The latest and best pickup trucks could well be the ultimate do-it-all vehicle. Modern trucks are able to tackle everything from the tundra to the tip run, the Sahara to the shopping trip. To work out exactly which of the pickup trucks on sale in the UK is the best, and which you should avoid, we gathered the main contenders together in a group test.
The whole Parkers team got together to drive the assembled pickup trucks on and off the road and we even hitched up a trailer to see which is best when it comes to hauling a load – a trailer and a racing car in this case. However, if you want to find out which is the best pickup truck for towing then head to our dedicated article where we go into more depth on that front.
All five pickups were double cabs, which make up the vast majority of the most popular trucks sold in the UK. This means they come with space for five adults in the cabin and a large loading bay out the back.
You can also buy a single cab pickup, which only has two seats, or an extended cab, which has cramped part-time seats behind the driver and front passenger. These don’t account for anywhere near as many sales, though, and not all manufacturers offer them, hence we chose to stick with the double cabs. We also concentrated on the sensible versions – that means we ruled out anything with a payload below 1,000kg, like the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster and the bonkers but fun Ford Ranger Raptor.
All versions of the pickup trucks come with plenty of the comforts that a modern buyer demands. We have steered clear of the utilitarian, entry-level specifications that are designed for farm duties. All have four-wheel drive, infotainment systems that are capable of linking up with your smartphone and elements such as heated seats and wireless charging are commonplace too.
Best pickup truck UK 2025
These are the best pickup trucks available to buy in the UK in 2025, a quick synopsis of what we think of them and a link to our full reviews of each one.
The multiple winner of the Parkers Best Pickup Award
It's great to drive, has an interior that is second to none in the class, is brilliant off road and it is stronger and more capable than ever before. It also has something genuinely innovative and unique to the sector, too, in the form of a plug-in hybrid version that is unusually quiet to drive for a truck. Not having the diesel rumble is slightly unnerving to start off with but relaxing and welcome once you get used to it.
We say almost all of its rivals because there is a very close relative to the Ranger, in the form of the VW Amarok. The two trucks are fundamentally the same vehicle, having been developed alongside one another. They share the same engines, interior layout and underpinnings. The Ranger has the edge for a couple of reasons, though. All of its versions are capable of taking a 1,000kg payload, so you can be sure that whichever model you choose is up to the job. And then there's that PHEV model, which is a real selling point
Read our full Ford Ranger pickup review
Pros
- Excellent to drive on road
- Adept at tackling tough off-road terrain
- Fantastic interior design and quality
Cons
- Entry-level versions are more rugged
- PHEV model loses out on some loading space
Best pickup for those that want a touch of lifestyle luxury
However, your experience might not be as bespoke as it once was with the Amarok, as this is the first commercial vehicle to be produced as a result of the partnership between Ford and VW. This means that the new Amarok shares a lot with the new Ford Ranger, including engines, gearboxes and other technical elements. We liked all these features in the Ford and the same holds true for the Volkswagen as it is good to drive, thoroughly capable off road and packed full of tech. Certain versions with the off-road suspension - like the Aventura - ride nicely on road too. The panels, cabin trims and front end of the infotainment systems are all VW though, which at least makes it look like a different vehicle, despite all the similarities..
It's priced competitively with the Ranger, but avoid the top trims - they don't get the same 1,000kg payload. This is largely down to the huge alloy wheels that it comes fitted with, so this small visual upgrade could cost you dear. It doesn't come as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version, either.
Read our full Volkswagen Amarok review
Pros
- Refined on the road
- High-quality interior
- Great off road ability
Cons
- Top versions have sub-1,000kg payload
- Fewer models than rival Ford Ranger with no PHEV
Best pickup for working toughness and modern safety kit
The visual elements have evolved slowly, but the top-level V-Cross is a smart-looking truck. The more basic model comes with the black plastic bumpers and steel wheels that make it look like a real working vehicle.
The D-Max's various upgrades have improved its appeal, but the overall feel is still of a truck that is remains tough and dependable where some of its rivals provide a more family-friendly ambience when the weekend leisure duties roll around. With just 164hp, it’s not very powerful so it doesn't have the effortless feel that a bigger engine would provide. However, it also doesn’t weigh much, has high payload ratings and every model can tow 3,500kg. Unlike the Ford and the VW, it comes with a single-cab model, too, although that is a hardy and basic beast without many of the range-topper's luxuries.
Read our full Isuzu D-Max pickup review
Pros
- Excellent off-road kit
- Lots of choices and well equipped
- Good workhorse
Cons
- Only one relatively small engine
- Rivals offer more in the way of luxury
Best pickup for warranty - it gets 10 years - and rugged reputation
There are two engines to choose from but the majority of the range comes with the 2.8-litre four-cylinder that produces 204hp and up to 500Nm of torque. You can get it with mild-hybrid tech too, but the battery and motor are there to assist rather than drive and you can't really notice their presence. The older 150hp 2.4-litre motor is only offered in one trim but oddly this is a mid-range version that is neither cheaper nor more efficient than the other versions so it's worth avoiding.
Many of the Hilux's historically appealing traits remain though. It’s great off-road, and should prove every bit as reliable as Toyota’s long-standing reputation would suggest. Get it serviced with Toyota and, the Hilux comes with a 10-year warranty. It’s not the most comfortable choice for on-road driving but is available in all three body types, which is a rarity in this class.
Read our full Toyota Hilux pickup review
Pros
- Tough and durable
- Backed up by 10-year warranty
- Comes in a wide range of models
Cons
- Showing its age against rivals
- Hybrid tech adds little
The pickup once known as the SsangYong Musso, with the same value-packed offer
The high level of equipment and the decent five-year, 100,000-mile warranty might make it seem like it's aimed at lifestyle buyers, but it has impressive numbers too, with a strong payload and towing capability.
Particularly impressive is the way it can combine the two – it has an enormous gross train weight (GTW – the total allowed weight of vehicle and trailer) of 6,450kg, which means it can tow to its 3,500kg maximum and still carry over 1,000kg in the back. However, we can't get past the rough ride quality (even by pickup standards) the poor automatic gearbox and the unconvincing build quality.
Read our full SsangYong Musso pickup review
Pros
- Impressive towing and payload combination
- High level of standard equipment
- Five-year, 100,000-mile warranty
Cons
- Shorter model has small loading bay
- Poor driving experience
Things to consider if you’re thinking about buying a pickup truck in the UK
Pickups are very versatile machines. Pros include offering plenty of passenger space, off-road capability, toughness, easy-to-clean load areas (no need to worry about getting the boot carpet dirty here) and most of them are also far cheaper to tax than similarly sized SUVs
They aren’t free of cons, however. Being so big they are more difficult to park and far less fuel efficient than almost any modern SUV. The on-road ride comfort is worse than your average SUV, too, even if pickups have improved notably on taht front in recent years.
Heavier pickups, including some Ford Rangers and Toyota Hilux models, will be subject to van speed limits, which are lower on many roads than they are for cars.
The load bed may be easy to clean but it’s also more difficult to secure and keep dry compared with a conventional van. Though there are plenty of solutions to these problems for working and lifestyle use, this will mean extra expense.
There are image issues as well. You might love the big, bold looks, but in our increasingly environmentally conscious times, don’t expect everyone else to agree with you.
This goes hand-in-hand with the running costs – not only should you anticipate using plenty of fuel, but servicing is more frequent than with other types of vehicle and pickups are fundamentally heavy, which makes them hard on brakes and other consumable items.
FAQs
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Are there any small pickup trucks in the UK?
At various times in the past, there have been a number of small pickups available in the UK, including early versions of the Volkswagen Caddy, the colourful Skoda Felicia Fun, the surprisingly capable Proton Jumbuck, the classic Subaru Brat and various old Ford P100 models.
There are no current equivalents of these, as present tax rules only allow pickups with payload ratings greater than 1,000kg to qualify as commercial vehicles, and there simply doesn’t seem to be a market for smaller lifestyle models in the UK.
The closest you can get if you want a small pickup in the UK right now would be something based on a van, and even then there would be some effort required. You can get a platform cab version of the Vauxhall Vivaro, for example, but then you would need to fit the back onto it. -
Why are pickups so popular?
While the UK has never fallen quite as much in love with pickup trucks as other parts of the world – in the USA for example, the Ford F-150 pickup has been the bestselling vehicle of any kind since 1977 – they are incredibly useful vehicles, with an image that reflects this.
Not only do they look rough and tough, they usually actually are rough and tough, with strong ladder-frame chassis construction and four-wheel drive systems that give them the ability to perform well off-road. This isn’t just useful for farmers, but also so-called lifestyle buyers – people who want a pickup to support their hobbies and reflect the kinds of things they do away from work.
That open load space in the back is as ideal for chucking in kayaks and bodyboards as it is DIY or building supplies, and you never have to worry about the load bed getting dirty because you can simply hose it out later on. Any 4×4 pickup will easily scramble across a muddy field, sandy beach or slippery slope to get where you need to go, too.
On the inside there’s plenty of space for adults, and while most pickups aren’t as comfortable as ordinary cars, they do now offer all the same technology – from the latest infotainment systems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to up-to-date safety tech such as autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
What’s more, if you buy them as a company vehicle then you can still claim back the VAT, even if you can't get the same company van tax benefits you could once. -
Which pickup truck is the most reliable?
When you buy a pickup truck, you are buying a commercial vehicle. This means you speak to van dealerships, rather than the car equivalent. If a van is off the road, a business is losing money, so it is in everyone's interest - the dealer included - to get it sorted as quickly as possible.
This is the theory anyway, although the reality might not always match up. According to the latest data on the most reliable vans from our sister publication Fleet News, Volkswagen is the highest-rated manufacturer that sells a pickup truck, with Ford coming in second while Toyota is rated seventh.
It is worth pointing out that no pickup trucks made it into the top 15 most reliable commercial vehicles in 2023 or 2024's results. However, vans outsell pickups by a large proportion, so there is more data on them.
In the past, the Hilux has featured, being rated the 10th most reliable commercial vehicle in 2022. -
Which pickup truck has the best mpg?
The good and bad news if fuel economy is your priority is that there isn't a huge difference between the least efficient and most economical pickup trucks in the UK. They are all big, tall, bluff-nosed vehicles that are designed to carry heavy loads.
The Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid is the champion when it comes to official fuel economy with an official rating of 88-91mpg. You will need to plug it in regularly to get this, though, and it is only capable of 26 miles on electric power and we reckon you'll struggle to get that in its entirety. When it come to diesel models, the KGM (formerly SsangYong) Musso is the class leader when it comes to official fuel economy, with a figure of 34.0mpg. Ford Ranger and the mechanically identical VW Amarok both offer an official figure of 33.6mpg, but this is identical to that offered by the Isuzu D-Max. The Toyota Hilux isn't far behind though, with a best figure of 33.2mpg.
It's worth bearing in mind that to get these economy figures you usually have to go for the most basic version with the lowest powered engine with the manual gearbox rather than the often more desirable auto. In the case of the Musso it is the entry-level EX trim that you need to pick, which is the only version that comes with a manual 'box. -
What is a double-cab pickup truck?
These make up the majority of new pickup sales in the UK, due to their ability to cover many bases. They offer space for five adults or the family in the cabin but still have a spacious loading bay with a high payload out the back. In order to qualify as a commercial vehicle they need to be able to provide a 1,000kg payload, so there is no scrimping on practicality. This means they are just as well equipped to transport building equipment as they are mountain bikes.
Sometimes also called crew-cab pickups, these have four proper doors and five proper seats and though the middle rear one might be tight for adults, passenger space is otherwise usually very generous. The load beds are shorter than the other types of truck you can buy, though. Because of this family-friendly nature they have tended to pitch at the more luxurious end of the market, where there is a demand for higher-quality materials and a greater degree of equipment. This means that they tend to cost more to buy, too. The best pickup trucks all come with four-wheel drive as standard and automatic gearboxes are common.
However, before you rush out and order a new double-cab, there has been a big change in how they are classified, with the government having brought in big changes to pickup truck tax in 2025. This means that they are not longer eligible for the same low Benefit-in-Kind tax rates as vans. Instead owners have to pay BIK tax based on their emissions, which are naturally rather high given trucks are large, heavy, not very aerodynamic and are almost all powered by big diesel engines that kick out high levels of CO2. -
What is a single cab pickup truck?
These are sometimes known as regular-cab pickups and are the trucks that are geared at those needing a basic working vehicle. They have just two doors and two seats, a longer loading area and a high payload capacity. Interiors are usually finished in hose-down materials and tend to come in entry-level spec only, which means less standard equipment. Some will also only be rear-wheel drive, so watch out for that if you need some off-road capability.
These can have narrower bodies than other types, but they are often also longer than other types of pickup. This makes them more practical but can mean it is trickier to move them around, especially off-road.
The good news is that their working-vehicle nature means they still qualify for the lower commercial vehicle BIK rates. Although you might be less inclined to run one as a private vehicle as you can't fit your family in. -
What is an extended-cab pickup truck?
Extended-cab pickups are also known as king-cab pickups, super-cab pickups and club-cab pickups. They have two proper front doors and two full-size front seats plus a set of smaller rear doors and occasional rear seats, splitting the difference between single-cab and double-cab models. The rear doors often open back to front, meaning you need to open the front door to get in the back, but the opening created by the design gives easy access to the rear.
Again, these tend to be more basic pickups than their double-cab equivalents but offer good versatility if you only occasionally need to carry extra passengers as they have longer load beds and sometimes higher payload ratings. They cost less, too. Sadly they are also hit by the recent changes to the pickup tax regime, so will also cost you more in BIK.
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