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10 Reliable Pickup Trucks

Charles Krome
by Charles Krome
August 4, 2016
5 min. Reading Time
2015 GMC Canyon ・  Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2015 GMC Canyon ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

It turns out that most brands offer pretty reliable pickup trucks in today’s marketplace, which is good news for customers shopping in that very popular segment. After all, constant repairs can be costly, and even if they’re covered under a warranty, owners rightly hate the hassle involved. And when you’re paying tens of thousands of dollars for a new pickup, you just expect it to work as advertised. Well, according to to third-party sources, the following choices blend their rugged looks and work-friendly capabilities with track records for superior dependability, too. (Shoppers should note, however, that for some of the very newest trucks, reliability is based on projections, since not enough data exists yet to establish real-world dependability results.)

2016 Toyota Tundra

The 2016 Toyota Tundra relies on the same basic underpinnings that have been in place for the truck since the 2007 model, but that proven platform has racked up some serious cred in the dependability department. Consider: Consumer Reports rated the 2016 Tundra as No. 1 among the most reliable pickup trucks in the country, as did U.S. News & World Report — which leverages data from J.D. Power for its reliability scores. Power also recognized the Tundra as the top fullsize pickup in its own 2016 Vehicle Dependability Study, although, to be clear, this survey looked at 2013 models after three years in service. That’s the benefit of the Tundra’s older packaging, as the 2016 model, remember, is using that same award-winning platform.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

2016 Chevrolet Silverado

Meanwhile, the Bowtie brand claims it sells the “most dependable, long-lasting full-size pickups on the road,” supported by longevity data through last year, and the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado also checked in just behind the Tundra for U.S. News reliability. It’s additionally worth noting that the previous generation Silverado finished third in the most recent J.D. Power VDS, and the nameplate in general has an “Above Average” Reliability Score from on the independent Long-Term Quality Index. True, the current Silverado is a wholly different truck, yet Chevy would tell you it has the same DNA as those older versions, but with a few more years' worth of improvements to make it one of the most reliable pickup trucks today.

 Photo by General Motors

Photo by General Motors

2016 Toyota Tacoma

If you’re looking for reliable pickup trucks in the midsize segment, Toyota again tops the class. The 2016 Toyota Tacoma follows the same path as the Tundra, relying on years of experience with a proven platform to achieve the highest U.S. News numbers for reliability. Similarly, according to Car MD, the Tacoma was No. 2 for all pickups in the latest Vehicle Health Index, which evaluated entries from the 2015 model year (using the number of “check-engine” light problems reported per vehicle, as well as the cost of repair). On the other hand, the Tacoma was comprehensively updated for 2016, with a new engine, upgraded frame, retuned suspension and key technology improvements. Among them: an available blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.

 Photo by Toyota

Photo by Toyota

2016 Ram 1500

The next flight of reliable pickup trucks is grouped together in terms of reliability results with U.S. News, yet also carries distinct benefits that positively impact their dependability. The 2016 RAM 1500, for example, is a particular favorite with U.S. News in general, earning that publication’s praise as “Best Full-size Truck for the Money” for three years in a row now. Ram further backs up it reliability ratings with what it claims is best-in-class warranty coverage, just in case. Highlights include 5-year/60,000-mile coverage for gas engines and a 5-year/100,000-mile warranty for the truck’s available 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine — with an EPA rating of 29 MPG highway and a max tow rating of 9,200 lbs.

 Photo by Ram Trucks

Photo by Ram Trucks

2016 GMC Sierra

Despite the fact that both of GM’s reliable pickup trucks for the fullsize segment share the same platform, the 2016 GMC Sierra has slightly different dependability ratings from its Silverado sibling. The Sierra was higher on the 2016 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study and rates lower according to U.S. News, and it does so with a Professional Grade twist that brings added premium comforts, including standard mobile Wi-Fi, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, and fresh-for-2016 styling. Customers also can rely on the Sierra Denali for range-topping luxury cues. Finally, folks can depend on the extended-cab Sierra — and Silverado — for passing grades in all IIHS crashworthiness tests; all Sierra and Silverado cab styles have earned 5-Star Overall Safety Scores from NHTSA.

 Photo by General Motors

Photo by General Motors

2016 Chevrolet Colorado

The Bowtie brand’s next-generation midsize pickup debuted for the 2014 model year, so the long-term dependability of the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado hasn’t been thoroughly established yet. That said, the U.S. News model projects the third highest score of any of the reliable pickup trucks, and early returns on current-gen Colorados in the Long-Term Quality Index are trending positively. Nor can it hurt that the Colorado was named the Motor Trend Truck of the Year for 2016. Since that time, Chevy has continued to upgrade the Colorado as well, with this model year seeing the debut of the truck’s Duramax diesel engine. It’s the cleanest diesel-fueled powerplant ever used in a Chevrolet truck, complete with an EPA high point of 31 MPG.

 Photo by General Motors

Photo by General Motors

2016 GMC Canyon

The 2016 GMC Canyon is the Pro Grade midsize truck that’s the more sophisticated counterpart to the Chevy Colorado. Which might explain why it finished one slot higher — and in second spot on the podium — in the 2016 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Canyon will exhibit the same long-term quality performance as the most reliable pickup trucks, but it’s a great starting point. As for finishing touches, the Canyon boasts all the top GM connectivity technologies, a clean-diesel powertrain, and a cabin that was recognized by Ward's Auto World as one of the Top 10 Interiors in the industry for 2015. Prefer looking forward? The 2017 model year will feature the first Canyon Denali edition.

 Photo by General Motors

Photo by General Motors

2016 Ford F-150

Frankly, Autobytel experts are not ready to weigh in on the great steel vs. aluminum debate during this discussion of reliable pickup trucks. Customers already have judged for themselves, driving sales of the 2016 Ford F-150 up past 70,000 units per month on a number of occasions this year. Also, the Blue Oval did put a 6-truck fleet of next-gen F-150 prototypes into service for early testing, and those pickups proved their durability — and that of the truck’s high-strength aluminum cargo bed — during more than 350,000 miles of real-world, real-work operation. For reliable occupant protection, the F-150 is the only pickup with Top Safety Pick recognition from the IIHS, and that’s for both crew- and extended-cab configurations.

 Photo by Ford

Photo by Ford

2017 Honda Ridgeline

Okay, given that the 2017 Honda Ridgeline is all-new vehicle that’s only been on the market since June 2016, it obviously doesn’t have the same history of dependability as other reliable pickup trucks. Honda’s own reliability credentials, on the other hand, are impeccable, and beneath its traditionally truck-like exterior, the Ridgeline takes advantage of the same platform as the well-received Honda Pilot 3-row crossover. Which, in turn, is part of what U.S. News & World Report ranked as the 2016 Best SUV Brand. Owners have come to depend on Honda for safety, too, so the brand has built the Ridgeline to earn a Top Safety Pick+ certification from the IIHS (though testing hadn’t been completed when this story went to press).

 Photo by Honda

Photo by Honda

2016 Nissan Frontier

The 2016 Nissan Frontier may seem like a surprise pick to cap off our list of reliable pickup trucks — unless you’ve seen the 2016 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. In that survey, the Frontier, despite its old-school underpinnings, led the Midsize Pickup segment, beating out rivals such as the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. Say what you want about the Nissan’s somewhat dated foundation, but those Power quality results are certainly something to build on, and the Frontier does maintain middle-of-the-pack reliability ratings from U.S. News. (As for Nissan’s all-new fullsize pickup, the mainstays of the lineup, the gas-powered models, were not on sale at press time.)

 Photo by Nissan

Photo by Nissan


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