The best pick-up trucks - driven, rated and ranked

Best for: Power and performance

The most recent iteration of the Ford Ranger Raptor – a performance version of the Ranger – is a slightly more enticing proposition than the car it replaced. 

For UK drivers especially, the Raptor is a niche proposition: it's amazing in its element, but when it’s not, it doesn’t entertain like a great driver’s car really ought to.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

It ditches the previous model's 2.0-litre diesel engine for a more powerful 3.0-litre petrol V6, which pumps out 288bhp and 316lb ft, vastly improving the pick-up's off-road capabilities. 

This enhanced muscle provides enough punch to surprise a host of hatchbacks and saloons on the tarmac too, hitting 0-62mph in 7.9sec. 

Once again, it's Ford's enhanced suspension that stands out most and sets it apart from many of the other pick-ups in this list. Its smart electronically controlled Fox 'live-valve' adaptive dampers effortlessly smooth out whatever terrain lies ahead.

The result? The Raptor is supple and controlled on the road, while in the rough stuff it can tackle ragged and torn terrain at speeds that would likely leave traditional 4x4s being swept into a carrier bag at the end of the route.

Best for: Off-road ability

Priced from around £66,000, the Grenadier Quartermaster sits at the dearer end of the pick-up segment, being based on the Grenadier SUV.

By adding the versatility and utility of a pick-up bed, Ineos has given the Grenadier's solid start in life an even broader appeal.

Matt Prior, Editor-at-large

The Quartermaster is 305mm longer than the Station Wagon, giving it a load bay that measures 1564mm long and 1619mm wide – large enough for a Euro pallet.

That being said, the Quartermaster’s towing and payload capacities are more aligned with those of a five-seat 4x4 than a pick-up. Towing is rated to 3500kg, but it can carry only 835kg in the load bay.

You have a choice of two BMW-sourced 3.0-litre engines, petrol or diesel. Both are mated to an eight-speed automotive gearbox that drives all four wheels permanently. The engines are smooth, responsive and full of character. 

Off road, the Quartermaster is extremely capable, with excellent ground clearance and wading capabilities.

Its ladder-frame chassis makes it feel a little more old-school on the road, but it's composed enough for the class. 

Best for: Reliability

The Hilux is a long-standing member of the Toyota stable and has garnered a reputation for being versatile, dependable and reliable – and it's the only pick-up that has really challenged the Ranger for European sales.

It’s hard to argue with the unburstable capability of a vehicle such as this.

Matt Saunders, Road test editor

Regardless of trim, the Hilux is comfortable and well-appointed inside. It rides and handles with some level of sophistication, too, but it can’t match the Ranger for touring comfort and body control. There’s plenty of wind and road noise as well. 

You can have the Hilux with a 148bhp 2.4-litre or 201bhp 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. 

Cargo carriers will be pleased to know that the Hilux has a better carrying capacity than most of its rivals and, as with the Ranger, you can choose between single- and double-cab bodystyles. There’s also an extended cab, or Extra Cab, as Toyota calls it.

The Hilux can tow up to 3500kg and carry a payload of up to 1000kg. It's loadbed is slightly shorter than the Ranger's, at 1555mm.

Best for: Refinement

The original Volkswagen Amarok kick-started the craze for lifestyle pick-ups, combining the tough utilitarian qualities of a truck with the interior and exterior finish of an upmarket car.

All in, this Ford-hearted Amarok is an objectively superior device to its predecessor.

Richard Lane, Deputy road test editor

Popular as it was, the Amarok failed to drum up the funds for Volkswagen’s accountants to sign off on development of a second-generation model, which is why the current version borrows the majority of its parts from the Ford Ranger. 

At present, there's a choice of three diesels: there are two four-cylinder engines, with 168bhp and 202bhp, and a 227bhp 3.0-litre V6 that’s mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive.

The Amarok is a well-sorted pick-up. It steers neatly and precisely and Volkswagen has brought its influence with strong levels of refinement and comfort – although the leaf-sprung arrangement carried over from the Ranger means it can struggle to deal with rougher roads, betraying its commercial roots. 

Iffy ride aside, you can carry a maximum payload of up to 1130kg. Inside, the Amarok shares its architecture with the Ranger, but it has been draped in materials from Wolfsburg to give it an upmarket and premium feel. 

It’s well equipped, too, with the central touchscreen complemented by plenty of physical buttons, and overall it feels more like an SUV than a pick-up. 

Best for: Durability

The Isuzu D-Max has been a quiet mainstay of the pick-up truck segment for many years and remains a solid choice for those after a cheaper, more utilitarian offering. 

The D-Max has all of its key selling points – ruggedness, durability and usability – well covered and should maintain its reputation as a highly rated, value-for-money workhorse.

Jonathan Bryce, Social Media Executive

The D-Max comes in a variety of configurations, from the bare-bones workhorse Utility through more lifestyle-oriented versions with decent standard kit to the Arctic Trucks model, which gets raised suspension, knobbly tyres and a mean-looking bodykit for a Ford Ranger Raptor-like aesthetic.  

Again, single-cab, extended-cab (which can be had in posher trims, unlike with rivals) and double-cab versions are all available. 

Because it rides on a ladder-frame chassis, the D-Max is tailored towards off-road driving, hence it's less well-mannered in its on-road ride and handling than some of its rivals. 

Power is drawn from a 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine, which sounds gruff and doesn't have much punch – just 162bhp. So the D-Max is pretty staid, even for a truck, with the 0-62mph spring taking 13sec, whether you have the six-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox.

That being said, it’s still one of the cheapest pick-ups you can buy, undercutting the Hilux.

Best for: Value

If you’re after a slightly left-field pickup, the KGM Musso (formerly the Ssangyong Musso) is a sensible and affordable alternative. 

The Musso has an engine up there with the best in class for refinement.

Overall, the Musso delivers respectable performance and handling, with its pick-up credentials bolstered by a decent towing capacity and solid utility. 

Power is drawn from a 199bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine (standard fit across all variants) that offers more grunt than most of its rivals.

Opt for the entry-level manual and braked towing capacity is 3200kg, rising to 3500kg for the six-speed automatic.

Depending on the trim, the Musso can carry a payload of between 1095kg and 1205kg.

It corners with decent grip and body control, and while the ride comfort is a little mixed, the engine is torquey yet quiet when cruising. 

It's looks are a little peculiar in standard form, with a short load bay, but it does offer four seats big enough for adults. If you need a full-length bed, you will have to opt for the range-topping Saracen.