The Best New Pickup Trucks Arriving in 2021

Release Date: Fall 2020
Predicted Cost: $28,600*

After preorders, the new 2021 Chevy Silverado should be released in late 2020. Production began on the new pickup truck in September of 2020, and pre-orders were filled quickly. The 2021 Silverado has gotten rave reviews from pickup truck fans all around the world.

Chevy Silverado @carandtires/Twitter.com

The new Silverado comes with two new major changes to know about: trailering enhancements and Multi-Flex Tailgate. The Multi-Flex gives customers six different functions, including enhanced loading solutions, a standing workstation, and easier access to cargo in the bed. The Chevy Silverado also has more efficient engine choices, according to GM. You can pick from a 2.7-liter Turbo and a 3-liter Duramax.

Release Date: Late 2020
Predicted Cost: $32,000*

The 2021 GMC Sierra will join the Silverado in getting some major interior updates. The Sierra will be the second generation of HD pickups, launching in the summer of 2020. The 2021 trucks will have more flexibility in the tailgate. The 2021 Sierra will get high-end trim levels.

GMC Sierra @autoblog/Twitter.com

GMC watched sales of the Sierra decrease recently, which is likely what inspired the overhaul of the interior. There has been a 2020 updated Sierra and, now, a predicted  2021 update to the Sierra, which will likely also focus on updating the cabin. Most anticipate the 2021 to feature a significantly more stylish interior.

Release Date: Early 2021
Predicted Cost: $35,000*

Workhorse is a brand with which many people might not be familiar. The 2021 Workhorse W15 is a truck concept so far, but there is talk that the electric automaker will put it into production sometime in 2021. The brand, which is based in Loveland, Ohio, said that it would be a light-duty pickup truck.

2020 Workhorse W-15 @ O' Rscc, Robba Boun a SCITT e a picc PRIZZ / Facebook.com

The light-duty truck will keep the E-Gen tech that Workhorse uses on its medium-duty trucks. Workhorse said that it wanted to create a delivery van component of the W15, which they hoped would be the safest out there. Workhorse has been around since 1998, making utility vehicles and pickups, but it has yet to get the name recognition of GM, Chrysler, or Ford.

Release Date: Early Fall 2021 
Predicted Cost: $32,245* 

The Dodge Ram has long been a staple of Dodge, and its trucks are its best-selling market segment in America. The 2021 Ram continues its tradition of being the “Most Awarded Light Duty Truck.” The new Ram is getting a range of engines, including a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and a 3-liter EcoDiesel V6.

2020 Ram @ Earlsimxx / Twitter.com

Though the V6 engines are not unlike what you’d find in a Chevy, the Dodge Ram will offer two HEMI V8s for extra power, something that heavy-towers will like. The 2021 Ram will keep its multifunction tailgate and 60/40 split doors. There are three versions of the 2021 Ram: Limited, Limited Longhorn Edition, and Rebel.

Release Date: Fall 2020
Predicted Cost: $35,000*

Ford calls the 2021 Ford Super Duty F-350 “The Next Generation of Tough,” and, looking at its specs, it does have a point. The new F-350 Super Duty will cost around $35,000, pre-tax (though with taxes, depending on where you live, you should expect to pay $35,800) for the basic F-350 trim level.

2020 Ford Super Duty F-350 @ Pict_Wallpaper / Twitter.com

The 2021 Ford Super Duty F-350 has an STX fender vent package to give its exterior extra oomph. The new F-350 has eighteen-inch cast-aluminum wheels, Bluetooth audio, and a FordPass Connect. The FordPass Connect allows you to locate your truck and remote-access vehicle features, including start, lock, unlock, check fuel, and more.

Release Date: August 2020
Predicted Cost: $34,250* (L)

Ford called the 2021 Super Duty its “smartest” and “toughest” truck so far. the 2021 Ford Super Duty has two engine options: a 7.3-liter OHL gas V8 and a PowerStroke V8 Turbo-Diesel. The PowerStroke gets 475HP and 1,050 pound-feet of torque. The V8 will get 430HP and 475 pound-feet of torque.

2020 Ford Super Duty F-250 @ PrestonFordHurlockMaryland / Facebook.com

The Ford Super Duty class includes pickups that are over 8,500 pounds. The F-250XL starts off the lineup, followed by the F-250XLT and F-350 and F-450 models. The XL starts at $34,230, while the XLT, an upper-level trim, will cost you $39,095 for the base price. If you want a Lariat, you’ll pay $47,210.

Release Date: Fall 2020
Predicted Cost: $35,000*

TheDrive.com described the 2021 Toyota Hilux as “Everyone’s Favorite Foreign Truck.” The Hilux is certainly well-liked, and Toyota told anxious fans that the 2021 update to the truck would be even better, getting a new “beefed-up” 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine. The engine gets 11% more torque and 15% more horsepower than the 2020 Hilux.

2020 Toyota Hilux @ SaharaMotors / Twitter.com

The 2021 Toyota Hilux can be imported into America one of two ways. You can import it as a temporary import, though you will eventually have to return it. Or, secondly, you can order it from a US Totoya-maker that will conform the Hilux to American emissions and safety standards. Though note: that will cost you more than the base price.

Release Date: Late 2020
Predicted Cost: $25,000*

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak debuted at the Chicago Auto Show, where it wowed audiences. When people think of Volkswagen, they think of the Beetle or Golf, but the Tanoak is something altogether different for VW. The pickup is based on the Atlas, which is a mid-sized SUV.

2020 Toyota Hilux @ SaharaMotors / Twitter.com

In 2019, Volkswagen let people take the Tanoak for a test drive, testing out its 3.6L V6 engine, which gets 280 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Experts, even those who were previously hardcore GM or Ford fans, were impressed. The Tanoak seemed ready in 2019, but it has been a long time coming.

Release Date: November 2020 (Orders)
Predicted Cost: $28,940* 

The Ford F-150 has gotten a lot of different variations, from regular (which is the one in this section) to hybrid and electric as the classic American automaker widens its range. The 2021 F-150 was unveiled in June of 2020. The automaker has given the F-150 a facelift.

2020 Ford F-150 @FordAuthority / Twitter.com

It has the same chassis as its previous generations, but the body style is bolder and the interior has gotten some improvements. The next-gen 2021 Ford F-150 received a 9/10 rating on Car and Driver, indicating that this is one generation you should not skip (unlike the 2002-2013 years, according to Truckomize.com).

Release Date: December 2020
Predicted Cost: $34,500*

Ford has yet to announce the exact price of its 2021 Ford Ranger Raptor, but publications like Car and Driver are estimating that it will be around $44,500 for an entry-level Raptor. The Ranger Raptor has been long-awaited in America, and Ford has all but officially announced its coming.

2021 Ford Ranger Raptor @ WheatsonSmith / Twitter.com

The 2021 Ranger Raptor has a diesel four-cylinder engine in other countries, but it’s doubtful that Ford would bring this engine to America. It’s likely that the Ranger Raptor will share an engine with other Fords, such as the Mustang and Focus RS (a turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder that gets 350HP and 350 pound-feet of torque). But we will have to wait and see.

Release Date: Not Yet Announced
Predicted Cost: $35,000* (Non-Special, Unconfirmed) 

As of August 2020, the news on the 2021 Chevy Avalanche is still murky. Chevy is still thinking about bringing the Avalanche back, especially as there are new openings in the lineup. Or, Chevy could revive the Cheyenne SS and Cheyenne. The 2021 Avalanche could possibly be a special edition of the much-loved Chevy Silverado. It could also be a light-duty truck to rival the Courier.

Chevrolet Avalanche @ FinalSpots / Twitter.com

Whatever Chevy’s plans for the Avalanche, we’ll have to stay tuned, just like we will for possible revivals of the GMC Syclone and the Dodge Dakota or Dodge Rampage. Price predictions for a hypothetical Avalanche put it at over $50,000 if it’s a high-level “Special Edition.” If not, it’ll sell for around $35K.

Release Date: Fall 2020
Predicted Cost: $35,000*

The Dodge Dakota disappeared back in 2011, but good news—it has made a comeback in the fall of 2020 as a 2021 version. The 2021 Ram Dakota is an upgrade of Dodge’s previous pickup generation, which is still on sale despite vanishing almost a decade ago. The 2021 Dakota will be a mid-size pickup.

Ram Dakota @carandroad/Twitter.com

It will likely have the same 3.6L, V6 engine that Fiat uses. There will be an eight-speed automatic transmission option, and it will have some commonalities with the Toyota Tacoma or the Ridgeline. It will have a smaller chassis than previous Ram pickups, making it light-duty.

Release Date: Late 2021 
Predicted Cost: Under $30,000*

Automobile reports that Ford is introducing its 2021 Ford “Focus Courier XL” in late 2020 for orders. This truck started out as a concept before it became reality. The Courier is known as Ford’s light-duty model, but this truck will be based on the Ford Focus.

Ford “Focus Courier XL” Concept @cole_marzen / Twitter.com

The American automaker has long planned to eliminate its four-door Ford models, turning its lineup into SUVs and pickups. The Courier XL is a small, light-duty truck with a unibody design that is similar to the Brazilian Courier, which was last produced in 2013. The Courier XL will be slotted between the Courier and the Ranger, in terms of size.

Release Date: Early 2021 (Production)
Predicted Cost: $25,000*

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz has been a long, long, long time coming, ever since the 2015 Detroit Auto Show where the concept was first unveiled. The Santa Cruz is expected to start around $25,000, but the details are kept under wraps by Hyundai, so it’s hard to be 100% certain.

Hyundai Santa Cruz @therealautoblog/Twitter.com

Hyundai announced that they would be producing the new pickup in a factory in Alabama beginning in 2021, which is far more details than anyone has previously received. It’s hard to tell much about the interior, but the 2021 Santa Cruz will likely share parts with the Santa Fe, a mid-size Hyundai crossover designed to compete with vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Jeep Cherokee.