12 Of The Most Reliable Pickup Trucks Available Today For Under $25,000

If you're in the market for a new pickup truck, there's a likelihood that you need the unique practicality that only this segment can provide. Whether it's hauling, towing, or both, you won't get much better than a truck. On today's market, no new pickup comes in below $25,000. The Ford Maverick fell under this figure a few years ago, but the price for the compact truck has quickly approached that of the Colorado and Tacoma. As these vehicles are built to last, though, there's plenty of choice on the used market for a reliable truck that gets the job done and then some. 

It's not uncommon for pickup trucks to hold their value well over time, primarily due to their sturdy construction. Still, all vehicles depreciate somewhat, unlocking what were once top-spec models for less than half the price of the modern heavy hitters. Alongside offering competitive performance across their respective segments, the following 12 pickup trucks also offer standout reliability while staying below the $25,000 mark.

Being the best-selling vehicle in the U.S just once is a great achievement, but the F-Series has done it a staggering 49 times in a row. There are a few key factors that help with the truck's popularity, being as practical as it is capable. It's also proven to be reliable. New vehicles aren't too cheap, though, with the latest F-150 starting at $39,330(with a $2,595 destination charge) being the cheapest in the new F-Series range. 

If you don't want to spend more than $25,000 but want to reap the benefits of the F-150's sturdy reputation, turning to the used market is your best bet. Specifically, all of the 2015 trims can be picked up for below the budget, with the SuperCrew cab selling for between $14,448 and $23,951. The regular cab goes for as low as $10,824. Looking at the specs, the 2015 model had three different engines available: a 2.7-liter V6, a 3.5-liter V6, and the top-spec 5.0-liter V8. The V8s are the most expensive, but you can still find some for under $25,000. If towing capacity is paramount, the 3.5-liter engine leads the way with a maximum of 12,200 pounds. 

These trucks have had plenty of time for reliability data to be collected, resulting in a strong score of 82/100 from J.D.Power. With hundreds of owner reviews submitted on sites such as Cars.com, the 2015 F-150's reliability is frequently praised as one of its strongest suits. 

One of the best alternatives to the F-150 has long been the Chevrolet Silverado, which came in second place last year in overall sales behind the Ford. Some 300,000 units behind, the F-150 still dominates the segment. There really isn't much in it between them at the core, however, as has been the case for years.

To stay below $25,000 while scoring high on reliability, the 2016 Silverado looks to be a great pick. According to KBB, this truck goes for as low as $10,400 for the smallest regular cab to $20,600 for the top-spec crew cab. Similar to the F-150's offerings at the time, the 2016 Silverado had a 285-horsepower 4.3-liter six-cylinder, a 355-horsepower 5.3-liter V8, and a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 for the LTZ and High Country trims. The top-spec engine also gets you the maximum towing capacity of 12,000 pounds, which is slightly below the F-150.

On the contrary, the Silverado gets a higher score of 84/100 from J.D. Power for reliability. RepairPal also gives the truck an above-average score of 3.5 out of five, with an annual maintenance cost of around $761.

The Honda Ridgeline is one of the more unique mid-size trucks, opting for a unibody construction instead of the body-on-frame method that so many others in the segment follow. This does restrict the bed options for the truck, so much so that there's only one configuration. Still, the 33.9 inches of cargo volume in the bed keeps it well in the mix with its mid-size competition.

Closer to an SUV in construction than most trucks, the Honda Ridgeline's handling was one of our favorite elements of the latest 2026 model, which is still essentially the same as the 2018 version. The 2026 Ridgeline comes in at $42,290, including destination fees, which is well above our budget here. Luckily, as the changes over recent years have been minimal, you can get a 2018 model year for around $17,250 in its base guise. The top-spec Black Edition sits at $19,950 on average. 

Every trim comes with the same 3.5-liter V6, though, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. In combination with its performance and practicality, you can also feel reassured with its solid 80/100 score from J.D. Power, as well as the heaps of praise that owners of the truck give to its dependability in the long run.

For mid-size trucks that do, in fact, use a traditional body-on-frame construction, not many are on par with the Toyota Tacoma for overall practicality. Naturally geared more towards off-roading thanks to the frame's flexibility, the Tacoma will also beat the likes of the Ridgeline when it comes to towing, maxing out at 6,500 pounds in the most reliable model under $25,000. The model year in question is the 2015 Tacoma, which currently goes for as low as $13,300 for the access cab and $17,700 for the double cab. To get the 6,500-pound capacity, you'll need to get one fitted with the 4.0-liter V6 engine.

For models with the base 2.7-liter four-cylinder, the capacity tops out at 3,500 pounds. Luckily, though, both engines for the last second-gen model look to be reliable, getting an 85/100 score from J.D. Power. Owners of the truck share the same sentiment, with an average score of 4.9 out of 5 for reliability, taking 109 reviews into account.

Alongside the Tacoma in the mid-size, body-on-frame lineup is the Chevrolet Colorado. Rivals in a similar sense to the F-150 and the Silverado, the Colorado can't quite match the Tacoma's long-standing popularity, but does a fantastic job of holding its own against the Toyota and beating it in a few key areas. As you might expect, the latest 2026 model is more than $25,000, sitting at $34,495 including destination fees. What makes the Colorado stand out today is similar to what made it stand out 10 years ago.

To keep under $25,000 and ensure high levels of reliability, the 2016 Colorado makes a solid case for itself. The base 2.5-liter inline-four only produces 200 horsepower, but the 3.6-liter V6 ups that to 305 horsepower (more than the Tacoma's offering at the time). A 2.8-liter diesel engine was also sold if you prioritize efficiency over performance. According to KBB, the extended cab trim can go for anywhere between $11,650 and $15,800, with the crew cab topping out at around $18,300. For the off-road-ready Z71 trim, expect to pay around $15,650. 

One area where the Tacoma has the 2016 Colorado beat is reliability, but once again, there's not much in it according to the data. J.D. Power gives the truck a score of 80/100, with owners easily crossing the 100,000-mile mark with no major issues.

Not only is the 2022 Ford Maverick the newest truck on this list, but it's also the smallest of the 12. Relaunching the nameplate in 2021, Ford decided to enter the compact pickup truck segment, which still only has two main competitors. The Maverick is one, and the Hyundai Santa Cruz is the other. On launch, the Maverick further carved out its own place in the segment overall by featuring a hybrid powertrain as standard, which was carried over into 2022. This was a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid, producing a decent 191 horsepower. In fact, this is still the standard option for the latest 2-2026 model, with the turbocharged 250-horsepower 2.0-liter engine carrying through as well. 

Given its compact size, a unibody construction makes more sense than a body-on-frame. Like the Ridgeline, the Ford Maverick has a single bed size, measuring in at 4.5 feet. The base XL trim can be picked up for an average of $20,800, whereas the top-spec Lariant comes in at an average of $25,400 according to KBB. Still, there's plenty of Lariats for sale below $25,000 at the moment.

With both hybrid and gas-only powertrains being available, different things can show up for either of them. For overall reliability, J.D. Power gives the 2022 Maverick a score of 81/100. There have been quite a few recalls for this truck, though, so make sure that the one you're looking at is up to date with everything there. 

As a 2013 model year truck, this GMC Sierra understandably looks and feels a little dated compared to some of the newer ones here. If you're willing to sacrifice some modern conveniences, the 2013 GMC Sierra still holds its own for overall performance. 

Starting with the engine, the 2015 Sierra 1500 came standard with a 4.8-liter V8, producing 302 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque. Narrowly edging out the likes of the '26 Silverado for base power, you could also choose a 326-horsepower V8 or the top-spec 6.2-liter V8 producing 403 horsepower. Towing capacity tops out at 10,600 pounds with the 6.2-liter when equipped with the optional trailering package. The regular cab is the cheapest way into the 2015 Sierra, with KBB reporting an average price of just $7,200 on the low end. The extended cab starts at around $9,675, with the crew cab going for between $10,650 and $18,250.

With 13 years on the market, the 2013 model continues to receive praise for its reliability, scoring very strongly with J.D. Power at 86/100. RepairPal also ranks the truck third out of 17 full-size trucks, with the 2013 model costing an average of $693 for maintenance.

Toyota keeps its pickup truck lineup small in the U.S., with only the full-size Tundra alongside the Tacoma. Being a full-size truck, every version of the latest Tundra sits above $40,000 to keep in touch with the likes of the F-150 and Silverado. The state of the Tundra today is similar to that of 10 years ago, which is where the sweet spot of reliability and value for money sits at the moment.

More specifically, the 2015 Toyota Tundra goes for as low as $17,400 for the double cab on average and $23,000 for the crew max, but higher trim levels like the Limited can cross over the $25,000 mark. To stand under, trims such as the SR5 and 1794 Edition tend to sit in the low $20,000 range or less. For performance, the standard 4.6L V8 producing 310 horsepower was more than both the F-150 and Silverado at the time. A 5.7-liter V8 producing 381 horsepower was also available, which only dropped the efficiency rating from 17 MPG to 15 MPG combined. Unsurprisingly, owners of the truck have incredibly high praise for both engines' reliability, contributing to Toyota's seemingly unshakable reputation for dependability.

While the current Nissan Frontier entered its current generation in 2022, the brand put the current engine into the truck for the 2020 model year to showcase what the future would feel like. Elsewhere, the 2020 model remained the same as it had for most of the decade prior. Compared to trucks like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, the Frontier looked very dated towards the end of the second generation, but, like other trucks on this list, it'll get the job done reliably if that's the most important factor.

To stay under $25,000 consistently, you can go a year newer to the 2021 model, which didn't change anything from 2020, but can get you a slightly fresher truck. According to KBB, the 2021 Frontier sells for an average of $18,550 for the smaller king cab, with the crew cab at $24,100 according to KBB. The new engine put in the truck a year prior and still features today is a 3.8-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque. That's above the latest Tacoma by some margin and on par with the 2026 Chevy Colorado. 

In J.D. Power's 2021 Vehicle Dependability study, the outlet ranked the Nissan Frontier first in the mid-size segment. Nissan had plenty of time to fine-tune the truck over the years, so you can have plenty of confidence as far as reliability goes in the 2021 model.

The second truck contributing to the Ford F-Series' success is the F-250, the smallest in the Super Duty range. Also a body-on-frame pickup, the F-250 is notably larger than the F-150, despite being the smallest in this lineup, to accommodate the tremendous loads these vehicles are designed to withstand. Its frame is longer, wider, and heavier; essentially larger in every way.

Starting at $45,270, including destination fees in 2026, though, it's not the most affordable truck on the market, to say the least. Still, the Super Duty has been an industry leader for heavy-duty trucks for decades, meaning 10-year-old models are still more than capable. You'll be able to find plenty of options for a 2016 model with either the regular or super cab layout for under $25,000, but crew cab models can easily move past that on average, according to KBB. For the regular cab, expect to pay around $14,875, and $22,850 for the super cab, depending on things like trim level and mileage. 

As standard, the 2016 F-250 is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 producing 385 horsepower, but a larger 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel increases that to 440 horsepower and 860 pound-feet of torque. This also gets you the maximum towing capacity of 16,600 pounds. J.D. Power gives the truck a reliability score of 81/100, with owners saying it does everything Ford promises.

One of the most popular nameplates that we haven't mentioned on this list yet is the Ram 1500. The dedicated pickup truck manufacturer for Stellantis, the Dodge offspring has done a great job of carving out its own space in the highly competitive segment, particularly with the 1500 model. Rivaling the most popular vehicles on the road, Ram goes down the route of comfort and luxury with a side of performance to appeal to buyers, and, going off current market prices, you should be able to get a much newer Ram 1500 for below $25,000 compared to other full-size light-duty trucks on this list.

KBB's current average used price for a 2020 Ram 1500 is $22,550 for the quad cab and $24,050 for the classic crew cab. If you'd like the standard crew cab, going back to the 2019 model year provides more breathing space budget-wise. Still in the same generation as the latest model, the 2020 Ram 1500 has a 3.6-liter V6 mild-hybrid under the hood, producing 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. This engine has a maximum towing capacity of 7,760 pounds, which is well below the 12,750-pound rating for the 5.7-liter HEMI V8, or the 12,560-pound rating of the efficient 3.0-liter EcoDiesel option. 

Overall, the 2020 model has fewer complaints than the other years that stay under $25,000, with J.D. Power giving it a competitive score of 80/100. Hundreds of user reviews on Cars.com, and the 2020 Ram 1500 averages out at 4.6 out of 5 in the same area.

We've covered the latest Chevrolet Colorado you can pick up for less than $25,000 (with strong reliability feedback), but earlier models shouldn't be written off at all. This will be another truck that'll lose out on more modern features inside, but if you want reliability at less than half the budget, the 2012 Chevy Colorado should be towards the top of your list.

Being the final year of the first generation, the 2012 Colorado still came with features introduced towards the start of the decade. The lack of features like a center touchscreen may be noticeable, with a classic radio unit being the source of entertainment. Screen replacements are common for this truck. The standard 2.9-liter four-cylinder only produces 185 horsepower, but both the 242-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 and 300-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 can be picked up for well below $25,000. 

Built to last no matter which engine you go for, J.D. Power gives the 2012 Colorado a score of 81/100 for reliability. RepairPal's score of four out of five is also better than that of other key players in the segment, with owners frequently praising how easy the truck is to maintain.

To select the pickup trucks for this list, we first looked at official data from outlets such as J.D. Power and RepairPal to gauge the overall reliability of these vehicles, selecting those that showed positive results. We also cross-checked the data with real-world anecdotes from truck owners, who have submitted their own ratings, including reliability.