Pickup trucks are a popular choice of vehicle for American drivers. While in decades past, they had mainly been used as rugged workhorses with little in the way of creature comforts, today pickup trucks can be found in a wide variety of driving situations, from commutes to the office to family road trips. The rapid expansion of this segment has accelerated over the past decade, with a range of truck models being upgraded and transformed into comfortable daily drivers.
One of the most important factors considered by prospective buyers when choosing a new truck is reliability. A 2017 study from GfK shows 79% of consumers in the US rated reliability as one of the most crucial factors when purchasing a vehicle. In this article, CarBuzz looked at the most reliable mid-size and full-size pickup trucks from the past decade, ranking them according to their J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score.
The data on this list has been compiled from a variety of reputable sources, including J.D. Power’s Quality & Reliability rating, NHTSA recalls and complaints, and manufacturer-supplied sales figures. Some models have no sales figures available, therefore the rate of complaints per 1,000 units sold is not available. Recall, complaint, and sales figure data are accurate as of the date of publication but are subject to change.
10 2020 GMC Sierra 1500
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 85
- Number of recalls: 10
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.57
The GMC-badged, mechanically identical sibling of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the 2020 Sierra, is part of the model’s fifth generation, which is still ongoing today; it also boasts the highest J.D. Power reliability score for this model over the past decade. The 2020 model year has been affected by ten recalls, most of which are related to issues with the tires or seatbelts. There is also one investigation associated with the 2020 Sierra, regarding potential airbag malfunction and non-deployment in the event of a crash. 145 complaints have been filed to the NHTSA about this truck, with the most common problem areas being the electrical system, engine, and braking system.
9 2015 Toyota Tacoma
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 85
- Number of recalls: 4
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.49
The 2015 Toyota Tacoma marked the end of the model’s second generation, with the third-gen Tacoma being introduced to the world in September 2015 for the 2016 model year. Having enjoyed a decade’s worth of development and troubleshooting (the second generation had arrived on the market in 2005), the 2015 Tacoma has a very good reliability record, with only three recalls to its name.
All recalls are about relatively minor issues such as incorrect labeling, with none marked as urgent. There is, however, one open investigation associated with the model, regarding a faulty electrical component in the airbags which could potentially result in non-deployment. Of the 88 complaints filed to the NHTSA, most of them are about cosmetic issues such as peeling paint, or speed control issues such as loss of power.
8 2021 Ram 2500
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 86
- Number of recalls: 7
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: N/A
The Ram 2500 is the smallest member of Ram’s Heavy Duty lineup, which slots above the Ram 1500 in the wider Ram family of models. The 2021 model belongs to the fifth generation, first launched in 2019. Despite its overall very good reliability record, the 2021 Ram 2500 does have two urgent safety recalls to its name, due to a potential risk of fire caused by an electrical short. 76 complaints were filed to the NHTSA for this model year; most of them were related to issues with the electrical system and engine. There are no investigations associated with this model.
7 2022 Ford F-150
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 86
- Number of recalls: 13
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.68
The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the US for decades now. While the current model does not have a rating, the one with the highest reliability rating from the past decade is the 2022 model, which belongs to the F-150’s fourteenth and current generation. Looking at the 13 recalls associated with the 2022 F-150, transmission problems are the most frequently occurring issue. There is also one investigation associated with the model, related to loss of power. A total of 446 complaints were filed to the NHTSA, with the biggest culprits being the electrical system and the sound system’s speakers.
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6 2021 Toyota Tundra
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 86
- Number of recalls: 3
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.20
The 2021 Toyota Tundra was the last model year of the Tundra’s second generation, which had been on the market since 2007 and underwent a facelift in 2014. The 2021 model only has three recalls to its name; two are related to a potential loss of power steering due to an oil leak, while the third is about an increased risk of fire due to an overheating electrical connector. Only 16 complaints were filed by consumers to the NHTSA, with electrical problems and malfunctioning windshield wipers being the most frequently complained about issues. The 2021 Tundra does not have any investigations associated with it.
5 2023 Jeep Gladiator
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 87
- Number of recalls: 4
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.38
The Jeep Gladiator was first introduced for the 2020 model year, bringing back a nameplate that had last been used in 1988. The last pickup truck produced by Jeep before the new Gladiator, the Comanche, had been discontinued in 1992, leaving an almost 30-year gap where Jeep did not have any pickup trucks in its lineup. 2023 has been the best model year for the new Gladiator on the reliability front so far, with only four recalls and 21 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently complained about issues include problems with the electrical system and issues with the gas tank. There are no investigations associated with the 2023 Gladiator.
4 2019 Nissan Frontier
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 87
- Number of recalls: 1
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.23
While the Nissan Frontier has been a standalone model in the US market since 2021, trucks carrying the Frontier nameplate in North America before then were rebadged versions of the Navara. The 2019 Frontier was a rebadged version of the second-gen D40 Navara, which was on the market from 2005 to 2021. Its reliability record is very strong, with only one recall (about a lack of image from the back-up camera) and the second-lowest rate of complaints on the list after the Toyota Tundra. Most of the recalls are related to issues with the airbags or the electrical system.
The all-new 2025 Frontier recently made its debut, and while it’s more reliable than the Tacoma, it has never been able to match it in the sales race.
3 2024/2023 Ford Ranger
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 87
- Number of recalls: 1 (2024) / 2 (2023)
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.00 (2024) / 0.34 (2023)
The Ranger nameplate returned to the American market in 2019 after an eight-year hiatus, in the form of a compact truck slotting in below the F-Series models in the lineup. The current model year only has one recall to its name (relating to faulty power windows) and no NHTSA complaints; the 2023 Ranger, which shares its J.D. Power reliability score, is affected by two recalls. The first is about an incorrect label displaying the wrong load carrying capacity, while the second is marked as an urgent safety recall: loose lug nuts could result in wheel detachment and increase the risk of a crash. 11 NHTSA complaints were filed for the 2023 Ranger, most of which are about transmission problems.
2 2024/2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 88
- Number of recalls: 2 (2024) / 1 (2023)
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: N/A
One of two models sharing the top spot, the Silverado 2500 is the middle child of the Silverado lineup, sitting between the 1500 and 3500. The Silverado is currently in its fourth generation; while the 1500 was launched for the 2019 model year, the 2500 and 3500 didn’t arrive until 2020. The 2024 Silverado 2500 has two recalls associated with it, concerning a faulty tailgate latch and steering gear. 47 complaints were filed, mainly related to electrical issues and problems with the braking system. The 2023 model, meanwhile, only has one recall to its name (the faulty tailgate issue also present in the 2024) and nine NHTSA complaints, with electrical issues once again being the biggest problem area.
1 2024/2023 Nissan Titan
- J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score: 88
- Number of recalls: 2 (2024/2023)
- Number of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 units sold: 0.37 (2024) / 0.26 (2023)
The 2024 and 2023 Nissan Titan share the top spot with the equivalent model years for the Chevrolet Silverado. The second generation of the Titan made its debut in 2016 and remained in production until the 2024 model year. However, the model is being axed for 2025. Both the 2024 and 2023 Titan have two recalls to their names. While the 2023 model is affected by recalls regarding the tires and transmission, the 2024’s recalls are both related to airbag issues. Both model years have a low number of NHTSA complaints; 2023 had five complaints filed, while the 2024 only had three. In both cases, powertrain issues are the biggest culprits.
Sources:
NHTSA
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J.D. Power