The only thing better than a car is a pickup truck, because who doesn’t love hauling things with ease and having a powerful way to get around? Trucks are one of the most popularly used vehicles and tools out there, but they do have a flaw and that is the shockingly high and ever-growing price at which they come. The question is, why are they so expensive, and is that expense well earned?
Below you will find a list of reasons why pickup trucks are so expensive and whether they or cars are better worth your time and money. Trucks have a lot of incredible perks and capabilities that normal cars do not, but whether those perks are worth your money, is for you to decide.
Hopefully, the info here will help you to decide whether buying a truck is best for you or if you would be better off sticking with an SUV. Make your decision carefully!
1. High Demand
One of the most prominent reasons for the high pricing of pickup trucks is thanks to their high demand. Because of all the new and improved features that most trucks boast nowadays plus their sporty and intimidating appearance, it would follow that they are popular and therefore twice as desired.
Thanks to this high demand and popularity, pickup trucks are often thousands of dollars more expensive than other types of vehicles.
Whether this priciness is worthwhile and well earned is largely a matter of opinion, although all the features that modern trucks have to boast nowadays are nothing to sneer at. If nothing else, prices have been jacked up simply because trucks are highly desired by a good portion of the population.
2. “Cheap” Gas
Now, those of you who own trucks are probably thinking, “what? gas (or diesel) for trucks is nowhere near cheap!” What this means is that when gas prices are high, people tend to fall back on vehicles with better fuel economy.
Then, when prices fall back down again, they return to their gas guzzlers because fuel economy has become less of a priority.
Of course, gas prices are raging at the moment, but there have been several years’ worth of cheap gas in the recent past so it would make sense as to why trucks have been so popular especially recently.
This kind of popularity will, doubtless, be prominent regardless of gas prices, but low gas prices will indeed escalate that popularity.
3. Superior Handling and Capabilites
Trucks aren’t popular among off-roaders for nothing. They were built to not only withstand the severest the elements and mother nature has to offer but they were also built to embrace it.
Trucks have the ability to plow through snow, mud, sand, dirt, gravel, rocks, and whatever else with speed and plenty of agility. If you are an avid off-roader, a truck is probably a vehicle you won’t want to overlook.
4. More Power
And while we’re on the subject of power, trucks have plenty of it. Certain types of SUVs are capable of hauling and towing with no problem, but the same cannot be said for most compact cars and hatchbacks.
Trucks have increased levels of torque and towing power that cannot be found anywhere else.
Trucks are highly sought after by those who appreciate sporty looks and those who love to go off-roading. However, it might be even more popular among those who make a practice of towing trailers, hauling camping gear, pulling boats, campers, or whatever else you can think of.
This utility is one of the biggest reasons why trucks are so popular and thus so expensive.
5. Sedan-Like Upgrades: The New Family Car!
It used to be that trucks were no good for people with large-ish families because the cabins were cramped, the front seats were small, and there weren’t four doors on every model.
Thanks to the new and improved features of most trucks, the cabins and seats are larger and have much more room. Some trucks can even fit three car seats in the back row!
In addition, trucks have begun to add new, family-friendly entertainment and seating features that make the ride more comfortable for everybody, including the kids.
Every model can be customized if bought brand new, but these features will almost always require you to pay top dollar for them. In addition to paying for the exterior features (which are already expensive), you will also be paying for many of the interior features.
6. New and Luxurious Features
This is probably the category that contributes most to trucks and their jacked-up prices. It used to be you would simply buy a bare-bones truck that had a set of wheels and seats and that’s about it.
Nowadays you can choose from a gigantic list of new and luxurious features regardless of the truck you choose to buy.
Many new trucks come with features such as 10-speed electric shift, improved and increased horsepower, large towing capacities, leather and heated seating, the aforementioned larger cabins, top-of-the-line sound systems, and much, much more.
These features are all expensive on their own, so when you combine a few of them you are bound to dump quite a bit of money into it. Of course, how many features you choose is a personal decision, but it will likely be pretty expensive no matter what.
On top of all that, trucks are usually at the head of automotive engineering as far as materials are concerned.
The latest and greatest are almost always employed in an effort of making trucks more efficient, stronger, lighter, and best on the market. You are paying top dollar for all of these things and more.
7. Higher Efficiency
While trucks are, of course, still some of the highest gas-guzzling vehicles on the planet, they have made great strides toward improvement in not only performance but in their efficiency as well.
Fuel efficiency has been greatly improved as has the trucks’ overall performance. Most of them can now get by with smaller engines without sacrificing any power.
If fuel efficiency is a large concern for you, you can even find trucks that run on electricity. These will be terrifyingly expensive, of course, but they will be more economically friendly so that will be one worry you’ll no longer have.
Plus, electric trucks usually have a fairly attractive look that will turn a lot of heads. As the technology for electric vehicles improves, we will likely see more cost-effective options available.
8. Long Loans
Trucks are more expensive and will therefore have longer loans, so people can pay over a longer period of time when they purchase a truck rather than another type of car.
Trucks are expensive due to their popularity, and that popularity stems partially from the long loans that most dealers offer.
They may have jacked up prices, but trucks will usually come with loans that can be paid over a longer period of time. That long period of time makes the huge price seem a lot more payable in monthly chunks, leading to more truck sales.
9. Longevity
Trucks are highly-priced and that is for good reason if you ask most truck owners. Regardless of brand, trucks have an immense lifetime.
Being vehicles built to be sturdy, they are built to last. While old trucks might need more maintenance than newer models, they can still haul trailers and campers with ease.
10. Materials
Trucks are made out of heavy-duty metals and other materials. Trucks are made to be durable, especially because they are made to carry large materials and are meant to go on rough roads.
No one would purchase a truck if it got dented or broken when they went off-roading in it or put a heavy item in the bed of the truck!
Trucks are made of heavy materials partially because they are built to tow heavy items behind them. The trailer or towing hitch needs to be made of durable materials, as well as the materials that it is connected to, have to be durable and well-made, or else it will break when something is attached, and people will get mad and stop purchasing the trucks made by the same manufacturer.
The materials inside of trucks are quality materials, and they add to the price of trucks. Typically, the seats are made out of leather or fake leather, and those materials cost the manufacturer quite a bit of money, and they pass on the costs of the materials to the customers.
Nowadays, many trucks have infotainment screens or another type of touch screen that the driver and front passenger can use while driving. This type of screen has to be durable so it doesn’t break when the truck dips and turns or when something hits the screen by accident.
Because the screen has to be durable, and the materials that go into making it durable cost money that the manufacturer passes on to the customer.
11. Drivetrains Available
Trucks have to have both 4-wheel drive and front-wheel or back-wheel drive available, and making both of these features available requires materials that cost quite a bit of money.
However, because of the versatility of trucks and the fact that they have both of these types of drives available, people are willing to pay more for the truck than they would if it only had one type of drive available. Manufacturers know that, and they take advantage of it.
On other types of cars, 4-wheel drive is often an optional feature, but people have to pay extra for it, and people have the expectation that they may not be able to purchase a truck that has 4-wheel drive.
In most trucks, it is a standard feature so people feel like they are getting more for the price, even though trucks are typically more expensive than other types of cars.
12. Sensors and Cameras
Most trucks nowadays have sensors near the tow hitch and surrounding the rest of the truck because they are a part of the standard safety features, and it is always helpful to have a backup camera when parking and backing out of a parking space.
However, those tiny cameras cost quite a bit of money, and they have to be durable so they won’t break when something small happens to them, so manufacturers pass the cost of the cameras onto customers, which adds to the overall cost of trucks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do Trucks Last Longer Than Cars?
Trucks will typically last much longer than your average car. This is largely thanks to their superb design, continual progression, most valuable materials, and overall powerful build and action.
This is another reason they are so popular and so expensive. You can have a family vehicle, off-roader, and sporty vehicle all in one package if you buy a truck. Know that if you choose this route (despite the expense) you will be getting a vehicle that’s bound to last for years.
Do Pickup Trucks Hold Their Value?
Of all the vehicles in the world, SUVs and pickup trucks are the two types that will best hold their value. Some of them can hold up to as much as half of their original value.
This is another reason trucks are a popular investment. This of course means they will still be expensive even when you’re buying one used, but that also means it will likely be just as reliable.
Are Pickup Trucks Overpriced?
This is a difficult question to answer, especially in light of recent events in the economy. For certain brands, this might be true.
Trucks can boast a lot of features and therefore they are allowed to hike up the price almost as much as they want to.
Most trucks could be considered fairly priced for everything they offer, but there are a few more basic trucks that might be asking just a little bit too much for what they offer.
Pickup trucks cost quite a bit of money because of the features that they have and because of the materials that they are made out of. Keep that in mind when you are looking to purchase a truck!
