The 5 Longest Lasting Pickup Trucks Currently on the Market

If looking for used trucks for sale is in your future, you might want to know which ones last the longest. Theoretically, you can make any car live forever if you put enough care and energy into keeping it clean and running properly. We’ve heard of the million-mile cars, those who’ve never parted with their first car, etc. The point is longevity is an important element to many buyers, and it’s equally important to know that your next purchase will last you. Recently, a research firm named iSeeCars set a longevity benchmark of 200,000 miles, then researched over 15.8 million cars to analyze which ones lasted the longest. They concluded the longest-lasting pickup was the Honda Ridgeline. But there’s more to their findings.

Not surprisingly, Toyota and Honda led the pack, with Toyota raking in 7 wins out of the 15 categories surveyed. When it came to pickup trucks, however, the analysis didn’t at all jive with market sales. We’ll take a look at their top findings and offer our own analysis as to why you might want to consider buying one.

No. 1 – The Honda Ridgeline

The surprise of the analysis was that it showed the Honda Ridgeline, a relative newcomer to the truck market, as the longest-lasting pickup, with an average of 3.0% making it past 200,000 miles. We all remember those original Ridgelines. They were essentially Chevrolet Avalanches with a Honda badge. But back in 2017, Honda decided it was not to be outdone by their chief rival, Toyota, and decided to bring the Ridgeline back into production.

Competing against the likes of Toyota and Chevrolet, Honda had a lot of ground to make up but did so in classic Honda fashion. They made a new truck with noticeable design elements not found on any other models. First, the tailgate falls flat in classic fashion or swings open to allow for easier bed access. There’s also an in-bed trunk integrated into the nearly 7’ box, which Honda demonstrated could be used as a cooler, tool storage, or an easier way to bring home potted plants.

While it shares the same platform as the Pilot, Honda has beefed up the suspension and the chassis on the Ridgeline, allowing it to be utilized as a working vehicle without fear of too much damage. And while many still don’t exactly consider Ridgeline to be a truck, the fact is it has a bed, comes with AWD (all-wheel drive), can tow up to 5,000lbs, and it’ll last you more than 200,000 miles.

No. 2 – The Toyota Tundra

Onto the full-size trucks now, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Toyota, once again, has topped the list here. With a 2.9% rating in the study, the Tundra came out on top in this contest. It’s an often overlooked truck, never selling anywhere near as much as F-150s or Silverados. Yet, Toyota has stuck with their full-size truck when many other companies would’ve ditched it.

The Tundra you’re most likely to come across on used lots is the second generation. This was in production from 2007 until 2021. That’s 14 years without a redesign. To put it in perspective, the F-150 went through four redesigns within the same time period.

Apart from an updated interior and a mild exterior update, the core of the Tundra remained its strong V8 engine. It was one of the last vestiges of a truck where power and capability meant more than fuel efficiency. And buyers loved it for that. You could use it as a bonafide work truck. In its last year, the Tundra, with its 5.7L V8, was rated to tow up to 10,200 lbs and carry a maximum payload of 1,730 lbs. One of the reasons buyers may have overlooked this truck was due to its lack of redesign andToyotas stubbornly keeping with the gas-guzzling V8 when other trucks were opting for more fuel-efficient engines. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Tundra is a Toyota. And, as we’ve seen, Toyotas are virtually indestructible. So you can bet you’ll get a good range out of a Tundra if that’s what you’re looking to buy.

No. 3 – The Toyota Tacoma

Of course, the Tacoma had to be on here. The undisputed king of the midsize market, the Tacoma came out of the study with only 2.5% making it past 200,000 miles. It’s a percentage we have a little trouble believing. Why, you ask? The vast majority of Tacomas sold over the last decade remain on the road and will likely remain on the road until the rapture.

Of all the trucks one can buy, the Tacoma is perhaps the most configurable. You could have it as an Extended Cab with a Long Bed, a Double Cab with a Short Bed, RWD (rear-wheel drive), 4WD (4-wheel drive), etc. One of the most popular trim levels is the TRD (Toyota Racing Development), which is tuned for off-roading, speed, and comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Apart from the Chevrolet Colorado, the Tacoma is the only truck that still offers a stick-shift. While not a selling point for many buyers, there’s still a good amount of customers out there that will pay extra for what used to come standard on all cars.

The engine on all Tacomas is a 3.5L V6 which makes 278 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, can tow up to 6,800 lbs, and carry a payload of 1,525 lbs. While it’s become more and more marketed as a lifestyle truck, as virtually the entire midsize segment has, plenty of people use Tacoma’s as work trucks and push it to its limits. It could potentially be its popularity that keeps people from driving it past 200,000 miles, owing to the fact that they would perhaps be excited about purchasing a newer model, but that’s grasping at straws. What’s really important is that the Tacoma is as capable a midsize truck as you’re likely to find, and it’s built like a tank. If you wanted to take one past the iSeeCars threshold, this truck would be more than happy to oblige you.

No. 4 & No. 5 – The Chevrolet Silverado & Ford F-150

Finally, rounding out the list of the Top 5 Longest Lasting trucks are the Chevrolet Silverado, with 2.0%, and the Ford F-150, with 1.9%. Ford Fans may not be happy that the Silverado squeezed by with a tenth of a percent, but let’s remember that Silverado has been riding the F-150’s coattails as the second best-selling truck in the United States for years. Let the Silverado have its moment, as small as it may be.

Brand loyalty is key when it comes to Chevrolet and Ford. These two brands have a long history of customer retention, and it’s easy to see why. Both have cemented themselves among the working man as the trucks to bring to a job site. They’re tough, they can take the miles, and they have heritage, which is important to many people.

Both of these trucks are intended to be work trucks, with both base trims still coming standard with a single cab box and an 8’ bed. Once you start going up in trim, you’ll get more tech offering, updated engines, 4WD, and different cab/bed configurations.

Important to note are the capabilities of each truck. The Silverado has the ability to tow up to 9,200 lbs and carry a maximum 2,280 lbs of payload, depending on which trim level you opt for. Meanwhile, the F-150 can tow up to 11,300 lbs and take a maximum payload of 2,238 lbs. So, just because they made the lower end of the Top Five doesn’t make them any less capable as trucks. They’re still the most popular kids at the playground for a reason.

Get the Most Out of Your Pickup

So, while this iSeeCars study utilized a vast amount of vehicles, let’s remember that it is only one study. Yes, 200,000 miles is an excellent benchmark to set for longevity, and the fact that these listed trucks continually surpass that limit is a testament to the companies that engineer them. With routine preventative maintenance and some care, your next truck could easily surpass the 200,000 mile threshold. And this list is not incorrect insofar as to show you what is already known, that these 5 trucks are, perhaps, the best on the market and will remain that way for the foreseeable future.