When it comes to getting hard work done, nothing beats a pickup truck. These hardy brutes are specifically designed to tackle just about any terrain, and their hardy construction means they can go the distance. Trucks for towing are especially hardy, with reinforced frames to handle extra loads in the cargo bed or behind. Apart from their sheer size and ruggedness, these cars employ extremely powerful engines, including diesel options, and often dually wheels to optimize their towing capacity. In the USA, where such heavy-duty tow trucks are relatively common, these are rated as the best pickup trucks for towing in 2025.
Vehicles are assigned a BuzzScore in relation to their direct segment competitors, and as such, vehicles in this list, while similarly scored, do not necessarily compete directly against one another. Find out more about how the BuzzScore ratings work here. These lists are continuously updated with the latest BuzzScores and vehicles as they become available.
This list only includes trucks that can tow at least 10,000 lbs. They have been ranked by their BuzzScores, which takes into account all attributes of the pickups, not only towing capacity.
1
Ram 1500
- Base Trim Engine
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3.6L V6 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
According to its BuzzScore of 8.7 out of 10, the best pickup we’ve tested is the Ram 1500. Not only is it good for towing, but this Ram was named the CarBuzz truck of the year for a variety of reasons. The best towing trucks aren’t always the largest and heaviest models on the road, since not everybody needs to pull a house down, and some want a more balanced experience.
You can choose from a standard 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six-cylinder Hurricane engine that makes 420 horsepower and 469 lb-ft of torque, a “high output” version of the same engine that makes 540 horsepower and 521 lb-ft of torque, or a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Despite being the least powerful, the 3.6L V6 option actually has the highest payload rating out of the three choices. However, for the best towing capacity, you should choose the 3.0-liter Hurricane that can pull up to 11,600 pounds.
If you’re considering buying your first pickup truck, the Ram 1500 has always been one of our top recommendations because it drives more like a car than its competitors. Double wishbone front suspension and a five-link solid rear axle keep the truck compliant over rough roads, especially when equipped with the optional four-corner air suspension (the only such system in this class). The steering feels more direct than rivals, creating more confidence to navigate around bendy roads.
– Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-at-Large, CarBuzz
2
GMC Sierra 1500
- Base Trim Engine
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2.7L TurboMax I4 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
Among the best trucks for towing is the GMC Sierra 1500. The GMC brand generally takes the likes of other GM models and makes them slightly higher-class. The Sierra 1500 is an example of a balanced truck with plenty of creature comforts inside a more premium cabin while still being an incredibly capable truck. Under the hood is your choice of a 5.3-liter V8 that makes 355 hp and 383 lb-ft, a 6.2L V8 that makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft, or a 3.0L inline-six turbo diesel that makes 305 hp and 495 lb-ft.
The diesel engine has the best towing capacity at 13,200 pounds.
3
Ram 3500
- Base Trim Engine
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6.4L V8
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Four-Wheel Drive
When it comes to pickup truck towing capacity, one-ton trucks don’t get much better than the Ram 3500. It’s huge, aggressive, and ready to tailgate every minivan in your state while towing the largest trailers money can buy. There’s stiff competition for which is the best towing truck, but this Ram is an option for those who need maximum performance. Ram is keeping the Hemi V8 alive in its HD pickup trucks, for now. Engine options include a 6.4-liter gasoline-powered V8 that makes 405 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque, or a 6.7-liter turbo-diesel inline-six-cylinder that makes 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft. Equipped with the diesel engine and other select features, this mighty Ram can tow up to 36,610 lbs.
When attached to a 40-ft trailer weighing 22,000 pounds heading up a 5-percent grade, the Ram 3500 with the High Output Cummins takes everything in its stride. For towing beginners, it might seem frightening to have to keep your foot to the floor to maintain speed, but as hard as the truck is working, it doesn’t feel like it is.
– CarBuzz (2019 test drive of current Ram 3500 generation)
4
Ford F-150
- Base Trim Engine
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2.7L EcoBoost V6 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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10-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
The Ford F-150 is a classic half-ton pickup that’s dominated sales records for over four decades. As a full-size pickup, it’s a contender to be called the best truck for towing without taking up the whole lane. There is something for everyone in the Ford F-150 lineup. Besides multiple body styles, the best-selling F-150 also comes with V6, V6 hybrid, or V8 power. At the top of the range, the hybrid produces 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque, giving the large truck good performance and ample towing capabilities. When properly equipped, the F-150 can haul up to 13,500 lbs, while the maximum payload is 2,440 lbs.
5
Toyota Tundra
- Base Trim Engine
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3.4L [NA] ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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10-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Four-Wheel Drive
As Toyota continues to reshape its lineup recently, the Tundra is a truck for towing that might slide under the radar at first. It’s one of the only trucks here with an available hybrid powertrain that’s still rather capable. The standard powertrain in the base SR trim is a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 358 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Depending on your choice of trim level, bed size, and drivetrain, you can find a new Tundra with the same engine that’s been tuned to make 389 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. The maximum payload capacity of a Tundra with this non-hybrid i-Force engine is 1,940 pounds. The SR5 has the Tundra’s highest maximum towing capacity at 12,000 pounds when properly equipped. The maximum towing capacity with the hybrid powertrain is 11,450 pounds.
Toyota pumps in some augmented sound through the stereo, but we were impressed by the deep growl emitted by this new V6; so there should be no tears about the V8 going away. As for the transmission, our brief experience has quickly vaulted it up alongside GM’s 10-speed box as one of the best we’ve tested in a truck.
– Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-at-Large, CarBuzz
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6
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Base Trim Engine
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2.7L TurboMax I4 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
Chevrolet makes some of the most recognizable trucks for towing on the road. The Silverado 1500 is another great half-ton truck that can find a middle ground between needing to dominate all other trucks’ power figures and still being a versatile family truck. There is a diverse spread of powertrains: you can pick either a 2.7L turbo four-cylinder that makes 310 hp, a 5.3L V8 with 355 hp, a 6.2L V8 for 420 hp, and a 3.0L turbo diesel inline-six that makes 305 hp and 495 lb-ft, which is the most torque of any engine option in this truck. When properly configured, the Silverado 1500 can tow up to 13,300 pounds, and carry a maximum of 2,260 pounds.
7
Ram 2500
- Base Trim Engine
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6.4L HEMI V8 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
Meeting in the middle between the common versatility of a half-ton truck and the maximum performance of a one-ton truck is the Ram 2500. This Ram is the only three-quarter-ton truck on the list. The Ram 2500 makes choosing an engine simple with only two options. You can get a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that makes 405 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque, or a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel that makes 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft. They’re both impressive, but the 6.7L can tow up to 20,000 pounds. The 6.4L, however, has better payload capacity with a max of 4,420 pounds.
8
Ford F-350 Super Duty
- Base Trim Engine
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6.8L V8 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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TorqShift 10-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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405 HP @5000 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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445 lb.-ft. @ 4000 RPM
The Ford F-350 Super Duty is another huge and seriously capable pickup. It might barely miss the mark as the best towing capacity on the list, but the F-350 Super Duty’s 38,000 pounds is nothing to scoff at. As usual, there are a handful of powertrains to choose from, including a 6.8-liter gas-powered V8 that makes 405 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, a 7.3-liter gas V8, a 6.7-liter turbo-diesel that makes 475 hp and 1,075 lb-ft, and finally a “high-output” version of the diesel engine that produces 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft. This HO diesel is the one to get for the best tow rating.
9
Ford F-450 Super Duty
- Base Trim Engine
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6.7L Powerstroke V8 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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TorqShift 10-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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475 HP @2600 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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1050 lb.-ft. @ 1600 RPM
The highest towing capacity truck on our list is the Ford F-450. If you truly need a truck to pull the weight of 40 adult horses all at once, then the F-450 is a solid asset. There might be some crazy-capable one-ton trucks out there, but the F-450 is one of the biggest and most powerful trucks on the road. These are more typically seen as conversions for commercial use, but those that do make it to the road as traditional pickups do so in style. There are a few powertrains to choose from, but the one you want for up to 40,000 pounds of towing capacity is the 6.7-liter V8 high-output turbo diesel that makes 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque.
10
Ram 1500 Ramcharger
While it’s not the classic two-door off-roader that it used to be, the Ram 1500 Ramcharger is part of the Ram truck family as a hybrid pickup. This one powertrain is interesting and non-conventional since the 3.6-liter V6 does not power the wheels; instead, the V6 engine is under the hood simply to power a generator that keeps the electric motors turning and provides the truck’s estimated 690-mile range. So, obviously, it’s not a traditional V6 hybrid, nor is it a pure electric vehicle like the Ford F-150 Lightning. With that being said, the truck makes a total of 663 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque, and has a maximum tow rating of 14,000 pounds, so it’s certainly capable enough.
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Best Of The Rest
- Base Trim Engine
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3.0-liter Hurricane H/O SST
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Four-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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540 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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521 lb-ft
- Base Trim Engine
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Electric
- Base Trim Transmission
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Single-speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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533 hp
- Base Trim Torque
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610 lb-ft
Characteristics Of Pickup Trucks For Towing
Taking a closer look at the best towing trucks, it becomes apparent that there are specific qualities that set them apart from the run-of-the-mill trucks on the road:
- Performance: You can’t expect to move tens of thousands of pounds without a great deal of power on tap. Enormous displacement V6 and V8 engines are the norm in this segment, whether they be gas or diesel. Most come paired with an automatic transmission to maintain the optimal power band, with many including a low-speed transfer case.
- Construction: How a truck is built dramatically affects how much it can tow. It takes a highly durable frame to withstand the forces involved in pulling trailers or something heavier like boats. The suspension, too, must be able to adapt to the added weight while still dealing with bumps on or off the road. In some cases, double rear wheels are equipped to handle the enormous strain put on the back of trucks pulling extreme weight.
- Fuel economy: This is a necessary sacrifice when it comes to heavy-duty trucks. Even in comparison to other gas-guzzling trucks, these are the greediest. Their huge engines may deliver immense power, but they need to burn through fuel to do so. The immense weight of the vehicles doesn’t help either, as it takes more effort to get them moving and a herculean amount when pulling a heavy load.
- Price: While you can get a reliable towing truck at a reasonable price, the best and most capable models will cost you a bit more. When you take into account your monthly fuel bills, too, it quickly becomes apparent that owning one of these brutes doesn’t come as cheap as the sticker price may suggest.
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What To Consider Before Buying A Truck For Towing
Many trucks can tow reasonable loads, but if you want one that can move small mountains, you have to be willing to accept a few extra compromises. Luckily, most of these are in areas that don’t matter to buyers looking to get a job done.
Pros
- Unparalleled towing capacities
- Potent powertrain options in diesel or gasoline
- Highly versatile and able to go off-road with ease
- Can double as an everyday driver
- Sturdy construction makes them extremely safe
Cons
- Moderate sticker price is offset by huge fuel bills
- More frequent services
- Less plush than sedans or luxury-oriented cars
Sources: Ford, GMC, Chevrolet, Ram, Toyota, Rivian
