Truck hunt: Find the used pickup to match your needs

Remember Nintendo’s popular 1984 video game “Duck Hunt”? Today, we’re taking you on a truck hunt. We won’t make you suit up in camouflage or work boots, but there are definitely some trophies to be found. Start your search with our list, organized by chores on your to-do list.

Love the outdoors? The Toyota TRD Pro has a long list of off-road equipment. Photo courtesy of Toyota.

Outdoors enthusiasts: 2015 to 2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

The Tacoma has been around for about 30 years and has developed a reputation for its reliability and go anywhere capabilities. Beginning in 2015, the TRD Pro package — developed by Toyota’s in-house performance division, Toyota Racing Development — upped the ante with a long list of off-road equipment. It included a 2-inch front suspension lift, Bilstein shock absorbers and bead-lock wheels. 

For the Tacoma’s newer generation, the TRD Pro raised the bar even further, with LED fog lamps and an underbody skid plate. Needless to say, this truck is confident when the going gets rough. The hunter, hiker or mountain climber in your family should find this to be the perfect rig.

Browse Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro listings

Small but mighty, the Chevy Colorado is ready to haul your DIY loads. Photo courtesy of Chevrolet.

Do-it-yourselfer: 2015 to 2022 Chevrolet Colorado W/T

Sometimes the best tool to have around the shop or yard isn’t something that fits in a toolbox,  it’s the vehicle parked in the garage. The Colorado is an outstanding workhorse. Although it has smaller dimensions than a full-size truck, it still has a respectable payload and can be easily navigated through crowded Home Depot parking lots.

The Colorado’s first generation launched some 20 years ago — alongside its badge-engineered sibling, the GMC Canyon — with a variety of cab configurations and either a 6-foot or 5-foot bed. The ideal generation for a handyperson is a 2015 or newer Colorado with the W/T package. In this case, W/T literally stood for “work truck,” and it offered a payload of 1,578 pounds, towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and an available EZ-Lift tailgate.

Browse Chevrolet Colorado W/T listings

The versatile Honda Ridgeline can comfortably fit your party of five. Photo courtesy of Honda.

Family: 2017 to 2022 Honda Ridgeline

How about a truck that doesn’t handle like a truck? Occasionally you just need to haul the kids to school or endure your everyday highway commute. The Honda Ridgeline excels at being enough truck for many everyday needs. 

It launched in 2006, then evolved into its second generation in 2017 on Honda’s global light truck platform that it shared with the Pilot three-row SUV. The Ridgeline comes in a four-door body style with a 5.3-foot long bed, versatile under bed, under seat storage areas and intelligent traction management systems. 

Best of all, thanks to a MacPherson strut front suspension and a multilink rear with a stabilizer bar, it rides as comfortably as a crossover and has adequate seating for five. They don’t get much more family friendly than that.

Browse Honda Ridgeline listings

Ford's Maverick proves you don't need to be pricey to perform well. Photo courtesy of Ford.

Budget: 2022 to 2023 Ford Maverick XL

When the Maverick compact pickup launched in 2022, it carried a base price of just $19,995. As far as pickup trucks go, this one took a less is more approach to packaging. In the interest of efficiency, it used a front-wheel-drive unibody platform that was shared with the Ford Escape crossover.

One of its unique attributes was a flexbed cargo area. Even though the load length was just 4.5 feet, it could still accommodate four-by-eight sheets of plywood with the tailgate partially lowered. In addition, the powertrain leveraged a Duratek 2.5-liter inline-4 that delivered an economical 37 mpg. For people who demand something newer but who don’t want to break the bank, the Maverick hits the spot.

Browse Ford Maverick XL listings

Pretty or powerful? The Ram 1500 Limited delivers on both. Photo courtesy of Ram.

Luxury: 2011 to 2022 Ram 1500 Limited

For full-size dimensions and luxurious appointments, look no further than the Ram 1500 Limited. The option list on these trucks looks more like what you would expect to see in a high-end executive sedan. Among the available niceties are real leather upholstery (heated, of course), woodgrain trim, multi-zone automatic climate control, head-up displays and top-end sound systems. 

Of course, in true truck form, capability is not compromised either. Under the hood, Hemi V8 power plants delivered upwards of 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. A Ram 1500 Limited from around 2021 carried an original retail price of around $64,000, so finding a pre-owned example today is a great option for those who crave luxo touches but who want them at a discounted price.

Browse Ram 1500 Limited listings

Let the hunt begin

Late model pickup trucks are new enough that they boast modern technology, but they have the added benefit of lower prices than their showroom equivalents. Find a trophy truck to call your own on KSL Cars. Set the available drop-down parameters to choose your desired mileage, price range and features. The trick with the used truck hunt is to find the one that’s been used but not abused. 

*The makes and models mentioned in this article are not placed in any particular order, nor intended to be viewed as a ranked list. KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.