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12 pickups and how much they can tow, from 7,150 to 40,000 pounds

Towing ratings for pickups span a huge range, from small midsize trucks to heavy-duty rigs built to pull the biggest trailers. The figures below come from published 2026 rankings and show how much trailer each popular model is rated to handle. Here are twelve pickups, ranked from the heaviest-duty rating down to the lightest.

1. Ford F-450 Super Duty: Rated To Pull A Small Building

Ford F-450 Super Duty — Image Credit: Bull-Doser - Public domain/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Bull-Doser – Public domain/Wiki Commons

Ford’s F-450 Super Duty is rated to tow up to 40,000 pounds, the top heavy-duty figure in iSeeCars’ 2026 truck rankings. That single number puts it at the very top of this list and well beyond every light-duty pickup that follows it.

A maximum rating of that size describes the best-equipped configuration, not every F-450 on a lot. Owners who haul large equipment trailers should confirm the rating for the exact cab, axle and drivetrain being ordered, because the headline figure applies only to the setup that earns it.

2. Ram 3500 Heavy Duty: Dual Rear Wheels, Max Tow

Ram 3500 Heavy Duty — Image Credit: Kevauto - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Kevauto – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

With the Max Tow Package and dual rear wheels, the 2026 Ram HD can tow up to 36,610 pounds, according to Jalopnik’s tow-capacity roundup. The figure depends on pairing that specific package with the dual-rear-wheel layout rather than on the badge alone.

Buyers shopping the Ram 3500 for heavy trailers should read that pairing as a requirement, not a bonus. A truck ordered without the package or without the dual rear wheels would not carry the same rating, so the build sheet matters as much as the model name.

3. GMC Sierra 3500HD: Sierra HD Near The Ceiling

GMC Sierra 3500HD — Image Credit: Ethan Llamas - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Ethan Llamas – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Sierra 3500HD is rated at 36,000 pounds of maximum towing in the iSeeCars heavy-duty ranking. That places GMC’s heavy-duty pickup among the strongest haulers on the list, just behind the very top of the heavy-duty class.

For an owner pulling large trailers for work, the practical meaning is a very high ceiling in a truck sold with the same GMC badge as the lighter Sierra 1500. As with every maximum rating here, the number belongs to the best-equipped version, so the exact configuration decides what a given truck can legally pull.

4. Ford F-150: Top Of The Light-Duty Class

Ford F-150 — Image Credit: Gold Pony - CC BY 3.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Gold Pony – CC BY 3.0/Wiki Commons

The F-150 carries a maximum towing rating of 13,500 pounds, the highest of any 2026 full-size light-duty pickup on TrueCar’s towing list. That figure leads the half-ton class and sets the mark that rival full-size trucks are measured against.

For buyers who want one truck for daily driving and a heavy trailer on weekends, that rating is the number to compare. It is a maximum, though, so a typical F-150 without the right equipment will be rated lower, and the exact build should be checked before a boat or camper is purchased.

5. Chevrolet Silverado 1500: Half-Ton Chevy, Big Rating

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 — Image Credit: HJUdall - CC0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: HJUdall – CC0/Wiki Commons

The 2026 Silverado 1500 is rated to tow up to 13,300 pounds, according to TrueCar’s ranking by towing. That puts Chevrolet’s half-ton within a few hundred pounds of the class-leading figure on the same list.

The small gap to the F-150 means towing alone rarely decides between the two trucks. Shoppers comparing them should look at which configuration actually earns the full 13,300 pounds, since the maximum applies to a particular setup and a base Silverado 1500 would be rated lower.

6. GMC Sierra 1500: Matches Its Chevy Twin

GMC Sierra 1500 — Image Credit: Charles from Port Chester, New York - CC0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Charles from Port Chester, New York – CC0/Wiki Commons

The 2026 Sierra 1500 matches its Chevy twin at 13,300 pounds of maximum towing, a figure listed alongside the Silverado on TrueCar’s towing table. The two half-ton trucks share that top rating.

For a buyer cross-shopping the pair, the identical number removes towing from the decision and leaves price, trim and equipment to settle it. The rating still belongs to a specific configuration, so a Sierra 1500 should be checked for the equipment that unlocks the full 13,300 pounds before a heavy trailer is hitched.

7. GMC Sierra EV: Electric, Still Rated To Tow

GMC Sierra EV — Image Credit: Unknown author/
Image Credit: Unknown author/

The 2026 Sierra EV is rated to tow up to 12,500 pounds, a figure shown on TrueCar’s trucks-by-towing page. That is a serious rating for an electric pickup and sits not far below the gas and diesel half-tons on the same list.

Electric trucks are often assumed to be weak tow vehicles, and that rating pushes back on the assumption. Owners should still treat it as a maximum for the best-equipped version, and anyone planning regular heavy towing should confirm the exact configuration behind the 12,500-pound figure.

8. Toyota Tundra: Twin-Turbo V6 Standard

Toyota Tundra — Image Credit: Mr.choppers - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Mr.choppers – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons

The 2026 Tundra’s regular i-FORCE twin-turbo V6 is rated at up to 12,000 pounds, according to Jalopnik’s list of top tow trucks. That rating comes from the standard engine rather than a specialty powertrain, which makes it the figure most buyers will actually see.

For shoppers weighing Toyota’s full-size pickup against the Detroit trucks, 12,000 pounds is the number to hold up next to their ratings. It sits a little below the leaders, so heavier trailers may call for a different truck, while typical boat and camper loads sit comfortably inside it.

9. Ram 1500: Hurricane Inline-Six Delivers

Ram 1500 — Image Credit: Kevauto - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Kevauto – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Ram 1500 reaches its 11,610-pound maximum with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six, per Jalopnik’s towing rundown. The top figure belongs to that engine, so the rating is tied to a specific powertrain choice.

Buyers who want the full 11,610 pounds should therefore specify the Hurricane rather than assume every Ram 1500 can pull that much. It trails the leading half-tons on this list, but it remains a strong rating for the class and is enough for many trailers.

10. Chevrolet Colorado: Midsize With A Turbo Four

Chevrolet Colorado — Image Credit: MercurySable99 - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: MercurySable99 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The 2026 Colorado tows 7,700 pounds with the Advanced Trailering Package and the 2.7-liter turbo-four, as laid out in Jalopnik’s pickup comparison. Both items are part of the figure, so it describes a specifically equipped truck.

That makes the Colorado a middle option in the midsize group, stronger than some rivals but far below the half-tons. Buyers planning to tow near that limit should order the trailering package and the turbo-four together, since a truck lacking either would not earn the full 7,700 pounds.

11. Ford Ranger: Midsize Tow Rating For Ranger

Ford Ranger — Image Credit: Captainmorlypogi1959 - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Captainmorlypogi1959 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

Ford’s Ranger is rated to tow up to 7,500 pounds in the iSeeCars midsize truck ranking. The figure places the smaller Ford pickup in the same neighborhood as the other midsize trucks and well under the full-size models on this list.

For owners who want a smaller truck that can still handle a modest trailer, 7,500 pounds covers many boats, campers and utility loads. It is a maximum rating, so the exact configuration should be confirmed, and anyone needing more capacity would have to step up to a full-size truck.

12. Nissan Frontier: Entry Of The Midsize Pack

Nissan Frontier — Image Credit: Alexander Migl - CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons
Image Credit: Alexander Migl – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons

The Frontier is rated to tow up to 7,150 pounds, fifth among midsize pickups on iSeeCars’ midsize list. That is the lowest rating in this gallery, which is why it anchors the bottom of the range.

The low end here is still a meaningful capacity for a smaller truck. Shoppers who tow light to moderate trailers may find 7,150 pounds ample, while those planning heavier loads should look higher up the list, since the Frontier’s rating is the floor of what these pickups offer.


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