America’s favorite vehicles are full-size pickup trucks, and the competition among manufacturers to capitalize on that interest is intense. Despite enormous demand, only five brands vie for the entire market, what with the recent departure of Nissan and its Titan from the market, and two of those are from the same company (General Motors). It’s a supreme challenge to compete with the big players in this ring, and each needs to bring something special to the table to have a chance.
5. 2025 Toyota Tundra | MT Score: 8.2/10
Recently refreshed, the 2025 Toyota Tundra is now offered with turbocharged V-6s that provide more oomph than the previous V-8. There are three grades of powertrain in the Tundra, the first two being different tunes of the standard turbo V-6, and the third adding an electric motor for additional power. All three use a 10-speed automatic transmission. For commuter duty and standard chores, the Tundra is a solid choice, especially considering its spacious heated and ventilated backseat. That said, other trucks tow, haul, and drive better for the money. In our testing, we were most befuddled by the Tundra’s build quality issues, something we don’t see often on Toyota products.
5. 2025 Toyota Tundra Pros, Cons, and Specs
Pros
- Available hybrid powertrain
- Offered with modern infotainment
- Nicely weighted steering
Cons
- Busy ride
- Horrible turning circle
- Struggles with heavy trailers
SPECIFICATIONS
4. 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pros, Cons, and Specs
Pros
- Impressive powertrain options
- Beastly ZR2 off-road model
- Available big-screen tech
Cons
- Garish styling
- Basic models stuck with old interior
- Some clumsy driving traits
SPECIFICATIONS
3. 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 | MT Score: 8.5/10
GM’s mechanically twinned Silverado and 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 both offer a range of configurations only matched by the Ford F-150: multiple bed lengths, three cab size options, and much more. Also on the options menu is one of the best powertrain lineups in the industry, offering everything from an inexpensive 2.7-liter turbo I-4 making 430 lb-ft of torque to an efficient and burly 3.0-liter turbodiesel and multiple gas-fed small-block V-8s. Besides the power, the Sierra is easy on the eyes and easy to drive on the freeway, with the best hands-free driving aid on the market. Super Cruise is a high-tech system, but some of the simpler pieces of the Sierra aren’t as put together, like the somewhat jittery suspension. Towing capability is prodigious, though.
3. 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 Pros, Cons, and Specs
Pros
- Many styles and configurations
- Four potential engine choices
- Available hands-free driving tech
Cons
- Jittery ride when unladen
- Better to get the Sierra EV?
SPECIFICATIONS
2. 2025 Ford F-150 | MT Score: 8.9/10
To the casual observer, it might be hard to tell that the Ford F-150 updated last year and continuing into 2025 is any different from its predecessor. The revision only slightly changed the exterior, and the interior tech upgrades aren’t exactly game-changing. While it sounds like damning with faint praise, Ford was smart not to change the most popular truck in America too radically. Instead, Ford reinvested in the F-150 to make it a truck that can still be optioned to do just about anything, for anyone. The options are myriad: All-electric, supercharged V-8, hybrid turbocharged V-6, or naturally aspirated Coyote V-8 are just some of the powertrain options available alongside a massive list of options and configurations, all at prices at or slightly below the competition. The F-150’s interior isn’t quite as sumptuous as the Ram’s, but it still offers great comfort and has superior technology.
2. 2025 Ford F-150 Pros, Cons, and Specs
Pros
- Gas, hybrid, and EV powertrains
- A thoughtful, high-tech interior
- The ludicrous Raptor R
Cons
- Minor cosmetic updates at best
- Hybrid’s touchy brake pedal
- Raptor R’s abysmal fuel economy
SPECIFICATIONS
1. 2025 Ram 1500 | MT Score: 9/10
Ram stands apart from its competition thanks to a knack for knowing what Americans actually use full-size trucks like the 2025 Ram 1500 for on a day-to-day basis. The Ram is the ultimate cruising truck, with plush seating and extraordinarily comfy interiors, perfect for long hauls. Already a solid truck, the 1500 improves for 2025 with a bold move: The elimination of its V-8 engine options. For the regular 1500, that means no more Hemi V-8, while the off-road-focused TRX model—and its supercharged V-8—is dead. An American truck maker abandoning V-8s? You’ll forget all about those big engines once you sample their replacements, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six available in two states of tune. The Standard Output version deliver 420 hp, more than the 5.7-liter V-8 it replaces, and the High Output variant that powers the upper-crust 1500 Limited and new Tungsten trim levels (as well as the TRX’s de-facto replacement, the otherwise identical RHO) ladles out 540 hp. Every 2025 1500 wears new front-end styling, while all but the Tradesman work truck (and the excellent off-roader based on it, the Warlock) get freshened interiors with improved technologies. Oh, and have we mentioned all these upgrades were enough to earn the 2025 Ram 1500 our MotorTrend Truck of the Year award?
1. 2025 Ram 1500 Pros, Cons, and Specs
Pros
- New Hurricane inline-sixes
- Lots of clever storage
- Great value
Cons
- RHO not as powerful as TRX it replaces
- Base V-6 is pretty meh
- No V-8s a turn-off for some
SPECIFICATIONS
4. 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | MT Score: 8.5/10
3. 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 | MT Score: 8.5/10
2. 2025 Ford F-150 | MT Score: 8.9/10
1. 2025 Ram 1500 | MT Score: 9/10
A lifelong car enthusiast, I stumbled into this line of work essentially by accident after discovering a job posting for an intern position at Car and Driver while at college. My start may have been a compelling alternative to working in a University of Michigan dining hall, but a decade and a half later, here I am reviewing cars; judging our Car, Truck, and Performance Vehicle of the Year contests; and shaping MotorTrend’s daily coverage of the automotive industry.
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