4 Modern Alternatives To The Chevrolet El Camino

There are several modern alternatives to the Chevrolet El Camino available today. But first, an explanation of what an El Camino is, for those of you who might not know. The Chevrolet El Camino was a pickup truck built on a passenger car platform and was Chevy's response to the similar Ford Ranchero. The original El Camino, which was produced for only two model years (1959 and 1960), was based on the full-size Chevy station wagon, retaining the front end and the two front doors, but adding a short roof and a double-walled pickup bed in back. It did not meet sales expectations and was dropped after the 1960 model year. However, Ford's competitor, the Ranchero, continued to perform well in the marketplace. This led Chevrolet to reintroduce the El Camino for the 1964 model year, this time on the mid-size Chevelle platform. 

The 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle had been developed for the early stages of what would become the muscle car wars later in that decade. A 327 cubic-inch V8 engine was available in both the Chevelle and the El Camino, giving them some performance appeal. When the next generation El Camino was released for the 1968 model year, you could get a Super Sport El Camino with one of several huge V8s in the front. The high-water mark may have been the awesome 1970 El Camino SS with a 455 cubic-inch, big-block LS6 putting out 450 very underrated horsepower. Emission regulations strangled the muscle cars, but the El Camino soldiered on until its final appearance in 1987.

While there's no exact modern version of the Chevrolet El Camino, there are several contemporary pickup trucks that are built on an unibody platform, not the traditional body-on-frame construction of conventional pickups. These "lifestyle" pickups are closest in spirit to the El Camino, even though they have four doors. The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz – which got eight points out of 10 in our SlashGear review — starts off our list.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a mid-size pickup built on the same platform as the Tucson SUV. Its styling has been refreshed for 2025. Engine options are either a 2.5-liter normally aspirated four mated to an eight-speed automatic on the lower SE, SEL, and SEL Activity trims or a 2.5-liter turbocharged four with an eight-speed DCT on the uplevel XRT and Limited trims. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is available only on the entry-level SE, while all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on the rest of the range. Performance stats for the turbocharged version, are 0-60 mph in 6.0 seconds, 0-100 mph in 15.2 seconds, and .82g roadholding on a 300-foot skidpad. Towing capacity with the turbo engine is 5,000 pounds.

Pricing for the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz starts at $28,750 MSRP for the Santa Cruz SE with FWD. It progresses through the various trim levels, topping out at $42,750 MSRP for the AWD Santa Cruz Limited. The only major options available are AWD on the SE ($1,500) and two paint colors for a $500 upcharge, in addition to several available at no charge.

The 2025 Ford Maverick is another unibody mid-size pickup truck. It is similar to the Hyundai Santa Cruz, competes with it in the marketplace, and has seen a refresh for 2025. The Ford Maverick, which is a SlashGear Editor's Choice, comes in five different trim levels: XL, XLT, Lobo, Lariat, and Tremor. Engine choices start with a 2.5-liter four with a hybrid system, producing a total output of 191 horsepower that flows through a CVT on its way to either the front wheels or all four. Optional is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder packing 238 horsepower, which requires AWD. Transmission choices for the 2.0-liter turbo vary, with an eight-speed automatic on the XL, XLT, Lariat, and Tremor, while the performance-oriented Lobo gets a seven-speed automatic with paddle shifters that is also used on the company's Focus ST in Europe.

Performance of the FWD hybrid version shows a 0-60 mph time of 7.7 seconds and 0-100 mph in 20.7 seconds. Roadholding achieved on a 300-foot skidpad was .81g. Maximum towing capacity is 4,000 pounds with the optional towing package, and 2,000 pounds without it.

As with most American trucks, there is a wide variety of options and packages that you can add when ordering your 2025 Ford Maverick. Ford Maverick pricing starts at $26,995 for the poverty-spec XL, with the next stop at $29,495 MSRP for the XLT, followed by the Lobo at $35,255 MSRP, the Lariat at 37,290 MSRP, and the top-spec Tremor at $40,350 MSRP.

The 2025 Honda Ridgeline is yet another unibody four-door pickup, one which shares a platform with two other Honda vehicles, the Pilot/Passport SUV and the Odyssey minivan. Like its sibling Honda vehicles, the Ridgeline comes with a single power choice, a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 280 horsepower in this vehicle. The Ridgeline sends its power through the only drivetrain available, a nine-speed automatic transmission connected to all four wheels. There are four trim levels in the Ridgeline lineup: the Sport, the RTL, the TrailSport, and the Black Edition. The Ridgeline was refreshed for the 2024 model year and carries over into 2025 unchanged.

The Honda Ridgeline, which received eight out of 10 in its SlashGear review and got a Select 2024 badge for its TrailSport model, is a decent performer. The 2025 model does 0-60 mph in 6.0 seconds and 0-100 mph in 17.2 seconds, with a skidpad roadholding number of .78g. Towing capacity of the Ridgeline is 5,000 pounds, equal to the Santa Cruz turbo and 1,000 pounds more than the Maverick.

Pricing for the 2025 Honda Ridgeline begins with the entry-level Sport at $40,150 MSRP, continues with the more luxurious, leather-seated RTL at $42,980 MSRP, steps up to the off-road focused TrailSport at $45,380 MSRP, and maxes out with the loaded Black Edition at $46,750 MSRP. As with most Asian-designed vehicles, the Honda Ridgeline does not offer many options besides some optional paint colors (each trim offers at least one no-cost color) and some manufacturer- or dealer-installed accessory packages.

As a "modern" alternative to the Chevrolet El Camino, an electric vehicle (EV) should be included. That EV would be the 2025 Rivian R1T, which is just a skosh bigger than the Honda Ridgeline — the Rivian is about 7 inches longer and less than an inch wider than the Honda. 

The Rivian R1T, a SlashGear Editor's choice, received nine out of 10 points. It is powered by your choice of either two (the Dual-Motor), three (the Tri-Motor), or four motors (the Quad-Motor) that possess power outputs of 553 to 665 horsepower, 850 horsepower, or a maximum of 1,025 horsepower. Up to three different-sized battery packs (Standard, Large, and Max) are offered, depending on motor configuration. The Rivian R1T's 0-60 mph times, as stated by Rivian, are 3.4 seconds for the Dual-Motor, 2.9 seconds for the Tri-Motor, and 2.5 seconds for the Quad-Motor. That's much faster than the internal combustion competition here. Maximum towing capacity of the Rivian R1T is 11,000 pounds, also lots more than the others.

Just as the performance of the Rivian R1T is very high, so are the prices. The R1T with the Dual-Motor starts at $69,900 MSRP with the Standard battery pack, going up to $83,900 with the Max pack. The Tri-Motor R1T comes only with the Max pack, priced at $99,900 MSRP. The Rivian R1T with the Quad-Motor is estimated to be available for delivery sometime in 2025, but can now be reserved on Rivian's website. Options include some exterior colors at additional cost, wheel upgrades, and interior trim.