American Romance with Pickup Trucks

If you love to travel, search for trucks for work, or take trips with your family, it can fit into your every purpose.

If you have ever been to the USA or seen some movies originally built in or reflect the American countryside, you have definitely noticed Americans being excited about pickup trucks. And there is not just simple excitement, but they are really conquering other cars. In fact, we can draw a clear line where America’s love affair for pickup trucks started – Ford released his MODEL T Runabout with a pickup body in 1925, offering both utility and affordability. At first, pickup trucks were treated more like workhorses, but over the years, they have become a strong symbol of America, expressing the country’s identity as strong and independent.

Moreover, the geography factor plays a big role in choosing this type of vehicle. In the United States, which has 3,794,100 square miles area, you can find vast, beautiful landscapes and diverse terrains. Like in every part of the world, there are rural areas where people are farming, hunting, and having other outdoor activities, so it’s logically leading to choosing pickup trucks as best friends for every day. If you ever travel to Wyoming, it will be hard to notice another type of car because this state has over twice the national average share of pickup trucks. Similarly, Montana, North Dakota, and Texas (which is popular for its ranching and may explain the higher number of pickups there). Living in an urban area and having a need for more space for cargo or the ability to travel offroad? Pickups will fit you well. Furthermore, if you are a person who looks after his status and wants to enhance your spirit of freedom and lust for adventures – it shouldn’t take you long to consider which pickup to take.

So, let’s consider what you should pay attention to when choosing the one best to express your rugged individuality with this variety of models. As you can see, the Ford F-series, Chevy Silverado, and Ram Pickup are the best-selling vehicles out of all cars in 2022. While you will be committed to the car for a longer period of time and hoping that its value will decrease as little as it can, you would want to look at statistics on which pickups are depreciating less. In one study, the average value of depreciating pickups was 34.8 percent of its value, while overall car depreciation was 38.8 percent. So you are lucky to choose this type of car. In the list below, you can see what pickups have been losing least their value in the last five years.

  1. Toyota Tacoma (20.4 %)
  2. Toyota Tundra (25.3 %)
  3. Chevrolet Colorado (30.2 %)
  4. GMC Canyon (30.2 %)
  5. Nissan Frontier (30.9 %)
  6. Honda Ridgeline (35.9 %)
  7. Ford F-150 (36.0 %)
  8. GMC Sierra 1500 (36.9 %)
  9. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (38.3 %)
  10. Ram 1500 (20.4 %)
  11. Nissan Titan XD (43.1 %)
  12. Nissan Titan (43.2 %)

To avoid burning your brain over choosing from the variety of models, try to consider some factors that may let you choose the optimal model for your individual situation. And if you looking at a pre-used vehicle market, be sure to check VIN number before purchasing.  Here is some additional questions (besides VIN check), you might want to ask yourself before making a purchase:

  • What size would feel best for me? There are compact, midsize, full-size, and heavy-duty sized trucks. In that case, if you are considering midsized trucks like Colorado, Frontier, or Tacoma, the first thing to remember is that they are better at holding their value over the years and are easy to park, drive, and operate.
  • Will I be driving in the city, where I need a smaller, more efficient powertrain with a four-cylinder engine, or will I drive on highways, where I will need to carry heavy loads and should choose a V6 or V8 engine?
  • Do I need a diesel car with bigger torque for heavy loads or a more efficient fuel truck? In that case, you are putting on scale the power and the budget you need.
  • Consider wheel drive type: front-wheel (FWD) driving more fuel-efficient, rear-wheel (RWD) for more balance, or all-wheel (AWD) for more stability in difficult conditions.
  • Am I loyal to one or another brand? For example, Ford’s F-series has been America’s best-selling, so maybe it can affect your decision, too. Just be open to yourself when choosing – it will make the process easier.
  • Will I be traveling with family, or will I be using it as a work truck only? This means you will be choosing between regular, extended, and crew cab sizes and bed lengths.
  • Will I be traveling long distances or in difficult weather conditions? If yes, then safety is the first thing you want to be sure of. Look for these features: forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring.
  • Which fuel type is preferable to me? You should remember to always check EPA ratings. The 2023 year was lucky for those who are using gasoline-powered trucks, as the price has decreased throughout the year. And note to check EPA ratings.
  • To have a full view of the price and costs that may occur in the future, including in its insurance, search how much preventable maintenance and potential repairs cost and how much the parts of the car cost in case of an accident.
  • If you are looking for a used car, always check the VIN number to have every detail of how many owners the truck had, if there was any accident and more.

Not to mention, in 2018, light truck sales (including pickup trucks) took up approximately 69% of all vehicle sales in the United States, but by 2023, they will have increased to 78%. Isn’t these numbers convincing to take that rugged beast and don’t look back at other types of vehicles? Even if the average price for past years increased (for example Ford F-150 Limited 4WD SuperCrew cost $65,240 in 2018, and by 2023 had increased to $86,100), you can always look up for used one.

If you love to travel, search for trucks for work, or take trips with your family, it can fit into your every purpose. So, are you ready, steady, and going to express your American freedom? Just test the drive, and you won’t be letting that wheel out of your hands ever again.