Hooking up towing that load with ease. The USA is the land of the pickup truck and the best trucks for towing, loading, and to double as family vehicles are always a hot discussion point. Trucks come in all shapes and sizes, from $20,000 car-based lifestyle trucks to $90,000 super-heavy-duty behemoths made to tow the biggest rigs – and everything in between.
Your choice will be dependent on how much you are willing to pay for trucks for towing https://carbuzz.com/cars/trucks-for-towing. But there’s no point spending a ton of money on a hopelessly overqualified truck if you’re never going to use its full towing capacity, so you have to choose it carefully.
The Top-Performing Trucks For Towing
There are basically four truck classes and here are the top trucks for towing:
Small trucks: These small trucks are new to the US and are of unibody construction, like a car, and not ladder-on-frame designs like conventional trucks. This lowers their center of gravity, makes them ride and handle more like a car or crossover, and improves their on-road handling. However, they are not meant to do heavy work. There are currently two entries, the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz is available with a 281-horsepower turbocharged engine and all AWD models with this engine are rated to tow a maximum of 5,000 pounds, but the minimum price for this specification is $35,680. 2WD models can tow 3,500 pounds and start at $23,990. The Ford Maverick has a maximum towing capacity of 4,000 pounds with the optional turbocharged engine – which can be had from $22,280. The base model hybrid starts at $19,995 and can tow 2,000 pounds.
Mid-size trucks: Most mid-size trucks can tow between 6,500 and 7,700 pounds and the latter figure belongs to the GMC Canyon / Chevrolet Colorado twins equipped with the optional diesel engine with 181 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Yet, their frugal diesel engine also returns decent fuel economy – 23 miles per gallon combined. The Chevrolet comes in at a slightly lower MSRP than the GMC and offers the maximum towing capacity from around $36,000.
Full-size trucks: The Ford F-150 cannot be beaten for overall towing ability. Its maximum towing capacity of 14,000 pounds. But it has other things going for it too in this category. The F-150 offers buyers over 140 possible combinations of bodies, axles, and engine choices and the optional Pro Trailer Backup Assist relies on sensors to back up safely with a big rig. Last but not least, when equipped with the onboard battery generator, the F-150 is even more versatile.
Heavy-duty trucks: Among the heavy-duty trucks, nothing tows more than the Ram 3500 equipped with the 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six turbocharged diesel engine. Offering 420 hp and a mammoth 1,075 lb-ft of torque, this truck can tow up to 37,100 pounds with the correct equipment fitted. The Ford F-450 Super Duty is hot on the Ram’s heels and its 6.7-liter V8 diesel engine produces 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft, allowing a maximum towing capacity of 37,000 pounds. However, the Ford offers the best conventional towing capacity in this class at 24,200 pounds.
Basic Advice For Safe Towing
Whenever you are towing, always be sure to observe these basic guidelines:
- Get the right vehicle that can do the job
- Slow down and drive well within your own and the vehicle’s limits
- Leave ample space for stopping
- Specify trailer-assistance technology on your vehicle if possible
- Stay within the maximum permitted towing capacity
- Adhere to state legislation in terms of trailer brakes
The Advantages Of Running A Truck
Source: tfltruck.com
Trucks aren’t America’s favorite vehicle for no reason and the modern crop of contenders are excellent all-rounders. If the size of a full-size truck is excessive, there is now a good selection of small and mid-size trucks to choose from as well.
Trucks offer these useful advantages:
- Their height makes for an excellent view of traffic
- Their loading and towing capacities are higher than that of normal cars and crossovers
- They can go more places and suit an outdoor lifestyle
- The best current models are comfortable enough to be used every day
- Due to their family role, you can now get trucks with all the important safety features
- Some crew cab models can seat six and have a spacious back seat
- Lots of drivetrain and engine choices mean you will find exactly what you need
The Disadvantages Of Running A Truck
Source: newsweek.com
If you are buying new, a heavy-duty truck with its enormous dimensions, harsh ride, and poor gas mileage won’t be able to double as a comfortable family vehicle. Considering buying a normal full-size truck with the luxury and safety features you require and renting a bigger truck if you have to tow something beyond your truck’s ability. Remember, there are several disadvantages to running a truck when compared to a crossover SUV or normal car.
A few of these are:
- Worse MPG
- Higher running costs in terms of servicing and replacing tires
- They have to be serviced somewhat more frequently than normal cars
- They are often not as comfortable or luxurious as crossovers or SUVs
- They are more cumbersome to drive and park
- They are big and heavy and handle poorly
Conclusion
The USA’s long distances and superb road network mean that we have become a road-faring nation that spends a lot of time on the open road. Often, this requires moving cargo or towing trailers. Modern full-size trucks have become the staple of such a lifestyle and comfortably double as family transport over weekends after having completed their weekly tasks. The newer crop of compact trucks expands your options even further and provides an in-between solution for people who don’t need to go full-size.
Whether the latest small unibody trucks from Ford and Hyundai will be successful remains to be seen, but as superb compromises in terms of car-like handling and gas mileage and lifestyle vibes, their future looks bright. Soon, there will be even more options available with several electric trucks joining the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning, ushering in a new generation of environmentally friendly trucks in the US.
