These days, pickup trucks are no longer basic work vehicles that may or may not have power windows or air conditioning. Now, they offer almost any feature you’ll find on a crossover in addition to being able to tow, haul and off-road. The upside is that trucks are more comfortable and daily drivable than they’ve ever been. The downside is that they’re also expensive as hell now, too. Also, they’re uniquely dangerous to pedestrians, but that’s another topic for a different time.
If you’re going to spend the kind of money it takes to get a new truck, you want to be sure you’re actually going to like it and won’t immediately regret your decision. The question is, which truck will you actually like best? No one can say for sure, but our friends at Consumer Reports recently put together a list of pickup trucks that have the highest owner satisfaction scores. If you’re in the market for a new truck, this is a good place to start.
Ford Maverick
Available with either a conventional or hybrid powertrain, the Ford Maverick is just cool. It’s pretty small by modern standards and built on a car platform, so it can’t tow much, but not everything with a bed needs to be able to tow a train. The hybrid gets great gas mileage, it’s easy to drive and park, and getting in and out is simple. The interior materials could be nicer, but owners don’t seem to care. They love their Mavericks.
Honda Ridgeline
Like the Maverick, the Honda Ridgeline isn’t body-on-frame, and therefore purists would say it isn’t a real pickup truck. It has a bed, though, so who cares what technically is or isn’t a “real” truck? The Ridgeline isn’t the midsize truck to buy if you need to tow more than 5,000 pounds or go off-road, but as a daily driver, it’s quiet, comfortable and just a solid all-around vehicle. Owners really can’t get enough of the Ridgeline.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
Both the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD and GMC Sierra 3500HD made the list, which makes sense since they’re mechanical twins. And while Consumer Reports doesn’t usually talk much about them, it’s nice to see heavy-duty trucks get some attention. Then again, it is a little confusing why an HD truck beat out all the regular full-size trucks, especially since there’s no reason to buy a 3500 unless you do some serious towing. But, apparently, the interior improvements that GM made to the interior were enough to push the Silverado 3500HD over the top.
Rivian R1T
Consumer Reports owners haven’t had the best luck with Rivian’s reliability, especially when it comes to powertrain issues. And yet, owners absolutely love their Rivian R1Ts. In fact, if it weren’t for the Chevrolet Corvette, the R1T would have had the highest owner satisfaction score in this year’s Consumer Reports survey. It’s quick, nimble, quiet and innovative while also offering excellent off-road performance and plenty of range. If only it came with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though.
