For a very long time, buying a pickup truck was like buying a shovel. Lifestyle trims? Hybrids? Turbocharged engines? Forget about it. Popular nameplates like the Chevrolet Silverado and the Ford F-150 rose to fame and fortune. They often came with a thirsty yet capable V8 engine bolted to the front of a ladder-frame chassis built for toughness, not comfort. The surrounding package was built not for style, handling, economy, or noise levels, but for slogging, climbing, and heavy work. Like the lowly garden shovel, the pickup truck was simply an appliance used to get a job done.Today's truck shopper is smarter than ever, and they've been speaking loudly with their dollars: demanding more efficient solutions at lower price points, more affordable battery-electric models, and more powertrain innovations that can help stretch their fuel and energy dollars. Buyers in 2026 prefer not to spend extra for capabilities they don't need, especially when it comes to filling up at the gas station. As fuel prices have remained volatile and customer preferences have evolved, this segment has adapted by introducing new sizes and powertrains.In recent years, the Ford Maverick brought a compact, hybrid pickup to market, the Silverado started running a powerful TurboMax four-cylinder base engine, and is available with a turbodiesel straight-six. Electric and hybrid options are well represented, too, and plenty more are on the way as you'll see below. Automakers are racing to fill multiple niches as trucks and SUVs lead sales charts. Read on for a look at 8 incoming pickups that are safe to start getting excited about– depending on what you're after. Kia Tasman Kia Is About To Enter The Chat 2025 Kia Tasman front 3/4Kia has officially announced its intention to enter the body-on-frame pickup segment in the US. Signs suggest that its global Tasman model could arrive in the not-so-distant future to battle the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, GMC Canyon, and Nissan Frontier.In other markets, the Tasman is known to be relatively expensive compared to established competitors, and failed to make much of a splash when it entered the Australian market in 2025 with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, good for 277 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. A 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder with 207 hp and 325 lb-ft was also offered. Each is equipped with four-wheel drive and an automatic eight-speed transmission. The Tasman's towing capacity is 7,716 pounds, backed by a 2,634-pound payload capacity. Size-wise, it's exactly as long as a Toyota Tacoma Double Cab.When Kia's truck arrives, it could pave the way for future hybrid and range-extended models targeting what the automaker calls "core markets in North America." We should see this machine on sale by 2030. Hyundai Boulder A Rugged Body-on-Frame Bronco Fighter Is Coming hyundai-boulder-concept-5At the 2026 New York International Auto Show, Hyundai took the wraps off the Boulder concept, a rugged SUV that serves as the blueprint for a midsize truck platform. This fully boxed, body-on-frame 4x4 will be designed and built in the US. The Boulder concept signals an important move for Hyundai by branching out from the car and crossover SUVs that have driven much of its success. Though we don't know exactly what's under the hood at this writing, the Boulder, as well as other vehicles built on its new platform, is likely to use next-generation powertrains when it goes on sale around 2030.The variants could include an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) option that uses a gasoline engine as a generator to provide hundreds of miles of range, a direct answer to the Scout Terra. Key innovations teased with the concept truck include a "digital spotter" for off-roading, functioning as a virtual assistant in your passenger seat. There's also a double-hinged tailgate that opens from either side. Competitors include models like the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, the Ford Ranger and Bronco, the Toyota Tacoma, and the 4Runner. We expect to see this one on sale before 2030. Slate Pickup Truck Democratizing the Electric Workhorse Jay Leno Drives Slate TruckPrioritizing utility over flair, the Slate Pickup Truck intends to be a sub-$30,000 electric vehicle that functions as a short-range hauler. The base model features a battery pack that's good for 150 miles of range, while an upgraded pack pushes that to 240 miles, though range figures are still estimates at this writing. When it arrives, look for a single rear-mounted electric motor with 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. The Slate will charge via a Tesla-compatible NACS port with DC fast charging up to 120 kilowatts, enabling a 20%-80% charge in about 30 minutes. We recently reported that production is set to start this year, with pricing from the "mid-$20,000 range."If you've been dreaming of a pickup truck that puts simplicity first, keep your eyes on what's next for the Slate Pickup. "It arrives as a stripped-down truck ready for someone to make it their own," explained CarBuzz's Ian Wright from a recent Slate media event. "It arrives with safety systems, air conditioning and heating, manual wind-up windows, manually adjustable seats, and steel wheels. There's no infotainment system (there's a universal holder and charger for your phone), and if you want music, you add on either the optional Bluetooth speakers or just use your own." Scout Terra An Icon Reborn For Modern Day Drivers 2027 Scout Terra Blue Low Front AngleThe legendary Scout brand has returned under the Volkswagen umbrella, and its Terra pickup will be an American-built, range-extended electric offering with a targeted starting price under $60,000. Production delays are making it tricky to nail down a timeline for the Terra's arrival.The Scout Traveler, the SUV version of the Terra Pickup, has been delayed another six months, and some sources are reporting that the truck version may not even arrive within this decade. When it does arrive, Scout projects a towing capacity of 10,000 pounds for the all-electric version, though range-extended models with additional generator hardware could have much lower figures.Unlike the Slate, the Terra is built for serious off-road work and features a solid rear axle, mechanical locking differentials, and body-on-frame construction that should stand up well against established and emerging competitors, gas and electric alike. Powertrain flexibility is important to the Scout Terra shopper, with the brand's CEO saying that 87% of 160,000 deposits were for the range-extended model, which features battery drive backed by a gas-powered generator. Toyota Tundra TRD Hammer A New Desert Weapon Could Be In The Works From Toyota Toyota Desert Chase Tundra (1)Earlier this year, we explained how Toyota had recently trademarked the name "TRD Hammer" after that designation topped a user survey of potential name options in a TRD owner forum. The survey also described the target vehicle as a high-performance truck package with long-travel suspension and 37-inch all-terrain tires.Toyota isn't saying anything about a 'Hammer' designated TRD Tundra model. However, the return of the Ram TRX and the success of Ford's racy off-road Raptor-branded models mean the time might be right for the Tundra to enter the scene. It could also be a competitor to Ford's popular Tremor sub-brand of capability-enhanced models, including the key competitor, the F-150. Prototypes during testing have a modified suspension, wider tires, and a widebody kit. Ram Dakota The Midsize Muscle Truck Returns 2026 Ram Dakota Nightfall concept front quarterRam is finally bringing back the Dakota nameplate to fill the gaping chasm beneath the Ram 1500. Back in the day, the Dakota was legendary for putting a V8 in a midsize truck, though the new model will feature a hybrid Hurricane inline-six engine or a high-output turbo four. By targeting the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma directly, Ram hopes to take back a piece of the sales pie they relinquished in 2011 when the Dakota left the scene without a successor.The incoming new Dakota is confirmed as a body-on-frame machine. We don't have pricing or specs just yet, but use of Jeep's newly debuted, next-generation turbocharged 2.0-liter Hurricane inline-four with 324 hp and 332 lb-ft is fairly likely, along with the standard-output 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six. Key competitors include the 275,000-unit-per-year Toyota Tacoma from the top of the sales charts, as well as the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline. Expect a full reveal in 2027 with a launch in 2028 or 2029, when the Dakota will be built alongside the Jeep Gladiator in Ohio. Ford's New Affordable Truck This Yet-Unnamed Model Hopes To Start A Cheap EV Revolution Ford Unversial EV Teaser Deep within a laboratory at Ford, a secret team of engineers and designers is working on a next-generation truck that's shrouded in secrecy. In fact, it doesn't even have a name yet. We do know that this new truck will focus on affordability and features extensive aerodynamic and weight-reduction work to meet the needs of shoppers who demand electric vehicles that cost less and go further on a charge. We expect the launch of the new truck next year, as the first of various models that'll utilize the incoming platform.The platform is called the Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform, and its goal is to take Ford into next-generation territory in battery tech, range, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. The new truck and other UEV platform variants will be built using a new 'production tree' method that eliminates conventional assembly lines, improving cost, speed, and quality. When it arrives, Ford's cheap new electric truck intends to be a technological flagship that'll make EV ownership cheaper and more appealing than ever. We're especially curious to learn about pricing, with Ford previously targeting pricing of 'about $30,000'. Toyota Stout Is A Maverick Fighter Waiting In The Wings? 2 Stout 2While not officially confirmed, rumors are swirling about a Maverick-fighting pickup truck from Toyota called the Stout. With roots tracing back to the 1950s, Toyota retired this nameplate in 1989, after three generations. In recent years, Toyota officials have repeatedly indicated that they're watching the space closely and may introduce a compact pickup competitor when the time is right. Toyota has even filed trademarks for the Stout name, and executives have publicly acknowledged both the success of the Maverick and the gap in Toyota's lineup below the Tacoma.At the moment, the Tacoma is keeping Toyota plenty busy anyway: it was the midsize truck market leader in the USA last year, outpacing the second-place Chevrolet Colorado by more than 100 percent in sales volume. Everything is speculation at this point, but if and when the Stout arrives, it would likely be hybrid-powered, unibody construction, and sized and equipped to compete with the Ford Maverick.Sources: Kia, Hyundai, Scout Motors, Toyota, Ford, TheDrive, CarAndDriver