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Alternatives to the Nissan RougeBest Full-Sized Trucks Under $20,000
With new pickup truck pricing easily hitting six figures, it’s worth checking out this rundown of solid used full-size pickup trucks for less than $20,000.
Affordable Work Trucks
For the past 25 years, the full-size pickup truck segment has consisted of 6 main players. The longtime best-seller Ford F-150. The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra mechanical twins, the Ram 1500, and a pair of models from Japan in the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan.
There are of course the heavy-duty models for those in need of serious utility and the midsize options – Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, etc. – that offer plenty of capability with a smaller footprint. But today, we’re focused on the bread-and-butter 1500-series, or half-ton, trucks that come in staggering arrays of configurations.
Though buyers can easily spend six figures on brand-new pickups loaded to the gills with modern technology, we’ll be sticking to the used market. To avoid overly worn trucks, we’ll keep the mileage under 100,000 and impose a price cap of $20,000. At that price point, a common thread pops up with these full-size pickups. That being the fact that for 20 grand, buyers can find 1- to 2-year-old models but only in the base model spec.
Ford calls theirs XL, Chevy goes the literal route with Work Truck. But in general, these are the trim lines aimed at 100% utility with few creature comforts. So, to make it more interesting, we’ll have to go back a bit further to find trucks that offer a decent array of features and amenities.
2017 Ford F-150
You can find newer F-150s than 2017, but for the most part, it requires going the base model XL route. Around the 2017 model year, however, you can start to find XLT trim lines, the next level up. Like this truck listed on Carsforsale.com. It’s a crew cab with a 5.5-foot bed, four-wheel drive (4WD), and less than 80,000 miles. All for $19,974
This particular truck also comes with the 3.5L twin-turbo V6, or EcoBoost in Ford-speak. Putting out a potent 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, this engine came paired with a 10-speed automatic. Part of the F-150’s 13th generation, these Fords came with new-for-the-time aluminum-intensive construction.
Traditionalists will be happy to know that the 2017 F-150 can also be had with the naturally aspirated 5.0L V8. Depending on configuration, towing capacity reaches 10,800 pounds and in XLT trim, standard features include alloy wheels, power accessories, cruise control, and trailer sway control.
2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Like the F-150, if you’d like to skip the bare-bones Work Truck Silverado, you’ll need to look around the 2018 model year and earlier to keep the price tag under $20,000 and the mileage at less than 100,000. This 2018 Silverado 1500 on Carsforsale.com is an LT variant with a crew cab, 5.5-foot bed, and 4WD. Showing 88,785 miles, it comes in at $18,250.
Part of the Silverado’s third generation, which we compare to the 2022 Silverado here, this 2018 model comes with the 5.3L V8 from the EcoTec engine lineup that replaced the aging Vortec series in 2014. Rated for 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, it pairs with a 6-speed automatic. Chevy did offer a more powerful 6.2L V8 in 2018 that can tow up to 12,500 pounds, but it’s unlikely you’ll get your hands on one for less than $20,000.
In LT trim, the 2018 Silverado came with body-color exterior trim, cloth seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a 9” central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As with all full-size trucks, there are options galore for these Silverados. Notable features to look for include a sunroof, forward collision mitigation, and the Max Trailering package with an integrated trailer brake controller.
2015 GMC Sierra 1500
Going the slightly higher-end GMC Sierra route over the Silverado requires a slightly older truck if you want to keep it under 20 grand. Like this 2015 Sierra SLE, for example. It shares the same 5.3L V8 powertrain with its Silverado stablemate, but offers higher-end amenities like 22” wheels and ventilated front seats.
Standard features include trailer sway control, a damped tailgate, and heated side mirrors. However, the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 lands in J.D. Power’s Average category for reliability with a score of 78 out of 100. The 2018 Silverado bests that with an 84 out of 100 rating that puts it in the Great category.
2018 Ram 1500
The 4th-generation Ram 1500 ran from 2011 through 2018, but a mid-cycle refresh in 2013 brought a stronger frame and a more potent 5.7L V8 making 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. This 2018 Ram 1500 Big Horn, listed on Carsforsale.com, comes with that engine, which HEMI fans will appreciate.
Though not standard equipment, these Rams are the only trucks here offering a coil-sprung rear suspension with available air-powered dampers. Finding that level of refinement for $20,000 may be tough, but it’s worth a look to enjoy the improved ride comfort over the traditional leaf-sprung full-size pickup.
In Big Horn trim, the 2018 Ram 1500 came with a Class IV hitch receiver, a 120-volt cabin outlet, an 8.4” touchscreen infotainment system, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Options available on these model-year Rams include a diesel V6, a 10-speaker audio system, and automatic high beams.
2013 Toyota Tundra
In crew cab configuration, these older Tundras offer class-leading rear legroom at 44.5 inches and boast one of the highest J.D. Power reliability ratings at 88 out of 100. With options like a power-operated vertical rear window, a bed-rail tie-down system, and heated front seats, there is a lot to like about these relatively old used Tundras.
This example comes with the 4.6L V8 that made 310 hp and 327 lb-ft of torque. It also features 4WD, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a damped tailgate. The 2nd-gen Tundra was built for a long time from 2007 through 2021 and these 2013 models are from the first round of updates added in 2010 that swapped the old 4.7L V8 for the more powerful 4.6L unit.
Unlike its competition from the Big Three automakers, Toyota’s Tundra simply doesn’t have the same depth of used inventory with a price point of $20,000 and mileage under 100,000. In fact, you’ll have to go back to around the 2013 model year and stick to the lower base models like this 2013 Tundra with about 85,000 miles and a sticker price of $19,799.
2018 Nissan Titan
Max towing capacity for these second-gen Titans was slightly behind the class leaders with its 9,740-pound rating. But, they could be fitted with features like 20” chrome wheels, in-bed cargo bins, heated rear seats, and leather upholstery. Alternatively, you could go the cheaper base model route and find an older Titan to use as a custom prerunner build.
The 2018 Titan in SV trim, like this example on Carsforsale.com with 67,949 miles and an $18,500 price tag, came standard with LED bed lighting, cloth upholstery, Bluetooth connectivity, and trailer sway control. Also standard across all 2018 Titans is the 5.6L V8 good for 390 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque that pairs with a 7-speed automatic transmission.
