Best Luxury Trucks

2017 Toyota Tundra 1794 ・ Photo by Toyota

Even a cursory glance at the pickup truck market these days will tell you some serious changes have been wrought. While the stripped down work truck of the past is indeed still offered by every manufacturer, at the other end of the spectrum are the best luxury trucks. These are posh bolides with nearly every luxury feature imaginable. Marketed with such lofty monikers as “Platinum” “High Country”, and “Limited," the best luxury trucks easily rival their luxury car counterparts in standard features, build quality, and materials. The plushest leather, thick pile carpeting, and a broad array of the latest in cutting edge driver’s aids make these trucks the equal of any luxurious automobile on the road. Automakers observed a certain segment of truck buyers were using them as their sole mode of transportation; thus the trend toward quieter operation, a smoother ride, easier handling, and hedonistic levels of luxurious accoutrements.

Chevrolet Silverado High Country

If you like your cabin serene, your ride smooth, and your handling more like a car than a truck, you’ll be happy to know the folks behind the Chevrolet Silverado feel you. Another thing the Silverado offers in abundance is cabin space. Easily one of the more spacious of the best luxury trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado almost qualifies for its own zip code. The top of the line extended cab Silverado High Country builds upon all of this goodness with plush leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, OnStar with 4G LTE WiFi, heated eight-way adjustable driver and front passenger seats, a Bose audio system, front and rear parking sensor arrays, and a spray-in bedliner. Silverado High Country can be equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 good for 420 horsepower and 460 ft-lbs of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission as well as rear- or four-wheel drive. Pricing starts at $49,460.

Ford F-150 Platinum/King Ranch

Taking a page from the Colin Chapman school of high performance (the founder of Lotus automobiles, famed for their light weight) Ford has incorporated a great deal of aluminum into the construction of its new for 2015 F-150 model, adding considerable lightness to its portfolio of attributes. But wait, there’s even more; the new F-150’s top engine is a 365-horsepower turbocharged V6 with 420 ft-lbs of torque. A six-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive are standard, while four-wheel drive is offered as an option. Qualifying the F-150 among the best luxury trucks are two trim packages; Platinum and King Ranch. The Platinum is done up more in urban style, while the King Ranch appeals to your inner Texas rancher/oil magnate. Either way, key features include dual-zone automatic climate control, plush leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, keyless entry and ignition, power actuated retractable running boards, and self-parking. Pricing starts at $51,585.

GMC Sierra 1500 Denali

The GMC Sierra 1500 Denali is one seriously upscale truck. The luxurious full-size pickup boasts a magnetic ride control suspension system, power-folding trailer towing mirrors, as well as a spray-in bedliner. A charter member of the "best luxury trucks" club, features such as forward collision warning and mitigation, lane departure warning, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment interface, and smartphone integration marks the Sierra Denali as both luxurious and exceptionally modern. Setting the Denali apart visually is a specific grille treatment, 20-inch wheels, and additional chrome trim. Other comfort and convenience features include a Bose audio system, perforated leather upholstery for the heated and ventilated seats, along with a heated steering wheel. The Sierra 1500 Denali can be fitted with a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 with 460 ft-lbs of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride is an adaptive suspension system, with self-leveling. Pricing starts at $49,665.

Nissan Titan SL

If the vastness of selections accompanying shopping for a typical pickup is a bit too tedious for you, consider Nissan’s Titan. With but two body styles, each with its own specific bed length, the 101+ choices accompanying buying many of the other models on this list of the best luxury trucks are kicked to the curb. The top of the line Nissan Titan is the Titan SL. Standard features include; a Rockford Fosgate audio system, 20-inch wheels, automatic headlights, heated power folding exterior rear view mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, iPod integration, memory settings for the driver seat, power adjustable pedals, and navigation. Pandora Internet radio, and hands-free text messaging are also included. Power for the Nissan of the best luxury trucks comes from a 5.6-liter V8 with 317 horsepower and 385 ft-lbs of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission and rear drive are standard, four-wheel drive is optional. Pricing starts at $41,160.

Photo by Nissan USA

Ram 1500 Laramie Limited

The next RAM 1500 you see with a monotone paint job, automatic windshield wipers, automatic high beams, a self-leveling air suspension, keyless entry and ignition, and super fancy leather upholstery will, in all likelihood be an example of the Ram 1500 Laramie Limited. The ultra-plush RAM pickup also boasts features like chrome exterior trim, clear headlight lenses, ventilated and heated leather seats, parking sensor arrays, high definition radio, navigation, and surround audio. Power comes from a 5.7-liter V8 with 395 horsepower and 420 ft-lbs of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is teamed with the buyer’s choice of rear- or four-wheel drive. Many automotive pundits have praised Ram 1500 as having the nicest interior treatment of any of the contemporary models. Easily the quietest and smoothest full-size pickup on the market today, the Ram 1500 Laramie Limited most definitely qualifies as one of the best luxury trucks. Pricing starts at $50,675.

Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition

Toyota treated its entry in the full-size pickup marketplace to a redesign for the 2014 model year, The Tundra’s sleek new exterior styling is nicely complimented by the visual upgrades wrought by the addition of the luxurious 1794 Edition package. Named for the Texas ranch upon which the Tundra factory is built, the Tundra 1794 Edition makes it into the best luxury trucks category by dint of its saddle-brown leather upholstery with simulated suede trim for the front seats; and matching soft-touch materials for the shift console, door trim, and instrument panel. The top line Tundra is also fitted with 20-inch wheels, LED running lights, Power-folding and auto-dimming exterior rear-view mirrors, heated and ventilated seats, and a sonorous 12-speaker JBL audio system. Power comes from a 381-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 with 401 ft-lbs of torque, a six-speed automatic transmission and a choice of rear or four-wheel drive. Pricing starts at $44,925.