5 Cheap New Trucks With High Towing Capacities

Affordability is certainly a top concern when it comes to buying any new vehicle — knowing just how much you can afford will guide your search. When utility purchases like trucks, however, capability is pretty high on the list of priorities too. Towing capacity often takes a close second in truck-shopping, making sure that the truck you buy is up to the task, whether that task is occasionally pulling around a small utility trailer, or transporting something larger on a more regular basis. The trucks listed here consider both priorities: price and towing power. These are relatively inexpensive trucks that have high tow ratings for their class.

Before we start quoting manufacturer tow ratings, though, there are a few things worth remembering. For starters, not all tow ratings apply to every version of a truck. For instance, the top tow rating often requires the most powerful engine available, and it requires leaving out options like four-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive systems often weigh a few hundred pounds, which can weigh the truck down, subsequently giving it a lower towing capacity. 

So, many of the trucks on this list will be the base trim available, not just because they're cheap, but because they offer more towing capacity than their top-trim counterparts. What's more, luxury versions of pickup trucks are often weighed down by their long lists of creature comforts. These include massaging seats, which aren't exactly lightweight, and they'll affect overall towing capacity along with GCWR, even if it's just by a few pounds.

Compact, with a boxy shape like a classic pickup, and just about the closest thing to a Kei truck you can buy new in the U.S., is the Ford Maverick. It's also the cheapest truck you can buy in 2025. According to Ford, the Maverick has a maximum payload capacity of 1,500 pounds, and it can tow as much as 4,000 pounds. Both of those numbers are pretty impressive considering the Maverick's size. Nose to tail, it's only about 15 inches longer than a Honda Civic. 

There are some caveats when it comes to towing with the Maverick. For starters, you'll need some extra equipment to tow the maximum rating of 4,000 pounds. Base front-wheel drive Mavericks top out at 2,000 pounds of towing capacity, so you'll need to opt for all-wheel drive. From there, both available powertrains can achieve the top rating: either the 2.5-liter hybrid or the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder. They'll need what Ford calls the 4K Towing Package (aptly named), which adds a 4/7-pin connector, a hitch receiver, an upgraded cooling fan, a trailer-brake controller, and a transmission oil cooler. 

A base Maverick XL with the 2.0-liter engine starts at $26,210 (including $1,595 destination fee and $695 acquisition fee), but the 4K Tow Package and the requisite all-wheel drive needed for towing 4,000 pounds brings the total cost up to $29,715. Sub-$30,000 for 4,000 pounds of towing capacity? Not bad.

Larger and more capable than compact trucks like the Maverick, mid-size rigs like the Chevrolet Colorado are a slightly better fit if you tow more often. All the 2025 Chevy Colorados now come standard with the TurboMax 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. That gives them big towing power for their size. 

According to Chevrolet, the Colorado maxes out at 7,700 pounds of available towing capacity. The Colorado we reviewed recently was of the off-road variety, in the top-trim for dirt adventures: ZR2 Bison. The upgraded suspension and added weight from all the off-roading hardware, however, brings down its towing capacity to 6,000 pounds. If you don't need maximum off-road attack capability, any other trim will get you to 7,700 pounds. 

The Colorado is only available in a crew-cab with a 5-foot bed, so that's what you'll get no matter what kind of tow rating you're looking for. The base WT (Work Truck) trim for the Colorado starts at just $31,900 before destination. Add the Advanced Trailering package to the mix ($945) and you're in business. It includes a 2-inch receiver hitch, 7-pin connector, trailer-brake controller, an in-vehicle trailering app that tracks trailer mileage, and blind-spot monitoring that includes trailer distance in the monitored area. MSRP for a base-trim Colorado with rear-wheel drive and the added towing equipment is $34,440 (including $1,595 destination fee).

The Jeep name is synonymous with off-road adventures, and with good reason. SUVs like the Wrangler have been conquering trails for decades, and it's not the only Jeep in the lineup with serious chops. The Gladiator, the Wrangler's pickup-truck-shaped sibling, has a lot of off-road capability of its own. More than just an off-roader, though, it's also one of the most robust towing rigs in its class. Under the hood, the mid-size Gladiator gets a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque — modest numbers compared to the Colorado. The lack of power doesn't hold the Gladiator back from towing, though, as it has the same impressive towing maximum of 7,700 pounds. 

The base trim for the Gladiator is called the Sport. With the standard 3.73 axle ratio, it's rated to tow 4,500 pounds. With the available 4.10 axle ratio, the Gladiator Sport jumps up to the max tow rating of 7,700 pounds, but it will cost a bit extra. The Max Tow package with the 4.10 axle ratio costs $1,995 on top of the Sport's standard price, but it includes upgraded engine cooling, a Class IV trailer hitch, Dana 44 front and rear axles, fender flares, an upgraded rear differential, and increased towing capacity. Put it all together, and you've got a Gladiator with a starting MSRP of $42,090 (including $1,995 destination fee) and a top towing capacity amongst mid-size pickup trucks.

Upgraded for 2025, the Nissan Frontier has more towing capacity than before, and it's a strong option for frugal buyers who want to pull hefty trailers. Like the Gladiator, the Frontier is powered by a single engine choice. In the Nissan's case, it's a 3.8-liter V6 engine that's paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It puts out 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque — stout numbers for the class — and it has a maximum towing capacity of 7,150 pounds. That max towing capacity is pretty easily reached on the base trim level, the S, as long as you're willing to go with the King Cab configuration. 

The Frontier is available in the extended cab (King Cab) configuration, or the four-door Crew Cab configuration, both of which have strong towing capabilities, but the King Cab weighs less, so it can tow a bit more. In this specific case, the base S trim level can tow 7,150 pounds with the King Cab, or 7,040 pounds with the Crew Cab — both with rear-wheel drive. It's a small difference, but still worth pointing out. The Frontier's available Tow package costs $525 and includes a Class IV hitch receiver, and a tow harness with 4-pin and 7-pin connectors. That means the total MSRP for the Frontier S is $34,085 (including $1,510 destination fee). If you can sacrifice a few-hundred pounds of towing capability, it's a real bargain compared to the Gladiator.

Full-size pickup trucks like the 2025 Toyota Tundra are generally in a higher price bracket than compact or mid-size rigs. Their towing capability, however, might be worth the increase in price. For example, the maximum towing rating on the Tundra is 12,000 pounds –three times as much as a Maverick, and over 4,000 pounds more than the Frontier, Gladiator, or Colorado. That maximum towing capacity comes courtesy of the Tundra's SR5 trim, which is just above the base SR. The SR5 costs about $5,000 more than the SR, but the SR can only tow 8,300 pounds, so it seems the extra juice is worth the squeeze. 

To get maximum towing capability with the Tundra, buyers will need to go with the 6.5-foot bed, rear-wheel drive, and the Double Cab configuration. The standard powertrain in the Tundra is a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 called the i-Force. It puts out 389 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. An available, more-powerful, hybrid powertrain called the i-Force Max is also available, but it doesn't add any towing capability. Most of the optional equipment for towing on mid-size trucks comes standard on the Tundra's SR5 trim: like 4- and 7-pin connectors, a trailer hitch receiver, and a trailer brake controller are all included. The MSRP for a Tundra SR5 is $47,905 (including $1,945 destination fee), and it should be ready to tow right out of the box.