9 Trucks That Keep Running, No Matter What

Trucks aren’t just vehicles they’re workhorses. Some keep going mile after mile, year after year, without breaking a sweat. Whether it’s hauling heavy loads, powering through tough conditions, or handling daily city life, these trucks are built to last. If you want reliability, durability, and a vehicle that won’t let you down, these 9 trucks are the ones to watch.

Toyota Tacoma

I mean, we have to start with the Taco, right? It’s the undisputed champ. It’s not the biggest, not the most powerful, not the most comfortable… but it will outlive everything. The old 4.0-liter V6 is a masterpiece of lazy, unkillable engineering. They hold their value so ridiculously well it’s almost a joke. You can buy a five-year-old Tacoma for like, what, a few grand less than a brand new one? It’s wild. It’s the kind of truck you buy, drive for 200,000 miles, and then sell for a decent chunk of change. A new one will set you back at least thirty thousand dollars, but it’s an investment in not having headaches.

Toyota Tundra

So, if the Tacoma is a tough little scrapper, the Tundra is its big, overbuilt brother. You remember that story about the guy whose Tundra hit a million miles? On the original engine? Yeah, that’s what these are about. The 5.7-liter i-FORCE V8 they used for years is one of the most reliable V8s ever made, not gonna lie. It’s thirsty, oh my god is it thirsty, but it’s the price you pay for that kind of peace of mind. It’s a simple, honest, full-size truck that just works. They’re pricey, you know, starting around forty grand now, but find a well-kept older one? Gold.

Ford F-150

You can’t have this conversation without mentioning the F-150. It’s been the best-selling truck in America since… forever? Before I was born, probably. And there’s a reason for that. They just build a solid truck. Now, you gotta get the right engine. The 5.0-liter V8, the “Coyote,” is a fantastic, pretty darn reliable motor. And because they sell millions of them, parts are everywhere and they’re cheap. Every mechanic in every tiny town knows how to work on one. It’s the default truck for a reason. You can get into a basic one for around thirty-five thousand bucks, but the sky’s the limit on the fancy ones.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Right there with the Ford is the Chevy. The Silverado, or the GMC Sierra, same truck basically. Their secret weapon for years has been that simple, pushrod V8—the 5.3-liter is a legend. It’s not fancy, it’s not high-tech, but it is tough as nails. It’s the kind of engine you feel like you could fix with a rock and some duct tape. They’re just absolute workhorses. You see them on every construction site and farm in the country because they just… take the abuse. Like the Ford, they start in the mid-thirties and go up from there.

Nissan Frontier

Okay, so the OLD Nissan Frontier, the one they made forever, up until like 2021? That thing was a dinosaur, and that’s why it was so great. It was a time capsule. Nothing on it was new or complicated, so there was just less stuff to break. That 4.0-liter V6 was strong and the whole truck was just this simple, honest, mid-size pickup. You could get them for a really good price, too. It’s like the anti-Tacoma in some ways—it didn’t have the hype, so you can find a used one for a steal, and it’ll probably run just as long. A real hidden gem, honestly.

Honda Ridgeline

Alright, people are gonna get mad about this one. “It’s not a real truck!” I know, I know, it’s basically a Honda Pilot with a bed. But hear me out! For what most people actually use a truck for? It’s perfect. And because it’s a Honda with their 3.5-liter V6, it is going to run, and run, and run, and then run some more. It’s super comfortable to drive, has a cool trunk in the bed… it’s a smart choice for a homeowner. It won’t haul a giant fifth-wheel, but it’ll last forever doing truck-ish things. They’re a bit more expensive, starting around $40k.

Ford Ranger (the old one)

I’m talking about the little guy. The one they stopped making for a while. The old-school, small Ford Ranger. Those things were just… unkillable. Especially the ones with the 4-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. There was nothing to them! Just an engine, a frame, a box, and a steering wheel. That’s why you still see them all over the place, totally rusted out, dents everywhere, but still hauling junk to the dump. They were the perfect little utility vehicle. You can pick one of these up for a couple of grand and just drive it into the ground, except you probably can’t.

Ram 1500

I gotta put the Ram on here. I know they can have their issues, but the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 is a pretty stout engine when you take care of it. They sold a bajillion of them. And let’s be real, for a long time, nothing rode as smoothly as a Ram because of their coil-spring rear suspension. So you get a powerful, good-sounding V8 in a truck that is actually comfortable to drive every day. So yeah, maybe a bit more of a gamble than a Tundra, but a well-maintained Ram is a solid, long-lasting truck. Pricing is right there with Ford and Chevy, starting in the upper thirties.

Toyota Pickup

The granddaddy. The legend. I’m talking about the truck that came before the Tacoma. The one that was basically the American version of the Hilux. The truck you see on the news in the middle of a desert somewhere with a giant machine gun mounted in the back. Those things, especially with the 22R-E four-cylinder engine, are legitimately immortal. It’s not a vehicle; it’s a tool forged by the gods of reliability. You can’t buy them new anymore, obviously, but if you ever find a clean one for sale… just buy it. Don’t even ask questions. Just do it.