The Best 1-Ton Trucks

Towing, payload, power, and price.

Jason GondermanWriter

Calling anything the "best" is a big claim and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. With that in mind, we've taken care to pull together a list of not the best overall 1-ton trucks, but rather which trucks are the best in each of six categories. These claims are not subjective; instead, they are based on manufacturer-provided specifications. Let's dig in.

Best 1-Ton Truck: Towing

Currently, there is a bitter battle for the title of top towing champ. Ford's 2021 F-450 Super Duty is rated to tow a maximum of 37,000 pounds, while its F-350 Super Duty can pull a max of 35,750 pounds. GM's 2021 Chevy Silverado 3500HD and GMC Sierra 3500HD pickups are rated to tow a maximum of 36,000 pounds. And for 2021, Ram has upped the ante again, with the Ram 3500 rated at a maximum of 37,100 pounds. All of these trucks are two-wheel-drive, regular-cab, base models.

Best 1-Ton Truck: Payload

Payload is an interesting number, as it's directly related to curb weight and the gross vehicle weight rating. Because of this, gasoline-powered pickups tend to have the highest payload capacity due to a lower curb weight. Ford offers the highest payload in its gasoline-powered 2021 F-350 Super Duty at 7,850 pounds. The 2021 Ram 3500 is second, offering 7,680 pounds of payload capacity, while the 2021 Silverado and Sierra 3500HD trail with 7,442 pounds of payload capacity.

Best 1-Ton Truck: Horsepower

When it comes to 1-ton horsepower, Ford holds the title for both gasoline and diesel. Ford's optional 7.3L gasoline V-8 produces 430 hp, while its 6.7L Power Stroke diesel churns out 475 hp. GM's 6.6L gasoline V-8 produces 401 hp, and its 6.6L Duramax diesel puts out 445 hp. Ram comes in mid-pack with a 410-hp 6.4L gasoline V-8 but trails with only 420 hp being produced by its high-output Cummins I-6 diesel.

Best 1-Ton Truck: Torque

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Horsepower is great and all, but torque is what really gets the work done, and for 2021 Ram has the most of it. Ram's High-Output 6.7L Cummins I-6 has received a bump to a whopping 1,075 lb-ft of torque. Standard-output Cummins engine models only produce 850 lb-ft. The F-350 Super Duty packs a punch with its 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V-8, pumping out 1,050 lb-ft of torque. GM trails with just 910 lb-ft of torque from its 6.6L Duramax diesel V-8.

Best 1-Ton Truck: Warranty

No matter which brand you choose, rest assured it will come with a decent warranty. All offer a standard 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty on gasoline engines, and 5-year/100,000-mile warranty on diesel powertrains. All offer body corrosion warranties and some form of roadside assistance. Being so similar, we'd recommend digging deeper into the fine print before making a purchase decision.

Best 1-Ton Truck: Cost

This is where things get fun A 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty XL will start at $35,745. Ram's 3500 starts at just $35,795 for the most basic Tradesman model. And Chevy's Silverado 3500HD begins at $36,500.

Adding the Power Stroke diesel engine to a Ford F-350 will add about $10,500, while Chevy's 6.6L Duramax diesel is about a $10,000 option. On Ram trucks the standard Cummins engine comes at a cost of $9,400, while the high-output Cummins diesel will set you back $12,200.

On the high end, checking all the boxes will bring the Ram 3500 to a total of $94,000. A Ford F-350 Super Duty Limited can ring up to a total of $93,000. A Chevrolet 3500HD High-Country is a relative bargain at just $80,000 with all of the boxes checked.

Jason Gonderman was born and raised in sunny Southern California and grew up with subscriptions to 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Four Wheeler, and many other off-road magazines. The off-road bug bit hard after a summer building up a Baja Bug with friends to drive in the sand dunes of Glamis (Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area). After that it was over and he bought his first 4wd vehicle, a 1999 Ford Ranger that eventually transformed into a capable desert pre-runner and back-country adventurer. Jason has logged thousands of miles off-road in many different terrains and vehicles. He has raced the Baja 1000, participated in the Ultimate Adventure, and covered Top Truck Challenge, Diesel Power Challenge, Real Truck Club Challenge, and many other big name events. When not behind the computer Jason can be found fabricating truck parts, shooting short-course off-road races, riding dirt bikes with his wife, or participating in any sort of other 'extreme' activity.

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