4 New Trucks With The Worst Towing Capacity

Pickup trucks are gaining popularity across the world, but no country on the planet loves trucks as much as Americans. According to Statista.com, the US in 2024 has raked in around $80.5 million in truck revenue, with the second closest country, Japan, pulling in $7.3 million. American automakers have transformed pickups from purely task-driven work vehicles to models offering robust capability and a lavishness not typically seen outside of luxury sedans.

While the market is seeing increasingly more sophisticated and opulent truck models, still one of the most significant considerations for buyers is towing capability. In order to fully understand its customers, Chevrolet tasked Harris Poll with uncovering just how drivers use their trucks, with 89% of respondents stating they help others, and 33 percent reported towing friends or relatives with their trucks.

How much towing power is required depends entirely on your needs, with a wide range of pulling potential across automotive brands and models. The following trucks are by no means bad vehicles, just models that don't offer quite the same oomph in terms of towing performance. You be forgiven for thinking the lowest towing figures are all going to belong to the smallest pickup trucks on the American market in 2024. But the reality is there are also a few mid-size trucks that can't pull more than 6,500 pounds.

Debuting in 2022, the Ford Maverick is a unique and compact option in a crowded industry full of giant trucks. You don't need to scale several feet upward to get inside the cab, and it doesn't even require a built-in step to easily get into the bed. This small design was an intentional decision on the part of the automaker who is targeting drivers who want the versatility of a pickup without all the extra bulk. Our 2024 Ford Maverick Review praised its economical starting price, efficiency, and functionality which are perfect for the right kind of truck buyer.

However, for those looking to perform some heavy-duty towing, the Maverick is the worst choice, with a maximum pulling weight of just 4,000 pounds. Also, bear in mind that many of the Maverick variations can only manage a meager 2,000 pounds of towing capacity due to all-wheel drive and a 4K towing package being required to get the most out of the compact truck.

The new Hyundai Santa Cruz is definitely an eye-catcher that the automaker defines as a one-of-a-kind adventure vehicle. Its exterior design is by far the most crossover of the bunch and doesn't immediately scream pickup truck at first glance. However, the Santa Cruz offers buyers the exclusive feeling of driving a car and the ability to accomplish pickup tasks simultaneously. We had some time behind the wheel for our 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz Review, and while it may not set any towing or hauling records, it accomplishes more than you'd imagine.

In terms of raw figures, the standard Santa Cruz can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while a turbocharged variant bumps up the max to 5,000 pounds. The Hyundai's towing specifications may seem paltry next to a 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 that can manage up to 13,300 pounds. However, utilizing an optional turbocharger under the hood, the Santa Cruz can pull things like a 12-foot by 6-foot utility trailer, and a small camper, among other items.

The Ridgeline is Honda's only truck, and it offers some compelling features while also managing to lag behind in terms of mid-size pickup towing capacity. Our time spent in the driver seat of the 2024 Honda Ridgeline Trailsport showcased the pickup's strengths in terms of ride comfort, opting for the same underpinnings as Honda's SUV, the Pilot. But many trucks feature a foundation based upon what's most tough, not on what's most comfortable, meaning Honda's pickup can't quite keep up with rivals in the towing department. The Ridgeline has received praise for not only its smooth ride and tight cornering but also its ergonomic interior with ample passenger space.

One of the Honda Ridgeline's biggest liabilities, though, is its mere 5,000-pound towing capacity. While previous entries on this list were classified as compact trucks, the Ridgeline is actually a mid-size truck. When the competition in the same category, like the Chevy Colorado, can offer 7,700 pounds of towing power, the Ridgeline becomes a less attractive option for those who need more pulling capability. It isn't just the Colorado either, as several mid-size trucks offer more potent towing potential than the Ridgeline.

The Tacoma pickup launched in the mid-90s and continues to provide healthy competition in the mid-size pickup space. During the end of its third-generation cycle, the Tacoma started feeling dated, with rivals beginning to overtake the truck in several key areas. Fortunately, as we discovered in our 2024 Toyota Tacoma Review, Nissan has come out swinging with a full redesign, making improvements across the board. However, with all the enhancements to the new Tacoma, it has moved away from its budget truck roots, with upper trims being costlier than ever.

Another significant drawback to the Tacoma is its lackluster 6,500-pound towing capacity. The only competitor that fairs worse than the Tacoma is the Honda Ridgeline, but both trucks fall behind the pack in terms of pulling potency. There is also a hybrid Tacoma model, however it performs even worse with only a 6,000-pound maximum towing capacity. Unfortunately, when you take into consideration that similarly priced options from GMC and Jeep provide an additional 1,200 pounds of towing capability over the Tacoma, it may not be the best choice for more robust truck tasks.