5 Pickup Trucks That Can Tow More Than A Toyota Tundra

The Toyota Tundra, now in its third generation, is one of the Japanese automaker's most popular offerings in the U.S. It's Toyota's fourth-most popular vehicle behind the RAV4, Camry, and Tacoma, with 159,528 units sold in 2024. Those numbers mean it's definitely a fixture of the American pickup truck space, even if sales lag far behind those of its American rivals from Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram.

There are likely many reasons for this state of affairs, but quality likely isn't one of them: we tested a 2024 Toyota Tundra Platinum with a hybrid V6 and found much to like, to the point where we considered it every bit the equal of the more popular domestic trucks. However, one area where Toyota's full-size pickup offering isn't quite as comparable to the American titans of the pickup truck world is in towing capacity.

Now, don't get us wrong: the 2026 Tundra is no slouch in that department, capable of towing 12,000 pounds when equipped accordingly — namely, with the twin-turbo 3.4-liter V6, a double cab, rear-wheel drive, and a standard 6.5-foot bed. That's plenty for most people, especially given how rarely most pickup owners use theirs for towing anyway, but that doesn't change the fact that offerings from Chevy, Ram, and Ford handily outstrip the Tundra's towing capability. Let's run through some pickups that break past the 12,000-pound towing threshold.

The Silverado name has existed as a standalone model for more than 25 years, having debuted in 1999 and introduced some novel features to the full-size pickup world, such as disc brakes at all four corners. The Silverado has evolved significantly over the years, but one aspect that has remained quite consistent is its towing prowess. The 2002 Silverado 1500, for example, could tow around 9,000 pounds with the right equipment, which was more than an equivalent Dodge Ram of the time.

Of course, 9,000 pounds wouldn't cut it in this day and age, but things have improved significantly on that front over the years. The current 2026 Chevy Silverado 1500 boasts a maximum towing capacity of 13,300 pounds, a notable — but admittedly not earth-shattering — improvement over the Toyota Tundra's 12,000 pounds. But, as will fast become a trend on this list, you're not going to get that much towing out of just any old Silverado 1500.

Instead, you'll have to kit your pickup out with a very specific set of options. More specifically, you'll need a two-wheel drive Silverado with a crew cab and short bed, kitted out with the highly regarded 3.0-liter Duramax diesel engine, the Max Trailering Package, and 20-inch wheels — a combination that only becomes available on the LT trim and above. That said, you have a few more options if you're willing to take a slight hit. Switching to a standard bed drops the towing to 13,200 pounds, with an EcoTec-equipped 4x4 short-bed Silverado 1500 also sporting a 13,200-pound capacity.

Ford's F-series and GM's Silverado range of pickups have been vying for supremacy in the American vehicle market for what seems like forever, though Ford has always had the upper hand. It's much the same story when it comes to towing prowess, with Ford leading its long-time rival.

Ford's F-150 just barely edges past the Silverado 1500, with the Blue Oval claiming a 13,500-pound max towing capacity for the SlashGear Editor's Choice-winning current-gen Ford F-150. However, you'll only get this number in one configuration, namely an F-150 SuperCrew with a 6.5-foot box and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine. On top of that, any prospective buyer seeking to max out the F-150's towing will also need to spec the optional Tow/Haul Package and a Max Tow Axle. The latter isn't available on the XL or XLT trims, nor is it an option for the smaller 17- or 18-inch wheels, so you'll definitely be paying extra on top of the F-150's base price to tow 13,500 pounds' worth of kit.

It's worth noting that the F-150 is available in another configuration that also offers better towing than the Tundra. Owners who prefer the old-school pleasures of a V8 and who opt for Ford's 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8 instead of the EcoBoost will still get a pickup capable of towing impressive loads, with Ford claiming a 12,900-pound max for a V8 F-150 with the requisite towing packages and components.

Full-size trucks are great and all, but for a lot of towing and hauling, heavy-duty trucks are where it's at. One brilliant example is the current Ram 2500 HD, which can tow an impressive amount of weight. How impressive? Well, 20,000 pounds, to be precise — a significant upgrade over the Toyota Tundra's comparatively measly 12,000 pounds. If that's not enough, there's the Ram 3500 HD, which increases that to 36,610 pounds.

However, while 20,000 pounds is a lot of weight (let alone 36,000) and likely more than most owners will ever need, those aiming to tow such impressive weights will have to give up one of the Ram pickups' most recognizable traits — the Hemi. Like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram's heavy-duty trucks require buyers to opt for a diesel engine to tow the really heavy loads. This means, of course, the now grid-heater-less Cummins 6.7 diesel, which makes 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft of torque in the Ram HD trucks.

If you're looking to max out a Ram 2500 HD, you'll need the 6.7 Cummins in a two-wheel drive crew cab pickup with an 8-foot bed. Similarly, there's only one configuration of Ram 3500 HD that'll get you past the 36,000-pound towing mark, namely a 4x4 regular cab with an 8-foot bed. Other Ram HD loadouts will get you close, though: A 4x4 Ram 2500 HD with a 6-foot 4-inch bed will tow 19,890 pounds, while you'll get 34,490 pounds of towing from a two-wheel-drive Ram 3500 HD with an 8-foot bed.

GM's American-made GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD trucks go toe-to-toe with those of its ostensible rival, Ram, boasting similar towing capacities. The two companies actually trade wins here: the Sierra 2500 HD bests its Ram counterpart with a maximum towing capacity of 21,870 pounds, but the 3500 HD loses out to the Ram 3500 HD with "just" 36,000 pounds of towing when completely maxed out.

If you want a Sierra 2500 HD that'll tow roughly 22,000 pounds, you will, as you'll probably have expected, need to configure it a particular way. The 2500 HD needs to be a crew cab, long-bed model with two-wheel drive and the 6.6-liter Duramax V8 under the hood, plus several added-cost extras. These are the Max Trailering Package, the Gooseneck/Fifth Wheel Prep Package, and either 18- or 20-inch wheels.

Similarly, a maxed-out 3500 HD requires a dual rear wheel, two-wheel drive regular cab with a long bed, and the same 6.6-liter V8. It'll also need to be specced with the Max Trailering Package, a gooseneck hitch, and the Convenience Package. Of course, if the GMC aesthetic doesn't appeal to you, you can get similar towing from Chevy's Silverado HD trucks: 22,070 pounds from a two-wheel drive long bed Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab, and 36,000 pounds with a dual rear wheel Silverado 3500 HD with a long bed.

Ram and GM have some very capable trucks, especially heavy-duty ones, but none of them hold a candle to the Ford F-450 Super Duty. While the F-450 stands out on its own, the Blue Oval's Super Duty range is its biggest and baddest, offering great maximum towing capacities when dragging along a gooseneck trailer.

The F-250 has a maximum towing capacity of 23,000 pounds when spec'd with a regular cab, the 6.7-liter V8 H.O. diesel, and two-wheel drive. The F-350 is similarly capable with a similar drivetrain, although it's actually most capable if equipped with four-wheel drive and a 3.55 rear axle ratio, which allows it to tow 27,600 pounds. As stout as both figures are, neither is anywhere near the best of what the Super Duty line offers. The Ford F-450 has a heady 40,000-pound maximum towing capacity, making it the best in Ford's lineup, and one of the most capable trucks for towing ever made.

Every variant of the F-450 can tow more than 30,000 pounds when gooseneck or fifth-wheel towing, but only one configuration can hit that vaunted 40,000-pound mark. You'll need a rear-wheel-drive F-450 XL with a regular cab, dual rear wheels, the 6.7-liter H.O. diesel, and a 4.30 rear axle ratio. And, even then, you'll only get that when towing with a gooseneck; fifth-wheel towing drops it to 35,000 pounds — still impressive, of course, but not quite the same.