They say it's the sizzle that sells the steak. When it comes to pickup trucks, the sizzles most truck owners are looking for are horsepower and torque. That is what Jason Gonderman's "Most Powerful Pickups of 2021" focuses on in an article that appeared last week on the Truck Trend website.
A look under the hood of the potent 2021 Jeep Gladiator Ecodiesel
In the Powerful Pickups of 2021 his opening salvo pretty much sums up where this article is going. "Power may not be the only thing when it comes to pickups, but it affects everything." It certainly does. You want to drive a vehicle with "giddyup and go," not a lame, limping lunker. When you don't have power, it really limits some of the fun of owning and driving a truck.
Yes, there are other factors that weigh on a decision as regards your next truck purchase. Drivability, fuel economy, towing and hauling capacity, off-road performance all have a say, but at the end of the day power is the first thing on the list that truck buyers look for.
With this mindset serving as the lens through which the contenders are measured, Gonderman runs through the potential heroes of 2021. I've listed below all the winning trucks in each category, but the article includes the second and third place contenders as well. I don't want to steal their thunder by sharing everything. A link at the end will take you to the complete coverage.
* * *
Midsize Truck with the Most Horsepower
Winner: 2021 Nissan Frontier - 3.8L V-6 - 310 hp
(The author did not list competitors with diesel in this category.)
Midsize Truck with the Most Torque
Winner: 2021 Jeep Gladiator - 3.0L EcoDiesel V-6 - 442 lb-ft
Half Ton Trucks with the Most Horsepower
Gas
Winner: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX - 6.2L Supercharged V-8 - 702 hp
Diesel
Winner: 2021 Chevrolet Silverado - 3.0L Duramax I-6 - 277 hp (tie)
Winner: 2021 GMC Sierra - 3.0L Duramax I-6 - 277 hp (tie)
Half Ton Trucks with the Most Torque
Gas
Winner: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX - 6.2L Supercharged V-8 - 650 lb-ft
Diesel
Winner: 2021 Ram 1500 - 3.0L EcoDiesel V-6 - 480 lb-ft
Heavy-Duty Trucks with the Most Horsepower
Gas
Winner: 2021 Ford F-250/F350 Super Duty - 7.3L V-8 - 430 hp
Diesel
Winner: 2021 Ford F-250/350/450 - 6.7L Power Stroke V-8 - 475 hp
Heavy-Duty Trucks with the Most Torque
Gas
Winner: 2021 Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty - 7.3L V-8 - 475 lb-ft
Diesel
Winner: 2021 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty - 6.7L Cummins I-6 High-Output - 1,075 lb-ft
* * *
The article at Truck Trend includes much more than data. There are also videos and photos of our 2021 crop of pickups in action. To check it out, click here.
Or visit http://www.trucktrend.com/features/most-powerful-pickup-trucks-for-2021
* * *
Jason Gonderman has been interested in trucks ever since his childhood days in Southern California. Over the years he's held various roles with The Enthusiast Network (TEN) including online editor for Four Wheeler and feature editor at Diesel Power. Today he is editor at Truck Trend. His wife, on staff there with TEN, is also into trucks.
