Truck Sizing Explained

Edmunds classifies pickups in small, midsize, large and heavy-duty segments. Knowing what size you need is crucial to avoid paying for more capability than you'll use.

Small trucks

If your towing and hauling needs are minimal to modest, or you're on a strict budget, a small pickup might be perfect for you. This is a new class of truck, although reminiscent of a design last seen during the 1980s (search "Subaru BRAT" or "Dodge Rampage" for a sampling). There are only two models to choose from today — the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz — both characterized by four doors, a small cabin and a short bed.

The Maverick and the Santa Cruz are smaller than midsize trucks such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma and less capable for towing, hauling and off-roading. The Santa Cruz is a bit more refined and car-like and more suited to active lifestyles, while the Maverick looks and feels more like a micro-truck. Both still offer useful utility, with 4.5-foot beds and up to 4,000 pounds of towing capacity. They're also easy to park and easy on gas thanks to their efficient four-cylinder engines. The Maverick is even available with a hybrid powertrain.

Midsize trucks

Midsize trucks are bigger and more capable than small trucks, with a higher capacity for towing and hauling. A midsize truck typically costs less than a full-size truck, although prices for a midlevel trim model can often match the base price of a full-size truck. It really comes down to how much capability you need. Many buyers prefer a midsize truck for the smaller footprint and ease of maneuvering and parking. If you're looking for a Goldilocks kind of truck, it could well be a midsizer.

There are several choices. The recently redesigned Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon models (both nearly mechanically identical) combine workhorse utility with modern cabin and safety tech, improved fuel efficiency and more towing power. The new Toyota Tacoma, meanwhile, is an impressive overhaul of what many consider the benchmark of midsize trucks. Changes include updated tech, a more comfortable interior, innovative off-road features and a hybrid engine.

The Nissan Frontier, also recently redesigned, is similarly capable in towing and hauling, and it's generally more affordable than its rivals. Not to be outdone, a redesigned 2024 Ford Ranger is on the way with an updated engine lineup and broad tech upgrades that include trailer assist features. Off-road enthusiasts will also find much to like in the dedicated trail models within the Colorado, Frontier, Ranger and Tacoma lineups.

For a truly focused off-road experience, the Jeep Gladiator stands out with its powerful optional diesel engine, removable top and doors, and legendary Jeep hardware for conquering trails that cause other trucks to turn back.

If you're seeking a well-rounded truck that drives with the ease of a car, you'll like the Honda Ridgeline. Based on an SUV-style chassis, the Ridgeline can't tow or haul as much as other midsize trucks. But it compensates with a comfortable ride, effortless steering, clever storage features and a useful 5.3-foot bed.

With all of the changes, upgrades and improvements in this segment, there's never been a better time to shop for a midsize truck.

Full-size trucks

Full-size trucks split into two camps: light-duty and heavy-duty.

Your neighbor probably owns a light-duty truck since they're among the top-selling vehicles in America, and they offer a timeless mix of value, capability and equipment. Heavy-duty models are more specialized workhorses, required when you expect to tow and haul heavy loads. If your neighbor builds houses or tows a massive travel trailer, it's probably a heavy-duty in the driveway.

Among light-duty trucks, the Ram 1500 is a standout. It offers the smoothest ride in the class and expertly mixes rugged capability with an upscale interior. Ram also offers the TRX, a supercharged off-road performance truck.

Another top pick is the F-150, which can be configured as a basic work truck, a luxurious toy hauler, an extreme off-road machine, or almost anything in between. It offers a half-dozen engine choices, including a hybrid V6, and the most towing and hauling capacity of today's light-duty pickups. The F-150's sheer versatility makes it one of our favorites.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 holds its own with a wide mix of engines and configurations, and the mechanically related GMC Sierra 1500 Denali sets the standard for pickup truck luxury with its chrome-encrusted exterior and opulent cabin.

The recently redesigned Toyota Tundra is a legitimate alternative to the American truck brands. The new Tundra has fresh, rugged style, a turbo V6 with more power and better fuel economy than the former V8, and updated comfort and tech. The Nissan Titan is another option, although it's limited to a single V8 engine with fewer trim levels and less capability than its competitors. It does offer a generous warranty, however.

Heavy-duty trucks

Heavy-duty trucks are up for nearly any task: If you need to haul earth, rock or building materials, or tow horse trailers, fifth-wheel campers or even other trucks, you'll need an HD pickup. The maximum capabilities of heavy-dutys are pretty evenly matched, and the differences between models are not as significant as those between midsize or light-duty full-size pickups. The main factors typically involve engine type (gas or diesel), towing receiver (gooseneck or tongue hitch), bed length, wheel size and axle ratios, among other details.

When picking from the current crop of heavy-duty trucks, which include the Chevrolet Silverado HD, GMC Sierra HD, Ford Super Duty and Ram Heavy Duty lineups, it's best to look for the features and technology that help you get the job done rather than the official maximum towing and payload ratings. Preferred styling and interior comfort play a role here too.

The Nissan Titan XD is an alternative for some buyers. The Titan XD sits between light- and heavy-duty capabilities, offering the comfortable ride and road manners of the former with the extra muscle of the latter. The XD hasn't been updated for several years, however, and most light-duty trucks now eclipse its tow ratings. The Titan XD doesn't cost quite as much as other heavy-duty trucks, though, so it could be an option if your trailering needs aren't extreme.

Electric trucks

Love it or loathe it, the EV revolution has come for trucks. And while many people think of electric vehicles as either shapeless, soulless transportation pods or Teslas, the pairing of trucks and electricity isn't as strange as it sounds. Electric motors make mountains of torque, and torque is the currency of modern-day trucks. EVs can also deliver most of that torque instantly, unlike even the stoutest gas or diesel engines whose grunt is mediated by transmissions, driveshafts, axles and often turbochargers.

Today there are only three EV trucks in mainstream production: the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Rivian R1T and the GMC Hummer EV. (Production of the Tesla Cybertruck, with its sci-fi style and oddball utility, has recently started after many delays.) Like the gas-powered F-150, the Lightning is built on a robust truck frame and is capable of full-size truck tasks. Towing capacity is limited to a still useful 10,000 pounds and range is estimated at 320 miles on a full battery charge (although we've achieved up to 345 miles on the Edmunds EV Range Test). The Lightning also has enough capacity to run power tools and electronic devices and even send current to power your home.

The GMC Hummer EV is likewise built on a tough truck frame, but it takes luxury, off-road capability and pricing to extremes. It offers 329 miles of range, all manner of off-road tech tricks, and a nifty CrabWalk feature, which points the front and rear wheels in the same direction for sideways and diagonal movements. The Hummer EV is also exceedingly heavy, tows just 7,500 pounds and costs six figures. Though it's impractical for most buyers, the Hummer EV offers glimpses of innovations we can expect to see in future GMC and Chevy EVs.

Finally, the Rivian R1T blends performance, comfort, utility and capability into an intoxicating adventure mobile. It accelerates like an elite sports car, can tow up to 11,000 pounds, and will do about 315 miles on a full charge with its Large battery pack. Sized between a midsize and full-size truck, the R1T has some clever storage solutions, including a front trunk (the F-150 has one, too) that complements the short 4.5-foot cargo bed.

Other EV trucks are on the way. The Chevrolet Silverado EV is essentially a Chevy version of the Hummer EV with less extreme features and an ambitious target of a 20,000-pound maximum towing capacity. GMC will also launch its own Sierra-branded version of the Hummer package. The Ram 1500 Rev is expected as a 2025 model, promising up to 14,000 pounds of towing capacity and 500 miles of maximum range. There are also at least a half-dozen other EV-truck startups — Alpha, Lordstown, Atlis, etc. — that could be fighting for the affections of truck buyers in the next three to five years.