim, the Silverado comes with the same engine found in the GMC Canyon, but the tow rating bumps up to 9,100 pounds. For those keeping score, that's 1,700 more than the cheapest F-150 can muster. Combined fuel economy is on par with the competitive set at 19 mpg, but the Silverado WT is somewhat behind the pack on cabin content. The 7-inch central screen is relatively small, and the vinyl seat coverings are a glaring cost-cutting measure. That said, WT does stand for Work Truck, so none of this is too surprising. Plus, Chevy offers loads of upgrades to drive up the ritz — and price tag — of its full-size pickup.

One area of particular note on this front is the available 3.0L turbodiesel inline-six powertrain. Ford offers more overall engines on the F-150, but none run on diesel. Unfortunately, you'll have to pay up big time for the privilege of running the Duramax in the Silverado, as it requires at least the Custom Trail Boss trim with a minimum buy-in of $53,340. We say stick with the steel wheels and simple cabin to enjoy the financial upside of owning a full-size Silverado for a relatively cheap upfront cost.

Kicking off production last year, the fifth-generation Ford Ranger is another cheap alternative to expensive trucks. Technically, the Ranger XL is the lowest-cost way to get into one of these mid-size pickups with its sub-$35,000 sticker price. But the XLT trim line is still $21,000 below the average new truck price and offers more content than its entry-level brethren.

Aside from price, the Ranger is worth a look over trucks like the F-150 due to its relative lineup simplicity. Ford notes that the 2024 F-150 came with a 90% reduction in ordering complexity, yet buyers still have a staggering amount of configurations when you factor in cab sizes, bed lengths, powertrains, and axle ratios. With the Ranger, you can have any setup you want as long as it's a crew cab with a 5-foot bed. The base 2.3L turbocharged inline-four is potent with 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque while managing to earn 23 mpg combined for RWD models.

You can spend more for a twin-turbo V6 in standard or high-output Ranger Raptor spec, but that gets the Ranger outside its cheap alternative sweet spot. Besides, a 7,500-pound tow rating is on tap for all non-Raptor Rangers regardless of engine, so save your money and focus on the XLT. It comes with all-terrain tires, a leather-wrapped shifter, a fold-flat rear bench seat, a 10-inch infotainment interface, and color-coordinated carpeted floor mats. Not bad for 37 grand.

As with the Ranger, Nissan's new-for-2022 Frontier midsize pickup can be had in a roughly $33,000 entry-level model. But for a few thousand more, the SV trim line is a good value given the improved level of features and technology. Unlike Ford's mid-sizer, the Nissan Frontier comes in extended or crew cab configuration with an available 6-foot cargo bed.

The naturally aspirated 3.8L V6 providing power to the entire Frontier lineup is not as torque-rich as its boosted competitors, with 281 lb-ft of torque to go with 310 horsepower, but some may prefer the linear power delivery more typically associated with free-breathing engines. Towing is competitive at between 7,000 and 7,150 pounds, depending on configuration, trailer sway control is standard, and the Frontier returns 21 mpg combined in two-wheel drive spec. Nissan does not offer a Frontier capable of going up against the Ranger Raptor or Colorado ZR2, so its range-topping model, the SL, remains relatively inexpensive at $43,320.

However, for some $6,000 less, the SV is well equipped with alloy wheels, a 6-speaker stereo, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display. The optional $1,790 SV Convenience package does offer a host of upgrades like the Utili-Track Channel System for cargo management, heated front seats, and remote start with an intelligent climate control system. Though it starts to push the Frontier SV further from its station as a cheap alternative to expensive trucks, there is quite a bit of content in this reasonably priced bundle, so don't dismiss it.

When it comes to base model mid-size pickup trucks on the cheap, the fourth-gen Chevy Colorado WT is a compelling choice at $33,595. The Toyota Tacoma SR does have it beat by about $500 on pricing, but the Colorado has a longer list of standard equipment. Like its GMC Canyon mechanical twin, the Chevy comes strictly as a crew cab with a 5-foot bed. Steel wheels are a concession to low pricing, but the Colorado WT bucks its utilitarian positioning by including cloth upholstery and carpeted flooring to go with a rear window that slides open, and automatic climate control.

The infotainment system impresses with an 11.3-inch touchscreen, Google built-in, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other Colorado WT tech highlights include automatic high beams, rear parking sensors, and a blind-spot mitigation system. But perhaps the biggest advantage this cheap Colorado offers over peers like the Tacoma is its powerful engine.

For 2025, the Colorado has an optional 2.7L turbocharged high-output inline-four making the same 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque as the full-size Silverado. That helps the smaller Chevy pickup deliver 7,700 pounds of towing, which bests the popular F-150 XL. Chevrolet does offer enticing upgrades to the Colorado, like the rough-road-ready Trail Boss and hardcore ZR2 off-roader that is nearly $63,000 when fitted with the Bison gear. Fortunately, the simple WT version is a lot of truck for the money, making it an easy selection on this list.

At just a bit more than $33,000, the 2025 Tacoma in SR guise is currently the cheapest way to get into a midsize pickup truck. However, there are some caveats. Chances are, those shopping these base model pickups that offer ample utility and scant luxuries plan to work them like the pickup truck gods intended. Like towing stuff, for example. So it's important to note that though the Tacoma SR is the cheapest alternative to pricey pickups, it can only tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The headlining 6,600-pound Tacoma figure requires moving upmarket on the trim hierarchy. Much of this has to do with the fact that, in the SR model, the standard 2.4L turbocharged inline-four engine makes just 228 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. The other Tacoma trim lines with this powertrain see an additional 50 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque. Toyota also reserves coil rear springs for higher-spec Tacomas versus the SR, which is only sold with rear leaf springs. All that said, the Toyota's ace-in-the-hole for enthusiasts is its available manual transmission on the Tacoma. With Jeep out of the stick shift game for its Gladiator, the Tacoma remains the only pickup truck, in any segment, to still offer the engagement of three-pedal driving.

Like the Frontier, the Tacoma also has a choice of cabs, extended or crew, and a 5- or 6-foot bed. Amenities are admittedly limited on the Tacoma SR with its steel wheels, 8-inch central display, and cloth seats. But on the ADAS front, the Tacoma is unusual for including adaptive cruise control as standard, along with Toyota's Proactive Driving Assist system that can lend a virtual hand on the brakes and steering to avoid obstacles and help you stay in your lane, bro.

Not only is the Ford Maverick XL a downright bargain at $30,535, it's the Scrooge McDuck of pickup trucks when it comes to hoarding gas. Its base 2.5L hybrid powertrain only makes 191 horsepower, but with front-wheel drive, it is rated for 38 mpg combined. The Maverick only comes with a 4.5-foot long cargo bed and maxes out in the towing department at 4,000 pounds when fitted with the 4K Tow package for $745. So, its truck utility is relatively limited.

However, if you're not going to be lugging trailers on the regular and just need a pickup truck's cargo bed for hauling payloads best left out of the cab, the Maverick XL is a killer choice. Really, it's shocking that Ford is the only automaker to currently offer this combination of compact size and hybrid fuel efficiency in a pickup truck. Considering the Detroit automaker moved about 74,000 Mavericks in its first full year of production, 2022, and more than 157,000 last year, it would appear the Maverick approach is popular with consumers.

Another upside to this cheap pickup truck is that the Maverick XLT, which sits above the base XL and features more content, only comes in around $33,000. Plus, if you prefer power over efficiency, Ford does sell a 2.0L boosted four-pot making 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque.

For the cheapest alternative to all the expensive trucks out there, we give you the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz in base SE trim for about $30,000. Now, the Santa Cruz may not fit the traditional definition of a pickup truck, but it does have a cargo bed hanging off the back, so we say it's a truck.

The said bed is small at 4.5 feet long, but the Santa Cruz comes with 8.6 inches of ground clearance and can tow 3,500 pounds with the base naturally aspirated engine, so it has more truckiness than initially meets the eye. If you pony up for the turbocharged powertrain with its 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, the Hyundai SUV-meets-pickup can lug a competitive 5,000 pounds, and AWD is available. Plus, the Santa Cruz is stuffed with standard niceties like 18-inch alloy wheels, remote entry, and Hyundai's BlueLink+ suite of connectivity systems.

The Santa Cruz SE earns a respectable 26 mpg combined from its 191-horsepower four-cylinder engine and has styling that — like it or not — is unlike the traditional pickup truck set. Hyundai's unusual pickup truck-like vehicle can stray from its cheap roots with the $44,000+ Limited model and its big 20-inch rims, climate-controlled leather seats, and semi-autonomous driving tech. So keep an eye on that sticker when shopping the Santa Cruz to enjoy the current champ of cheap truck alternatives.

To compile this list of cheap alternatives to expensive trucks, we calculated the base prices of all 2025 model year pickup trucks, including destination charges. I also leaned on my background in automotive engineering, 5 years of automotive journalism experience, driving the new F-150, and time spent working with friends and family on finding a new truck to deliver an in-depth analysis. The list is ranked from most to least expensive using this metric, and in certain cases, higher trim lines were chosen to offer a wider breadth of features over base trim lines.