4 New Pickup Trucks the Middle Class Should Consider Buying in 2025
Written by
Andrew Lisa
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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For some drivers, reliable commuter sedans and sporty crossover SUVs don’t deliver enough power, performance or prestige. For them, only a pickup will do.
But all that extra horsepower, torque, towing power and payload capacity doesn’t come cheap. Middle-class families have to determine what kind of truck they need, then make the most economical choice within the class of trucks that checks most of their boxes — and fits their budget.
The following is a look at the top pick for middle-class families in all three major truck categories for the coming model year, as well as one that delivers on both cost and fuel economy in a way that would entice any average earner in the market for a pickup.
Compact: Hyundai Santa Cruz
- Starting MSRP: $28,500
Although the Ford Maverick is cheaper, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is hard to beat for any middle-class family looking for a truck that can handle small jobs but with crossover-level comfort and maneuverability on the road and in the city.
Edmunds prefers it to the Maverick in the compact trucks category, the go-to class for anyone craving the utility and versatility of a truck without all the bulk — or cost. The Santa Cruz’s fun and quirky stylings bring a smile to anyone who loved the El Camino — but it’s more than just an agile and sporty head-turner.
Kelley Blue Book (KBB) ranks the Santa Cruz as America’s No. 1 most fuel-efficient truck, which is as essential to middle-class motorists as a sub-$30,000 price tag.
Midsize: Ford Ranger
- Starting MSRP: $32,980
MotorTrend and Edmunds declared the Ford Ranger as the best midsize truck of 2025. Middle-class families will appreciate that it’s cheaper than competitors like the Honda Ridgeline, Jeep Gladiator and GMC Canyon.
Joining a handful of competitors in the low $30,000s at the bottom end of the segment’s price spectrum, the Ranger earned its first-place rankings for the same reasons across publications. It matches the payload and towing of rivals but with a more refined cabin, smoother ride, and better tech and driver-assist features.
Full-Size: Ford F-150
- Starting MSRP: $38,710
The Toyota Tundra, Ram 1500 and a few other full-size trucks start above $40,000, but the Ford F-150’s comparatively modest MSRP is not the only reason it’s the full-size pickup of choice for middle-class motorists.
It’s the full-size pickup of choice for everyone.
The F-150 has been the bestselling pickup in America for nearly half a century and the country’s bestselling vehicle of any stripe for more than 40 years.
KBB, MotorTrend and Edmunds all rank it as the No. 1 full-size truck. All three recommend upgrading to the iconic F-150 Raptor, but that model starts at over $80,000, which puts it out of reach for most middle-class families. That leaves the F-150, which charges less for class-leading towing and payload capacities, impressive technology, and nearly infinite customization options.
Hybrid: Ford Maverick
- Starting MSRP: $26,395
Anyone thinking of making the leap to an all-electric pickup has exciting options like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, GMC Sierra EV, Tesla Cybertruck, Chevy Silverado EV and Hummer EV Pickup. The problem for middle-class families is that most start in the $60,000s, $70,000s, $80,000s and beyond.
That makes a hybrid a good compromise between fuel economy, clean energy and cost.
Most of the top models start in the $40,000s or above, but one is much more accessible. Car and Driver ranks the Ford Maverick as America’s No. 1 best hybrid pickup. The publication says that it’s plenty capable but is half the price and half the size of the F-150. That might just make it the perfect pickup for middle-class America — especially considering it gets 40 mpg.
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