It wasn't that long that the pick-up truck was the 'the next big thing'. Underpinned by attractive low taxation for business users, these utilitarian machines became increasingly glamourous as their makers aimed to woo potential buyers with a raft of new models that combined the hard-working work ethic you'd expect but with added SUV-level comfort, style and family-friendly versatility.
As an indication of how popular the pick-up became, both VW and Mercedes entered the fray, delivering double cabs that were more bling than building site. They joined a class populated by a host of usual suspects from Ford, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Nissan and Toyota, plus value-for-money alternatives such as the Ssangyong Musso. Wherever you looked there was a roughty toughty truck option that was as comfortable hauling a euro pallet as it was slipping along on the school run.
Yet despite the many benefits and the seemingly strong appetite from buyers, the pick-up's popularity slumped almost as quickly as it had risen. As with many things the Covid pandemic played its part, with sales freefalling by a third over the course of 2020. However, while other sectors have started to recover, sales in the pick-up class have struggled to, ahem, pick-up. As a result, the closely related Mercedes X-Class and Nissan Navara were dropped from price lists, with neither likely to be replaced any time soon.
What all this means is that there are essentially only five pick-up models you can buy today - although the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok are all-new models, proving that there's life in the concept yet. This is further reinforced by the fact that there are a number of new models also in the pipeline, as you can see from our Pick-ups coming soon section, below.
We think that pick-ups still make a certain amount of sense if you're looking for a cost-effective set of company wheels that you can use on and off the job. For example, if you're self-employed and use one as a commercial vehicle, you'll pay just £290 in road tax per year, and have the option to claim back the VAT on its purchase price. If you're an employee and choose a pick-up as your company car, it'll fall under the benefit in kind (BIK) rules for commercial vehicles, which means a flat rate of £720 per year for 20% tax payers, which makes it far cheaper than any similarly sized, priced and polluting SUV.
So, here's our pick of the best pick-up trucks for 2023.
1. Toyota Hilux
The Hilux has been part of Toyota's commercial vehicle range since the late 1960s, and it has since garnered a reputation for versatility and dependability that meant we didn't bat an eyelid when the fully loaded ‘Invincible' trim level was introduced.
Regardless of trim, we think the Hilux is comfortable and decently finished inside, and also more refined and more pleasant to use than some of its rivals. Creditable ride and handling sophistication distinguish it also, as do dimensions that allow it to narrowly escape feeling elephantine on tighter roads.
As part of a mid-life update in 2019, the car got new bumpers and some cabin and equipment revisions, one of which made for better provision of active safety systems - features as useful on the school run, building site and everywhere in between. A year later, Toyota refined the car's chassis, styling and interior again, improving ride and handling by another step, and adding equipment and visual appeal for range-topping 'Invincible X' versions. Later again, a racy GR Sport version was added that celebrated the brand's success in the gruelling Dakar rally. Featuring some sporty visual touches inside and out, it also packs upgraded dampers and stiffer front springs for sharper handling on the road and greater high-speed offroad capability, but we reckon anyone expecting Ford Ranger Raptor levels of driver entertainment will be disappointed.
The Toyota comes with a choice of 148bhp 2.4-litre and 201bhp 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engines, which don't make it sound exciting next to some multi-cylinder options, even if the 2.8 has plenty of real-world performance and surprisingly decent refinement for such a big-banger four pot.
Those who do need to transport heavier cargo might also be pleased to find out that its carrying capacity exceeds that of most of its competitors. Most Hiluxes will be double cabs, but a single cab and an extended cab are available on the 2.4 in no-frills trims. If you want all the bells and whistles - and there are many these days, including a potent JBL premium sound system - it'll only be 'double cab' for you. Plus, there's the fact that few trucks are as tough as the Toyota.
2. Ford Ranger
An all-new Ford Ranger has landed in UK showrooms this year, which to all intents and purposes is the third-generation model to the UK. This is Britain's most popular small truck, so while the rest of this market has shrunk, the Blue Oval has continued to make hay (and no doubt carried it in the Ranger's generously-sized load bay).
While the late Nineties original was developed in partnership with Mazda, this latest iteration (essentially a development of the old car's T6 platform) is the fruit of a commercial vehicle collaboration with Volkswagen that allows it to essentially rebadge the Ford as an Amarok.
So far we've only driven the fairly wild Raptor range-topper, but we were able to glean enough from this experience (and from our time in the new Amarok) to discover that the Ranger is still one of the better bets in the class. Its rugged good looks are as likely to impress in the builders merchant's car park as they will in the golf club, while the interior features near SUV levels of comfort, sophistication and kit. If the Amarok is anything to go by it'll drive well enough too; we found the only real dynamic drawback was a leaf-sprung rear axle that's perfect for a portly payload but less well-suited to delivering a composed ride and slick handling.
However, these aren't complaints that can be levelled at the Raptor, which as with its predecessor, gets trick Fox suspension that allows it to do a passable impression of a Dakar dune-basher. We discovered the long travel springs and dampers allow it to cover rough terrain at outrageous speeds, while on the road there's much greater compliance and control. Better still (for your entertainment if not your wallet), the old car's 2.0-litre diesel has been ditched in favour of a twin-turbocharged 288bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrol that has enough poke to put the frightners on the odd pocket rocket.
We'll have to wait until we drive the full line-up to deliver our definitive verdict, but Ford's approach to pricing and a wider choice of models means it should finish just ahead of the near identical Amarok.
3. Volkswagen Amarok
If any car kick-started the short lived 'lifestyle pick-up' craze, then it was the original Amarok. Of course, other makers had already delivered generously equipped and plushly finished double cab models, but none had the genre-crossing appeal of the VW, which combined a truck's tough utilitarian qualities with an exterior aesthetic and interior finish that aped its desirable Golf hatch. We've long been big fans.
Yet despite its apparent popularity, the Amarok didn't make quite enough financial sense for Wolfsburg's bean counters to sign-off development of an all-new second generation version. So as we've already discussed, the latest VW is actually a joint venture with Ford. That said, the Blue Oval took the lead on the development, largely because its version is likely to outsell its German counterpart by about 2 to 1 but also because both cars are based on the old Ranger's T6 platform.
Externally, just the roof panel, door handles and external mirror housings are carried over from the Ford, but the new Amarok has a chunkier and more aggressive look than before. Inside, the Ranger's architecture is once again used, but it has been draped in VW specific materials to give an appreciably upmarket feel. We found it to be well-equipped, comfortable and easy to get along with, feeling even more like an SUV than its surprisingly classy predecessor.
Currently, there's a choice of diesel engines, with the pick of the bunch being the lusty 237bhp 3.0-litre V6 TDI that's mated to Ford's 10-speed auto (the only transmission choice in the UK) and permanent four-wheel drive. From our experience behind the wheel, it steers neatly enough and VW has brought its influence to bear with improved refinement and comfort, but that leaf-sprung rear axle still struggles with rougher roads, betraying the Amarok's commercial routes. Still, if you're after a truck with a sheen of car-like appeal, the Amarok still takes some beating.
4. Isuzu D-Max
You would imagine Isuzu to be quite good at building pick-up trucks, since that is all it sells in the UK. The Isuzu D-Max has been a quiet mainstay of the pick-up truck market for years and has just been given a thorough refresh. So is it any good?
Well, with competitors like the Mercedes X-Class and Mitsubishi L200 now off-sale, we predict Isuzu will recapture some of its market share. To do that, it continues to offer the D-Max in bare-bones workhorse spec, as well as more lifestyle-oriented versions with an infotainment system we found to be far more up-to-date, plus digital gauges and a nicer interior. It's available as a single or double cab. There's no extended cab version of the Isuzu, but then that's a more niche choice anyway.
During our assessments, we found the D-Max to be a strong choice, with that improved interior, a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating - not a given in the segment - and very acceptable on-road manners. The D-Max still sits on a ladder chassis, which means that it's very stout and still extremely capable off road.
Where it does still lag behind the competition is with its powertrain. It's the same 1.9-litre diesel as before; we found that while it's quieter than before, it's still gruff, and performance from the 162bhp unit is still lethargic. The 0-62mph sprint takes close to 13 seconds whether you have the six-speed automatic gearbox or the six-speed manual. Importantly though, many buyers will forgive it for that, since all variants undercut their Hilux equivalents on price.
5. Ssangyong Musso
If you are after an even more left-field option than the Isuzu, there is always Ssangyong, which offers the Musso – a name meaning 'rhinoceros' in South Korea, where this vehicle is produced. It's a far cry from the vaguely sporty, Ken Greenley-designed SUV of the same name that came to the UK in the mid-1990s, but we found that it delivers respectable performance and handling, as well as strong towing capacity and utility for value-savvy buyers.
The Musso's 199bhp, 2.2-litre diesel engine offers more grunt than some in the class, and its rating to tow 3.5 tonnes (although only with an automatic transmission - the manual is 3200kg) on a braked trailer also trumps certain rivals. In standard form we think it looks a little peculiar with its short load bay but does offer four seats big enough to be usable by adult passengers. That it's also one of the shortest cars of its kind stands to make it appeal to those who've struggled to get vehicles like these into UK-typical parking spaces.
Ssangyong does also offer a Musso LWB Rhino if you do need a full-length bed. Despite its name, the LWB's extra length doesn't come from a longer wheelbase, but rather it gets a longer rear overhang to create the same-sized load bed as you'd get in the single-cab version. The LWB Rhino only comes in the top trim, though.
When we drove it, we discovered the Musso corners with very decent grip and roll control, and the fairly light steering (and helpfully small diameter steering wheel) has better centre feel than many of its rivals. The same goes for the low road and wind noise. Ride comfort only just clears the threshold of acceptability but the engine is positively zesty low down and impressively quiet when you're cruising, the six-gear spread giving it very long legs.
Given how much the European pick-up truck market has thinned out in recent years, if you want something else, you will have to be patient or get creative and import something. If you've got time to wait and are after something that fills the Land Rover Defender pick-up sized hole in your life, you might be interested in the pick-up version of the upcoming Ineos Grenadier.
The Grenadier is a tough, no-nonsense off-roader in the vein of the original Defender, with a ladder chassis, live axles and a hose-out interior. It will offer a payload of up to 1000kg, a braked trailer towing capacity of 3500kg and a 150kg roof-load rating.
Jeep Gladiator
If none of the options available in the UK take your fancy, but you want an interesting pick-up truck right away, you will have to turn to a grey-market import. Possibly the most painless option would be a Jeep Gladiator, which is essentially a pick-up truck version of the Jeep Wrangler sold over here.
The Gladiator is about the same size as a Ford Ranger, but should be seen more as a competitor for the Raptor than any of the work-spec Rangers or Toyota Hiluxes. It's primarily a fun adventure vehicle to take a jet ski to a mountaintop or a quad bike to a beach. Its payload is 620kg rather than 1000kg-plus - despite having a rear axle from a Dodge Ram - and its towing weight is 2721kg.
For the Gladiator, the Wrangler's frame has been extended by a fairly whopping 780mm, with 490mm of that in the wheelbase and the rest behind the rear axle. Due to its size, it won’t get quite as far off road as a Wrangler, but thanks to a breakover angle of 18.4deg and a departure angle of 25deg, as well as serious off-road tyres from the factory if so optioned, it is still a vehicle that will get you much further than you need.
There are companies that can help you bring one over, and one importer says they will sell you a Gladiator for £62,000, but the ones they have in stock start from £71,000. You have to really want one for that money.
Ford F-150 Lightning and Ford F-150 Raptor
While you're looking across the pond, you'll find much excitement around the new electric version of the US's best-selling vehicle, the Ford F-150. The F-150 pick-up truck really is as American as it gets, but the electric version, called Lightning, will do up to 300 miles on a charge. At 95.7in wide, or a whopping 2430mm including the mirrors, the Ford F-150 Lightning still won't fit down English country lanes properly, but it might be slightly more socially acceptable than the V8-powered F-150s of old.
In the US, it will cost from only $39,974 (£28,200), which sounds like an absolute bargain given that is what you pay for a well-specced Fiat 500 EV. Being electric comes with some compromises, however. Due to the prodigious weight of the batteries necessary for any meaningful range, its maximum payload will only be around 900kg. On the flip side, Ford promises a towing capacity of up to 4500kg.
Ford contends the Lightning counters the lower payload with a number of other features that will make it a very useful tool, such as two-way charging. In other words, the Lightning can be used as a portable generator, delivering up to 9.6kW of power, which should be enough to power various tools, or even your house during a power outage.
Of course, if you prefer a dinosaur, there is always the F-150 Raptor. Europe only gets the semi-skimmed Ranger Raptor, and while the full-fat Ford F-150 Raptor no longer has a raucous V8, its 444bhp twin-turbo Ecoboost V6 should be enough for most rally raids. It's very silly, but brilliantly so.
Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1T is what you end up with if you set up a brand-new car business with a small band of talented engineers and an ex-Jeep designer, and you design your own electric car platform from scratch in a bid to give the world its first 'adventure EV'. Rivians will, according to company boss RJ Scaringe, split the difference between a modern Land Rover and a Tesla. It's available to order in the US, and Rivian reckons first deliveries will take place by November, although the date has already been pushed back a few times. An R1S SUV will follow. Whether the Rivian R1T will come to Europe is unclear. Rivian has been rumoured to be scouting a European production location, but that will be primarily for vans.
The R1T will be the first Rivian to hit the road. It's a compact double-cab pick-up by American norms, so it's about the size of most of the other pick-ups on this list. Rivian promises a range of 300 miles from a 135kWh battery pack, or 400 miles from a 180kWh pack. A smaller battery with a 250-mile range is coming as well.
The company says the R1T will be able to tow up to five tonnes - that's about two Range Rovers. However, it is positioned more as an adventure vehicle than a work truck, and it's expected it will only be rated to carry up to 800kg.
For now, prices start at $67,500 (£49,000). Compared with the Ford F-150 Lightning, that may sound expensive, but for Europe that would still be a good deal, especially when you learn that it has not one, not two, not even three, but four motors for over 700bhp, 800lb ft of torque and a 0-60mph time of 3sec. Having four motors means four-wheel torque vectoring, which in turn should enable it to turn like a tank. That's quite the party trick.
Tesla Cybertruck
A year after the Rivian R1T arrives, it'll be followed by an unusual-looking but inevitable reply from EV pioneer Tesla. The angular, and allegedly bulletproof, Cybertruck will have up to three electric motors and more than 500 miles of range in its top-level trim, with a claimed towing capacity of more than six tonnes and a loading bay the same size as that of a Ford F-150. Like Tesla's other bigger models, the Cybertruck will run on height-adjustable air suspension.
Tesla boss Elon Musk claimed that some 200,000 customers placed cash deposits for the Cybertruck within a week of the vehicle's unveiling. Top-of-the-range versions are expected to cost between £50,000 and £60,000, with cheaper, less powerful and less rangey rear-driven versions available for less.
