Pickup trucks are great to work, play, and even daily drive thanks to modern innovations. The truck vehicle class has become extremely competitive over the years. Despite the many advances in the vehicle class, you don’t have to break the bank to buy a good truck. In fact, there are plenty of great used pickup trucks that can be found for under $20,0000.

The 2012 Honda Ridgeline handles like a dream

The Honda Ridgeline is becoming increasingly popular because of its unique qualities. It is frequently at the top of its vehicle class because it is an all-around great truck. It has a peppy powertrain that makes 250 horsepower and provides an incredibly smooth ride.

Many trucks offer poor fuel economy and rough handling. The Honda Ridgeline changes everything by providing great gas mileage and a ride so steady you can forget you’re in a truck. It gets 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 miles per gallon on the highway. The Ridgeline’s unibody design allows for a great suspension, making the Ridgeline’s ride much more comfortable than the average truck. The 2012 Honda Ridgeline is one of the best used pickup trucks that you can find for under $20,000.

Some used 2012 Honda Ridgeline models can be found for under $20,000 with less than 90,000 miles. 2012 Honda Ridgeline models with less than 100,000 miles can typically last another six or seven years before needing major repairs. According to Kelley Blue Book, consumers gave the 2012 Honda Ridgeline a rating of 4.7/5 stars.

The 2013 Toyota Tacoma is ready for adventure

The Toyota Tacoma is built for fun. It can also rack up major miles and last for many years. The Tacoma affectionately referred to as the ‘Taco’ has become a staple in off-roading culture. Toyota Tacomas make great off-roading vehicles, especially manual transmission Tacomas. The 2013 Tacoma exemplifies everything off-road enthusiasts have grown to love about the popular truck over the years.

The Toyota Tacoma has many faults. Its affordability and the off-road fun make up for most of its major shortcomings. The 2013 Toyota Tacoma makes 159 horsepower using its four-cylinder engine. Its automatic standard model gets 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway. Its six-cylinder powertrain option makes 236 horsepower.

Despite a recent surge in demand, consumers should still be able to find 2013 Toyota Tacoma models for under $20,000. The Taco is born to be wild. Thanks to great fuel economy, this truck can actually function as a decent daily driver if you can get used to its jerky acceleration and bumpy ride. The 2013 Toyota Tacoma also got 4.7/5 stars on the Kelley Blue Book website.

The 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty is the perfect work truck

Ford F-series trucks are legendary. The blue oval brand is one of the best truck-makers in the world and its F-series trucks are arguably the quintessential work trucks. They live up to the Ford slogan and prove themselves to be tough.

The 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty is one of the best used pickup trucks that can be found for under $20,000. It is a reliable and powerful work truck that can do it all. The 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty has a max towing capacity of 12,500 pounds. Its V8 engine makes a massive 385 horsepower.

Ford trucks aren’t always the most affordable so a used truck like the 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty can be a steal. It has all the power and utility a consumer could hope for from an old truck. The 2011 Ford F-250 Super Duty got a 4.5/5 star consumer rating on the Kelley Blue Book website.

How to find the best used pickup trucks under $20k

When buying a used pickup truck, the first thing to look into is reliability. Narrow down your selection by filtering your options and going for brands that have a reputation for producing reliable pickup trucks like Ford. Looking into specific model years and doing research is important because some model years could have experienced plenty of recalls.

The best way to find a used pickup truck under $20,000 is to make a shortlist of non-negotiables for your truck. Do you need power? Does the truck bed need to be a certain size? What about towing capacity?

Once you have your list of non-negotiables cross-reference it with a list of two to three most reliable truck brands (like Ford, Honda, and Ram) and you can find the truck of your dreams. It may be older but plenty of older trucks are built to last. Happy huntin’!