10 Most Stylish Pickup Trucks

2017 Ford Raptor SuperCab catching air ・ Photo by Ford

While pickup trucks were originally designed purely as work vehicles, today manufacturers often use style as much as functionality to help their trucks stand out from the crowd (and hopefully sell better than the competition). If you’re in the market for a new truck and value good looks over practicality, we’ve compiled a list of what we believe are the 10 most stylish pickup trucks, at least one of which should fit the bill. That’s not to say that these trucks aren’t useful; each one has been designed to fill a particular niche in the market, no matter how small and specialized it may be. Read on to discover our favorites, sorted by least to most stylish.

10) Jeep Wrangler Pickup

The long awaited Jeep Wrangler Pickup will have the same utilitarian look and legendary off-road performance of the regular Wrangler, but with a small pickup bed. With its relatively compact dimensions, the Wrangler Pickup won’t be the most practical truck on the market, but the bed will have its uses, even if it’s just to hold the barbecue and the cooler. Unfortunately, it probably won’t be arriving until 2018 at the earliest, after the next generation Wrangler hits the market (and might not arrive until the end of 2019). If you want one before then, you can always look into aftermarket conversions, or build one yourself.

Photo by Jeep

9) Chevrolet Colorado

While its compact platform-mate, the GMC Canyon, does a better job of aping the looks of the bigger half-ton trucks, it's the Chevrolet Colorado that makes our list of 10 stylish pickup trucks thanks to its unique and modern look. Our favorite is the Colorado 4WD Crew Cab Short Box Z71 in Cajun Red Tintcoat, and though it doesn’t really improve the styling, we’d probably opt for the diesel engine. We’d consider adding the off-road sport bar, and while the optional wheels and off-road tires are tempting, we’d go aftermarket (and probably get them for less), and then use the standard wheels in the winter.

Photo by Chevrolet

8) Nissan Frontier Desert Runner

The compact Nissan Frontier Desert Runner is arguably the most capable 2-wheel drive truck you can buy, and it looks the part. Its fairly simple styling can seem bland on other models, but complements the Bilstein off-road performance shock absorbers nicely, and when combined with the Desert Runner bedside detail, it gives the truck an aggressive look. We’d choose the King Cab version in Arctic Blue and add the optional tow hook, then we’d buy an aftermarket tailgate net and some more aggressive tires. But even without those modifications, the Nissan Frontier Desert Runner is on our list of 10 stylish pickup trucks.

Photo by Nissan

7) Ram 1500 Rebel

The fullsize RAM 1500 Rebel comes with a few exterior touches, including a unique front grille that we think makes it the most stylish in the brand’s lineup. We’re torn between the 2-wheel drive and the 4-wheel drive model, but we’d definitely choose one of the cool 2-tone paint jobs (probably Mojave Sand), and we’d also spring for the cool tonneau cover that features an embossed Ram logo. Alternatively, for those who like their trucks completely blacked out, a Black Rebel option is available and features black paint, matte black aluminum wheels, and a black powder coated front bumper. Either way, you get a cool, limited edition Ram truck.

Photo by Ram Trucks

6) Toyota Tundra TRD Pro

The fullsize Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is the best-looking truck in the Tundra lineup, largely thanks to its 18-inch black alloy wheels with 32-inch all-terrain tires and its tough-looking grille that isn’t nearly as flashy as those found on other models. (Frankly, we find the amount of chrome on some modern pickups a bit brash.) The TRD Pro also adds a performance exhaust system, TRD decals, Bilstein remote-reservoir shocks, extra skid plates, a larger 38-gallon fuel tank, and special leather-trimmed seats. Despite its shorter bed, we’d choose the CrewMax version over the Double Cab, and we’d probably go for Cement out of the limited color choices.

Photo by Toyota

5) Roush F-150 Nitemare

Roush probably isn’t the first name you’d think of when it comes time to buy a new pickup truck, but their fullsize F-150 Nitemare is a stylish and powerful offering. Based on a Ford F-150, standard features include a unique Roush front grille and bumper cover, a hood graphic, side stripes, a Roush performance side-exit exhaust system, 22-inch wheels, and perhaps most important, a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that puts out 600 horsepower, all backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile powertrain warranty. We’d start with a 2-wheel drive truck to build the ultimate street machine, though Roush does do 4-wheel drive versions (as well as an F-150 SC with an off-road suspension).

Photo by Roush

4) Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

The compact Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road is more attractive than other models in the lineup, thanks to black overfenders and an off-road suspension with Bilstein shocks. We would have chosen the TRD Pro, with its even more aggressive suspension setup, but unfortunately, at the moment, it isn’t available in Quicksand, which is our favorite color for the Tacoma (and since this is a list of 10 stylish pickups, form trumps function). We’d choose the Double Cab with a 6-speed manual transmission, and we’d add a deck rail camera mount (perfect for attaching a GoPro to the truck bed), and maybe even the TRD Off-Road beadlock-style alloy wheels and TRD Pro performance exhaust system.

Photo by Toyota

3) Ram 2500 Power Wagon

The heavy-duty RAM 2500 Power Wagon comes with a 12,000 lb Warn winch, blacked-out headlights, black powder-coated bumpers, Power Wagon graphics, and 33-inch all-terrain tires that give it an aggressive off-road capable appearance, and it’s not all show and no go. The Power Wagon comes standard with an electronically disconnecting front stabilizer bar, electronically locking front and rear axles, and Bilstein monotube shocks. We’d take ours in one of the 2-tone color options, and if we felt like splurging, we’d add the Leather and Luxury Group. The only real disappointment is the lack of a diesel option, but that doesn’t affect the Power Wagon’s styling.

Photo by Ram Trucks

2) GMC Sierra All Terrain X

The fullsize Sierra All Terrain X includes a black sport bar (with optional dealer-installed LED off-road lights), black sport steps, black beltline moldings and b-pillar appliques, a black chrome grille insert, and black-painted 18-inch wheels wrapped in 31.5-inch mud-terrain tires. Also included are body-colored door handles and body side moldings along with matching grille surround and bumpers. To back up the good looks, you get off-road tuned monotube Rancho shocks, a transfer case shield, and a performance exhaust system. We’d get ours in Onyx Black, which makes the All Terrain X look like something that belongs in the fleet of a secret underground organization.

Photo by GMC

1) Ford Raptor

The fullsize Ford Raptor takes the top spot on our list of 10 stylish pickups thanks to its widebody design, bold front grille, off-road suspension with 3.0-inch FOX Racing Shox and 34.5-inch tires. Of course, you also get a strong frame, a torque-on-demand 4-wheel drive transfer case, and a host of other upgrades that make the Raptor one of the most capable off-road vehicles available. We’d take a SuperCab in Magnetic (or maybe Oxford White if we spent a lot of time in the Arctic and wanted to blend in), and we’d be sure to add the optional Torsen front differential, forged aluminum bead-lock capable wheels, and the exterior graphics package.

Photo by Ford