Shopping for a Ford F-150? Consider These 3 Alternatives

GMC, Ram and Toyota offer compelling full-size pickup trucks of their own

written by David Gluckman
edited by Greg Migliore
7/16/2026
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What's new: The Ford F-150 is super popular, but that doesn't mean it's the right full-size truck for every buyer.
Why it matters: Rival pickup trucks are more comfortable, more specialized or easier to use.
Edmunds says: Check out options from GMC, Ram and Toyota before settling on an F-150 for your driveway.

There are plenty of good reasons why the Ford F-150 is Edmunds' top-rated full-size pickup and the best-selling truck in the country. For starters, the F-150 is offered in more configurations and with a wider array of powertrains than most other trucks in its class, and it's nice inside to boot. But the F-150 is not necessarily everything to everyone, so before putting down your hard-earned cash for one, consider these other options from GMC, Ram and Toyota. Each has its own advantages that might better align with what you're looking for.

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Ram 1500

Price range (with destination): $44,820-$91,595
Edmunds Rating: 7.5 (out of 10)

Ram's full-size pickup isn't far from the F-150's Edmunds Rating of 7.7. Unlike the Ford, it's only available with one of two four-door cabs, and its infotainment system is starting to feel a little old. If you can get past those limitations, the Ram offers the nicest cabin materials on its many top trims, plus the ride is more comfortable thanks to a coil-spring rear suspension setup that none of its domestic competitors offer.

Want more? The Ram 1500 crew cab boasts more rear seat legroom than even the heavy-duty Ram's Mega Cab, let alone any light-duty pickup. So if you prize people space or room for important cargo not fit for the bed, give the Ram a look. Oh, and if you must, the Hemi V8 is back, although we prefer the superior power, efficiency and smoothness of the Hurricane turbocharged inline-six.

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2026 Ford F-150 pricing in Ashburn, VA

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Toyota Tundra

Price range (with destination): $43,455-$82,995
Edmunds Rating: 7.0 (out of 10)

It may come from a Japanese automaker, but the Toyota Tundra is designed and manufactured in the US of A. Its in-your-face styling is surely a nod to this fact, taking the chunky aesthetic to new heights outside and in. Like the Ram's, the Tundra's rear suspension is built for whatever you can throw at it but keeps things pretty civil with coil springs. Building good cars helps the automaker build good pickups.

The Tundra also pulls from Toyota's bag of tricks under the hood. All Tundras use a twin-turbocharged V6 engine making up to 389 horsepower; hybrid models take that same engine and add an electric assist for a total of 437 hp and an extra 104 lb-ft of torque. Unlike with a Prius or one of the company's smaller hybrid SUVs, the Tundra's hybrid boost is aimed more at increasing power and capability than upping efficiency. Its 11,450-pound max towing capacity may not be the best in class, but it's plenty for most mere mortals.

GMC Sierra 1500

Price range (with destination): $41,095-$87,195
Edmunds Rating: 6.7 (out of 10)

Even though a heavily updated Sierra is on the way for 2027, the current model is still worth recommending. Here, GM offers something that no other light-duty truck maker does at the moment: an optional diesel powertrain. The 3.0-liter Duramax makes a healthy 495 lb-ft of torque and is rated as high as 25 mpg combined, meaning you can easily tow big things for long distances with fewer stops for fuel. (The same engine is available in the Chevy Silverado 1500, but we rate the GMC a little higher in some categories.)

The Sierra also features one of the more user-friendly infotainment systems in this bunch. The screen is bright, menus are easy to understand, and the Google-backed voice recognition is actually useful. GMC also offers GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system, which we like more than Ford's BlueCruise, but you have to pick one of the spendy Denali trims to get it. Go ahead, you're worth it.

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by David Gluckman

David has years of experience as a writer and editor for print and digital automotive publications, including Car and Driver and Road & Track. He can parallel-park a school bus, has a spreadsheet listing every vehicle he's ever tested, and once drove a Lincoln Town Car 63 mph in reverse. When not searching for the perfect used car, he can be found sampling the latest gimmicky foodstuffs that America has to offer.

edited by Greg Migliore

Greg Migliore is an accomplished journalist with more than two decades covering the auto industry. He was the editor-in-chief of Autoblog for more than seven years and also served as the editorial director of AutoGuide. He's also been an editor at Automobile and Autoweek magazines. A widely quoted industry expert, he has contributed commentary to Autoline After Hours, NPR, Yahoo Finance and America on the Road. He's a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University and the Yale Publishing Course. He is a member of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards jury. When not writing, editing or driving the latest new vehicles, Greg can be seen driving around in his extremely low-mileage 2006 Dodge Charger.

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