If you don’t need a brand new truck, why not look at some of the best two-year-old full-size trucks? J.D. Power has all of the best pickup truck options and a score to help you make the decision. In the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS), owners report how many problems have surfaced in the first 90 days of ownership. This gives consumers the “problems per 100 vehicles” score, or PP100. The best score here is 124 from the 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty truck, of course.
The 2020 Ram 1500 is one of the best two-year-old pickup trucks
The 2020 Ram 1500 truck on display at the 112th Annual Chicago Auto Show | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
When it came to two-year-old full-size trucks, J.D. Power says that the 2020 Ram 1500 was a popular choice. Ram offered the 1500 with Quad Cab or Crew Cab styles across six different trim levels. Plus, special and limited-edition trims were also available. A 3.0L turbo-diesel V6 with 305 hp and a 395 hp 5.7L V8 are both available for the engines. The Ram 1500 pickup truck has a towing capacity of 12,750 and a maximum payload capacity of 2,300 pounds.
J. D. Power PP100 score: 141
Don’t overlook the Ford Ranger pickup truck
The 2020 Ford Ranger is the most American-made car. https://t.co/kD7FIHbStN pic.twitter.com/p7Cp0j07Dx
— Road & Track (@RoadandTrack) June 23, 2020
Compared to some of the other full-size truck options on this list, the 2020 Ford Ranger is easy. The Ranger only came in two body styles and three trim levels, which makes it more accessible. Ford also only offered the Ranger with one 2.3L engine with 270 hp. With the extra tow package, the 2020 Ford Ranger could tow 7,500 pounds. The Ranger received the Initial Quality Award from J.D. Power and had a 1,860-pound payload.
J. D. Power PP100 score: 126
The best full-size truck is the Ford F-Series Super Duty
Consumers thought that the 2020 Ford F-Series Super Duty was good enough to give it the Highest Pickup Truck in Quality award according to J.D. Power. “It is the highest rated truck of any size or type for quality according to verified consumers who bought one,” the company noted.
With a variety of body styles (Available in Regular Cab, SuperCab, and Crew Cab) and three different models (F-250, F-350, and F-450) – there really is a Ford F-Series truck for everyone. Plus, it has six trim levels to choose from, the Tremor off-road package, and enough engine choices to keep you here all day. But the F-450 can tow up to 37,000 pounds and the payload amount is 6,210 pounds. Truly the biggest and most versatile truck around.
J. D. Power PP100 score: 124
Another truck option is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The 2020 @chevrolet Silverado 1500 continues the trend of adding a diesel engine option to the half-ton mix. We expected it on the 2019, didn't get it, but now it's real. https://t.co/BezBST8FuC pic.twitter.com/DdGOTSFk1u
— Edmunds (@edmunds) June 11, 2019
The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 came in the Regular Cab, Double Cab, and Crew Cab configuration. Thanks to a big redesign, the Silverado 1500 pickup truck has adaptive cruise control, new trailering cameras, and a few different engine types. The standard 4.3L V6 (285 hp), a 5.3L V8 (355 hp), a 6.2L V8 (420 hp), and a 3.0L turbo-diesel (277 hp) are all available. The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 can tow up to 13,400 pounds and has a max payload of 2,250 pounds.
J. D. Power PP100 score: 141
The regular Ford F-150 is a solid two-year-old option
The 2020 Ford F-150 pickup truck has a lot of options. Regular Cab, SuperCab, and SuperCrew, plus six different trim levels to choose from. Plus, the Raptor trim is ready for whatever off-road adventures you throw at it. The automaker added the CoPilot360 driving assistance technologies for some of the higher trim levels, which you should look for if you can find it.
The different engine types were a 3.3L V6 (290 hp), 2.7L turbo V6 (325 hp), 5.0L V8 (395 hp), or a 3.5L V6 (375 hp). Then the Raptor has the option of a 450 hp engine or a turbo-diesel V6 with 250 hp. Basically, the options are never-ending. The 2020 F-150 can tow 13,200 pounds and the payload is 3,270 hp.
J. D. Power PP100 score: 138
The Toyota Tundra offers a bit more simplicity
2020 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Drivers' Notes | Green monster: https://t.co/heeKAsLqQ1 pic.twitter.com/DLyqkWQ2nF
— Autoblog (@therealautoblog) January 28, 2020
Consumers liked the 2020 Toyota Tundra and so did the people at J.D. Power. Compared to the Ford F-Series Super Duty, the Tundra offers a more simple configuration. It comes with Double Cab and Crew Max styles and one V8 engine that gets 381 hp. The 2020 Tundra has six trim levels and can tow 10,200 pounds (the payload max is 1,730 pounds). The Tunda also comes with the TRD Pro Package in the Double Cab configuration.
J. D. Power PP100 score: 130
When it comes to finding a two-year-old pickup truck, the market can be a little tricky. Check out towing and payload capabilities before deciding on a truck if you need it for work. The amount of body styles, trim levels, packages, and everything in between can be a bit overwhelming. Check out the car lingo guide from Edmunds if you need guidance.
Keyword: The Best Two-Year-Old Pickup Trucks