The Demise of the Basic Pickup
The automotive landscape is constantly evolving, and one trend is the phasing out of the most utilitarian pickup trucks. These days, most trucks come with extended cabs, if not full four-door configurations and stubbier truck beds. While some bemoan the loss of the truly basic work truck, a handful of options remain on the market. This article highlights the few remaining trucks that prioritize function over flash.
These regular-cab, no-frills trucks still offer essential features and, while not exactly budget-friendly, are priced competitively. We’ll be looking at the 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the 2025 Ford F-150, and the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500.
2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
First up, in alphabetical order, is the Chevrolet Silverado. With an MSRP of $38,995 and a destination charge of $1,995, bringing the total to $40,990, it’s the second most affordable of the three trucks. It’s offered with either a standard or long bed, with the longer bed adding $200 to the cost. Buyers can choose from four no-cost colors: black, silver, white, and red.
The Silverado’s standard engine is a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder that delivers 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It achieves 19 mpg combined with two-wheel drive or 18 mpg with four-wheel drive, adding $4,600 to the price tag. Surprisingly, this four-cylinder engine provides the most torque of any engine offered in these trucks.
A 5.3-liter V8 is optional for an additional $1,990, but this engine is exclusively offered for the long-bed Silverado. This naturally aspirated V8 produces more power at 355 hp but less torque at 383 lb-ft and is linked to a 10-speed automatic. Fuel economy decreases slightly with the V8: 18 mpg combined with two-wheel drive and 17 mpg with four-wheel drive.
The Silverado comes with either black cloth or vinyl upholstery, and the dashboard remains unchanged from the previous refresh, featuring a 7-inch infotainment screen, but does include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard features include air conditioning and cruise control.
Trailering equipment costs $425 for the basic hitch, wiring, and guidance, and adaptive cruise control is available for $500. Also available is a safety package containing blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic emergency braking. This package costs $940, but requires the addition of other options. Unique features for the Silverado include black badging and trim, front skid plates, and a heavy-duty air filter.
2025 Ford F-150
The Ford F-150 is the most affordable truck featured, with an MSRP of $38,810 and a destination charge of $1,995, bringing the total to $40,805. It is unique in this comparison as it comes equipped with a standard 5.0-liter V8 engine. This engine generates the most power of the trio, at 400 hp, with its 410 lb-ft of torque ranking as the second-highest. Power is delivered through a 10-speed automatic transmission to either the rear wheels or all four.
Adding four-wheel drive increases the price by $5,015. Regardless of the drivetrain, the F-150 offers 19 mpg combined and includes a standard electronic locking rear differential, unlike the GM trucks, which offer this as an option. Ford offers only a single bed option and a varied selection of exterior colors: black, dark silver, light silver, white, dark blue, and light blue, all at no extra cost.
Like the Chevy and GMC models, the Ford offers cruise control, air conditioning, cloth or vinyl seats, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the Ford includes blind-spot monitoring and heated mirrors as standard. Its infotainment screen is a larger 12-inch display. Ford does not offer adaptive cruise control. Instead of the folding tailgate available on the GM trucks, Ford provides a slide-out step for $445. The only option package Ford offers is the High Equipment Group, which adds LED fog lights, tinted glass, chrome bumpers, and alloy wheels for $1,195.
2025 GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra, the final truck in this comparison is also the most expensive, with an MSRP that starts at $40,295, plus a $1,995 destination charge, bringing the base price to $42,290. Similar to the Chevy, the Sierra offers the standard or long bed configurations and two- or four-wheel drive options. The long bed version can pair with the optional 5.3-liter V8, while the standard engine is the turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder. Pricing for the long bed, V8, and four-wheel drive are identical to the Silverado, as are the fuel economy ratings.
One unique feature of the Sierra is the option to select from an additional color (gray) but charges $495 for any color other than white.
Standard equipment in the Sierra largely mirrors the Chevy, including the older dashboard design and 7-inch infotainment screen, which offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, and air conditioning. The Sierra offers several of the same options as the Chevy, such as the MultiPro tailgate for $445 and the automatic locking rear differential for $395. A unique option is the power-adjustable driver’s seat, which can be combined with other packages. The Trailering Package is slightly cheaper than the Chevy’s at $395. GMC also offers unique black bumpers.
Honorable Extended Cab Mentions
For those seeking a two-door pickup truck for less than full-size options, Toyota and Nissan offer extended-cab alternatives. These models lack the regular-cab body style, but still provide the two-door configuration.
The Toyota Tacoma is the slightly more affordable of the two with a starting MSRP of $31,590, and a destination charge of $1,495. It comes with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 228 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque with an eight-speed automatic. Toyota even offers a manual transmission, which increases power to 270 and torque to 310. Both two- and four-wheel drive are available, the latter offering 23 mpg combined and 21 mpg combined. Inside, it only has front seats, but it has an 8-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air conditioning, and adaptive cruise control.
The Nissan Frontier is only slightly more expensive at $32,050, with a destination charge of $1,510. It comes standard with a 3.8-liter V6 and a nine-speed automatic, which produces 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. Two- and four-wheel drive versions are available. Two-wheel drive models return 21 mpg combined, and four-wheel-drive versions achieve 19 mpg combined. The Frontier includes an 8-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air conditioning, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring, as standard.
