Half-ton pickups compared: F-150, Silverado, Sierra, Ram, Tundra
The full-size half-ton trucks on one page: overall GPA, the eight subject grades, towing, payload, economy and price, and the scorer's own assessment of each.
The full-size half-ton pickup is the best-selling kind of vehicle in the United States, and it is the class where the differences between rivals are most argued over and least documented. This page puts the half-tons on the site side by side, graded the same way: overall GPA, the eight subject grades, the towing and payload and economy figures behind them, and the scorer’s own written assessment of each. The full-size truck segment as a whole medians 65.3 points overall, a C+.
The grades
| Vehicle | GPA | Rel. | Safe. | Eff. | Comf. | Value | Own. | Tech | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ford F-150 | 2.66C+ | C+ | B- | D | C+ | B | D | B- | C+ |
| 2026 Ram 1500 | 2.42C+ | C | C | D | B- | B- | F | B- | B- |
| 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 | 2.42C+ | C | C | F | B- | B- | F | B- | C |
| 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 2.41C+ | C | C | F | B- | B | D | B- | C |
| 2026 Toyota Tundra | 2.20C | C+ | C | F | C- | C+ | C- | C+ | C |
| 2024 Nissan Titan | 1.71C- | C+ | D | F | C- | F | D | D | C |
- Highest overall: 2026 Ford F-150 — 2.7C+
- Reliability: 2026 Ford F-150 — 2.5C+
- Safety: 2026 Ford F-150 — 2.9B-
- Technology: 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 — 3.0B-
- Ownership Cost: 2026 Toyota Tundra — 2.0C-
- Work & towing fit: 2026 Ford F-150 — 3.8A
Two things about this table are true of the whole class. Safety is the subject that separates the trucks most — the class medians 62.9 points on it, and Why pickups trail SUVs and sedans on Safety explains why the standard-suite criterion is where the gap lives. And Ownership Cost is low for all of them, because a well-equipped half-ton is an expensive vehicle to depreciate; the grade is relative to the truck band, and Why the median car fails Ownership Cost covers why the band is drawn where it is.
The numbers
| Vehicle | Max towing | Max payload | Horsepower | Combined economy | Volume-trim price | 5-yr ownership cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ford F-150 | 13,500 lbs max (3.5L EcoBoost w/ Max Trailer Tow Pkg); 8,400 lbs (2.7L), 12,800 lbs (5.0L V8), 11,600 lbs (PowerBoost hybrid) | 2,440 lbs max (3.5L EcoBoost, HD Payload Pkg); typical XLT ~1,700–2,000 lbs | 325 hp (2.7L EcoBoost V6, XLT standard); up to 430 hp (3.5L PowerBoost hybrid) / 720 hp (Raptor R) | 20 MPG combined (2.7L EcoBoost 4x4; 22 combined 2WD, 25 combined PowerBoost hybrid 2WD) | ~$54,500 (XLT SuperCrew 4x4 5.5' bed, 2.7L EcoBoost as typically equipped) | $28,800 (≈$21,800 depreciation + $7,000 maintenance) |
| 2026 Ram 1500 | 11,580 lbs max (properly equipped, 3.0L Hurricane SO); lower by configuration on the Pentastar V6 and off-road trims | ~2,300 lbs max (properly equipped, lighter 2WD configurations); roughly 1,600–2,000 lbs on typical 4x4 crew-cab volume trims | 395 hp (5.7L HEMI V8 eTorque, volume Big Horn/Laramie configuration); 305 hp (3.6L Pentastar V6 eTorque base), 420 hp (3.0L Hurricane SO), 540 hp (3.0L Hurricane HO — Tungsten/RHO) | 19 MPG combined (5.7L HEMI V8 eTorque 4x4 Crew Cab, volume Big Horn/Laramie config); ~17–22 MPG combined across the lineup (3.6L Pentastar V6 eTorque 4x2 ~22 / 4x4 ~21 · 5.7L HEMI 4x2 ~20 · 3.0L Hurricane SO 4x4 ~20 · 3.0L Hurricane HO 4x4 ~17) | ~$55,000 (Big Horn/Lone Star Crew Cab 4x4 as typically equipped; trim spans roughly $47k–$62k) | $32,350 (≈$24,750 depreciation + $7,600 maintenance) |
| 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 | 13,300 lbs max (5.3L V8 or 3.0L Duramax w/ Max Trailering Package); 9,500 lbs (2.7L TurboMax); AT4X ~8,900 lbs | ~2,240 lbs max (Pro/SLE 2WD, standard bed); typically 1,700–2,200 lbs on volume Elevation/SLT/Denali; AT4X ~1,510 lbs | 355 hp (5.3L V8, volume); 310–420 hp gas range (2.7L TurboMax / 5.3L V8 / 6.2L V8); 305 hp (3.0L Duramax I6 diesel) | 17 MPG combined (5.3L V8 4WD Crew Cab, volume trim); 16–26 MPG combined across lineup (2.7L TurboMax 4WD 19 / 2.7L 2WD 20 / 5.3L V8 2WD 18 / 6.2L V8 4WD 16 / 3.0L Duramax 4WD 24 / Duramax 2WD 26) | ~$61,000 (Elevation/SLT Crew Cab 4WD 5.3L V8 as typically equipped; range $52K–$92K across trim ladder) | $31,700 (≈$24,400 depreciation + $7,300 maintenance) |
| 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 13,300 lbs max (5.3L V8 or 3.0L Duramax w/ Max Trailering Package); ~9,500 lbs (2.7L TurboMax); ZR2 ~8,900 lbs | ~2,260 lbs max (WT 2WD, standard bed); typically 1,700–2,100 lbs on volume LT/RST/LTZ; ZR2 ~1,440 lbs | 355 hp (5.3L EcoTec3 V8, volume LT/RST); 310–420 hp gas range (2.7L TurboMax / 5.3L V8 / 6.2L V8); 305 hp (3.0L Duramax I6 diesel) | 17 MPG combined (5.3L V8 4WD Crew Cab, volume LT/RST config); 16–26 MPG combined across the lineup (2.7L TurboMax 2WD 20 / 4WD 19 · 5.3L V8 2WD 18 · 6.2L V8 4WD 16 · 3.0L Duramax 2WD 26 / 4WD 24) | ~$56,500 (LT Crew Cab 4WD, 5.3L V8, as typically equipped; lineup spans ~$40K WT to ~$75K High Country) | $30,830 (≈$23,730 depreciation + $7,100 maintenance) |
| 2026 Toyota Tundra | Up to 12,000 lbs (i-FORCE, 4x2 Double Cab 8.1-ft bed w/ TRD Tow Package); ~11,450 lbs max for i-FORCE MAX | Up to 1,940 lbs (SR 4x2 Double Cab, 8.1-ft bed); lower on hybrid and CrewMax configurations | 348 hp (SR5, standard i-FORCE 3.4L twin-turbo V6); 389 hp on Limited/Platinum/1794, 437 hp i-FORCE MAX hybrid | 19 MPG combined (SR5 CrewMax 4x4, 3.4L i-FORCE twin-turbo V6); 20 MPG 2WD, 20 MPG i-FORCE MAX hybrid 4x4, 22 MPG hybrid 2WD | ~$55,500 (SR5 CrewMax 4x4 as typically equipped); Limited ~$62,000, TRD Pro and Capstone ~$80,000+ | $24,925 (≈$19,425 depreciation + $5,500 maintenance) |
| 2024 Nissan Titan | 9,290 lbs max (Crew Cab 4x2); 9,210 lbs King Cab 4x4, 9,130 lbs Crew Cab 4x4 — the heavier-duty Titan XD reaches ~11,050 lbs | 1,710 lbs max (King Cab 4x4); 1,650 lbs Crew Cab 4x4, 1,600 lbs Crew Cab 4x2 — Titan XD up to ~2,360 lbs | 400 hp (5.6L Endurance V8 — standard on every trim, Titan and Titan XD) | 17 MPG combined (SV Crew Cab, the volume trim — identical 4x2 and 4x4); 16 MPG combined on the PRO-4X | ~$51,000 (SV Crew Cab 4x4 at $50,855 delivered, as typically equipped); PRO-4X 4x4 $55,475, Platinum Reserve 4x4 $64,645 | $30,390 (≈$24,990 depreciation + $5,400 maintenance) |
Towing and payload are maximums across the configuration range, as the manufacturers publish them, and a volume-trim crew cab with the volume engine is rated well below the headline figure; the criterion’s reasoning on each car page says which configuration the maximum needs. The economy figure is the volume powertrain’s EPA combined rating and is graded against the truck band, so a two-MPG difference is a large one in score.
The verdicts
What follows is drawn from each scorecard’s written assessment — the paragraph and the strengths and weaknesses are the scorer’s, and this page adds nothing to them. A truck whose current model year has no written analysis yet is listed with its grades alone.
2026 Ford F-150 — 2.66C+
1st of 20 trucks in the 2026 class on overall GPA. Full-Size Truck; graded as a gas vehicle; 10 model years scored (2017–2026).
The 2026 Ford F-150 remains the default answer in the full-size truck aisle: 13,500 lbs of max towing, 2,440 lbs of payload, the widest configuration menu on sale (10+ trims, three cabs, three beds, four gas/hybrid powertrains), and America's deepest dealer and parts network behind it. SuperCrew rear legroom of 43.6 inches is class-leading, and Ford's PowerBoost hybrid plus 7.2 kW Pro Power Onboard genuinely differentiate it as a jobsite and campsite tool. The trade-offs are real, though — 20 MPG combined and a $3,150/yr fuel estimate, a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that matches the industry floor, and an IIHS Poor rating in the updated moderate-overlap front test that keeps it off the Top Safety Pick list.From the 2026 Ford F-150 scorecard’s written assessment.
- Strength: Class-leading work capability
- Strength: Widest lineup and configuration menu in the segment
- Weakness: Fuel bills are expensive on the volume engine
- Weakness: Warranty is at the industry floor
2026 Ram 1500 — 2.42C+
6th of 20 trucks in the 2026 class on overall GPA. Full-Size Truck; graded as a gas vehicle.
The 2026 Ram 1500 is the full-size pickup to buy if you care more about how it treats you than what it can drag. It's the only half-ton with a coil-spring rear suspension as standard, and that plus the quietest cabin and the best seats in the class make it the most comfortable truck in America — with a 45.2-inch reclining back seat that beats every rival by more than an inch. The trade-offs are real: 11,580 lbs of max towing is 1,700+ lbs behind an F-150 or Silverado, 19 MPG combined with the returning 5.7L HEMI V8 costs about $2,800 a year in fuel, there's no regular cab or 8-foot bed, and the truck holds only about 55% of its value after five years — the worst of the domestic three. Buy it as a comfortable family and road-trip truck that can also work, not as a maximum-capability work rig.From the 2026 Ram 1500 scorecard’s written assessment.
- Strength: The most comfortable ride in any full-size pickup
- Strength: Class-leading back seat and the smartest storage in the segment
- Weakness: Expensive to feed, even by full-size truck standards
- Weakness: Bare-minimum warranty with nothing thrown in
2026 GMC Sierra 1500 — 2.42C+
7th of 20 trucks in the 2026 class on overall GPA. Full-Size Truck; graded as a gas vehicle; 4 model years scored (2023–2026).
The 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 is the dressed-up version of the Chevy Silverado, and it earns most of that premium inside the cabin and on the trailer hitch — up to 13,300 lbs of towing, a 14-camera trailering suite, and available Super Cruise hands-free highway driving. Space is genuinely excellent (43.0 in front headroom, 43.6 in rear legroom in the Crew Cab), and the 13.4-inch Google-built-in screen is one of the better systems in a full-size truck. The costs are real: 17 MPG combined on the volume 5.3L V8, roughly $3,100 a year in fuel, a bare-minimum 3-year/36,000-mile warranty, and a lingering record of V8 lifter and crankshaft problems on GM's small-block. Buy it for the towing, the tech, and the Denali interior — not for cheap running costs or a spotless reliability record.From the 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 scorecard’s written assessment.
- Strength: Class-competitive towing with the best trailering tech in the segment
- Strength: A truly big, comfortable Crew Cab
- Weakness: Thirsty in every configuration except the diesel
- Weakness: Bottom-of-the-barrel warranty
2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 — 2.41C+
8th of 20 trucks in the 2026 class on overall GPA. Full-Size Truck; graded as a gas vehicle; 10 model years scored (2017–2026).
The 2026 Silverado 1500 is the workhorse half-ton that gives you the most truck for the money: up to 13,300 lbs of towing, a Durabed that holds 62.9 cu ft in the short box (versus 52.8 for the F-150's comparable bed), four distinct engines including a 30-MPG-highway Duramax diesel, and Super Cruise hands-free driving offered further down the trim ladder than almost any rival. It's mechanically identical to the GMC Sierra 1500 but typically undercuts it by $3,000-$6,000, and it's one of the most heavily discounted vehicles in America. The costs are real, though: the volume 5.3L V8 4WD manages just 17 MPG combined with no hybrid option anywhere in the lineup, resale trails the F-150 and Sierra, warranty coverage is the industry floor at 3/36,000, and the truck carries only a 4-star NHTSA rating with a Marginal IIHS moderate-overlap result. Buy it for capability and deal-making; don't buy it expecting cheap running costs or best-in-class crash scores.From the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 scorecard’s written assessment.
- Strength: Cabin space that leads the class
- Strength: Off-road depth and configuration choice
- Weakness: Thirsty, with no hybrid to fix it
- Weakness: Weak resale and bare-minimum warranty
2026 Toyota Tundra — 2.20C
11th of 20 trucks in the 2026 class on overall GPA. Full-Size Truck; graded as a gas vehicle.
The 2026 Tundra is the full-size truck you buy for what happens after the sale: Toyota's roughly 65% five-year resale is the best in the class, two years of free scheduled maintenance come standard, and every single trim — even the base SR work truck — includes adaptive cruise, lane centering, blind-spot monitoring and wireless CarPlay with no option boxes to tick. The CrewMax cab is a genuinely good family space with 41.6 inches of rear legroom, and the coil-sprung rear suspension rides better than the leaf-spring domestics. The bill comes due on capability and efficiency: 19 MPG combined and about $2,750 a year in fuel, 1,940 lbs of max payload against the F-150's 2,440, a 5.5-foot bed on the volume CrewMax, and 41.2 inches of front legroom that leaves tall drivers noticeably tighter than in a Silverado. Add the engine-replacement recall that hit 2022–2023 trucks and the complete absence of a hands-free highway system, and this is a truck chosen on ownership math rather than spec-sheet dominance.From the 2026 Toyota Tundra scorecard’s written assessment.
- Strength: Every driver-assist feature standard on every trim
- Strength: The best ownership math in the full-size class
- Weakness: Fuel economy that never justified dropping the V8
- Weakness: Payload and bed size trail the domestics
2024 Nissan Titan — 1.71C-
1st of 1 trucks in the 2024 class on overall GPA. Full-Size Truck; graded as a gas vehicle; 2 model years scored (2023–2024).
The 2024 Titan is the last one Nissan ever built, and it goes out as the friendliest full-size truck to own and the least capable one to work. Every version gets the same 400-hp V8, Safety Shield 360 driver aids and an unmatched 5-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty — but it tows just 9,290 lbs when an F-150 pulls 13,500, carries a mid-size-truck 1,710 lbs of payload, returns 17 MPG on recommended premium fuel ($4,450/yr), and keeps only about 51% of its value after five years, the worst in the segment. Buy it used, where somebody else has already eaten the depreciation and the warranty may still be running, and it's a genuinely sensible truck. Buy it new at $47,665 and you're paying F-150 money for less truck.From the 2024 Nissan Titan scorecard’s written assessment.
- Strength: The best warranty in any pickup, full stop
- Strength: A simple, durable V8 with nothing exotic to break
- Weakness: It tows and hauls like a mid-size truck
- Weakness: The thirstiest half-ton on sale — and it wants premium