$40K Shootout Video: Here’s The “Affordable” Truck You Should Buy in This Crazy Market!

Dec 02, 2023

That's why truck prices have gone crazy in the past few years. With so much interest in the segment, there's even a new compact class of trucks. However, since there are so many trucks available it can be hard to decide which one makes sense to spend your money on. That is the $40k question for this video.

To tackle the issue, Andre and Nathan lined up three $40,000 trucks that couldn't be more different. One compact, one midsize and one full-size. Representing the compact class is our long-term Hyundai Santa Cruz. For the midsize, a Ford Ranger which we just recently purchased. Finally, our single cab Ram 1500 "Stubby" as the full-size truck.

As you would expect, compact trucks start at a more reasonable price figure. That means you get more for your money in tech features and interior comfort. The smaller truck is also more efficient and car-like to drive. The much bigger Ram 1500 offers a significantly larger bed. Though more utilitarian as a truck, our Ram 1500 is only a single cab rendering it useless for large families.

The Ford Ranger offers a bigger bed than the Hyundai, but more passenger space than the Ram. Overall these trucks could hardly be more different. Thankfully all three trucks are spec’d out to send power to all four wheels. In our home state of Colorado having AWD or 4WD in your truck is a must.

Which truck makes the most sense for you depends entirely on your use case. That being said, there are plenty of numbers for fuel economy, towing and payload to separate them and help you decide. To see those details and which truck Andre and Nathan favored, check out the video below: