According to recent data, the average price of a new car in the U.S. is $48,644. Surprisingly, this means that almost every new pickup truck can be had for less than the average price, with the exception of a few outliers like the Rivian R1T and the GMC Hummer EV.

If you buy an entry-level model, $48,644 will get you a Silverado, an F-150, a Tundra, a Tacoma, a Maverick, or just about anything else. But we wanted to see how much power you could get for that price, and that power had to translate into something. Nobody really cares how fast a truck goes from 0 to 60 mph, but everyone cares about towing capacity, and that’s the yardstick we used. So what’s the highest towing capacity you can get for less than the average price of a new car? Let’s find out.

1 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD WT – $46,500

Towing capacity: 16,000 lbs

With a Chevy we can go up to the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD model and even if we add the $1,995 delivery fee, for a total of $48,495, we are still $149 under the limit as long as we stay with the base Regular Cab and Long Bed. That brings us to 16,000 lbs with Crew Cab and Standard Bed with rear-wheel drive.

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The same configuration in the 2500 Silverado gets you to 14,500 lbs of towing capacity, while the 1500 with a Duramax 3.0-liter 6-cylinder turbodiesel engine maxes out at 13,300 lbs, which means upgrading to a Trail Boss, bringing our total cost to over $56,000 before we even added the towing equipment. Performance-wise, the 2024 GMC Sierra 3500 with the same configuration is practically the same truck, but it starts at $48,595 before the destination fee. In short, the base 3500 is the best value Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra if you’re looking for monstrous towing capacity.

2 2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman – $45,250

Towing capacity: 15,540 lbs

With a regular cab and an 8-foot-long bed, the 2024 Ram 2500 Tradesman gives you a towing capacity of just over 15,000 pounds in base trim, putting it just behind the Silverado 3500 HD and just ahead of the Ford F-250, which is about the same price. With a $1,995 delivery charge, the price rises to $47,245, which is still more than a thousand dollars less than the average price of a new car. Compared to the 1500 models, a 2024 Ram 1500 Tradesman with a 5.7-liter Hemi can tow at least 8,000 pounds, with an MSRP starting at $42,465, leaving you plenty of money for options and packages if you don’t need to haul more than four tons of cargo.

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3 2024 Ford F-250XL – $44,970

Towing capacity: 14,800 lbs

If you’re looking for an F-Series that can tow a small house, a Ford F-250 XL Super-Duty (base model 2024) for $44,970 with no options or accessories is what you need. Even if we add delivery costs, we’re still more than a thousand dollars short of the $46,965 minimum price. With the base 6.8-liter engine, you’ll have a minimum towing capacity of 14,800 pounds with a regular cab and 8-foot box with rear-wheel drive.

4 2024 Toyota Tundra SR5 – $45,500

Towing capacity: 12,000 lbs

In 4×2 configuration, the Toyota Tundra SR5 model offers six tons of towing capacity without any upgrades. In fact, the next trim level, the Limited at $51,855, reduces towing capacity to 11,400 pounds. In 4×4 guise, the Tundra SR5 can still tow 11,200 pounds, and this upgrade would bring us to a total of $48,500, which is still just under the price of the average new car, but only until we add the $1,850 delivery fee, which would bring us to $50,350. The SR5 comes standard with a crew cab and a 6.5-foot-long bed.

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5 2024 Nissan Titan Crew Cab SV – $46,690

Towing capacity: 9,299 lbs

With a $2,010 delivery charge, the entry-level 2024 Nissan Titan will cost just $56 more than the average price of a new car, but we’re still in the black on the base MSRP. This configuration gets you a crew cab and a 73.3-inch-long bed, as well as a 9,299-pound towing capacity. The Nissan Titan is definitely the underachiever of the full-size lineup for 2024. This might explain why the Titan will ride off into the sunset at the end of this model year, as it simply can’t keep up with its powerful pickup truck counterparts.

6 2024 Chevrolet Colorado WT TurboMax with Extended Trailering Package – $32,180

Towing capacity: 7,700 lbs

With a Crew Cab, Short Box, 4×2 construction, a 2024 Chevrolet Colorado base WT model can deliver a class-leading towing capacity of 7,700 lbs. That only requires a few basic upgrades: a 220-amp generator for $150, a TurboMax engine for $1,050, and the Advanced Trailering Package for $945. The base model starts at $29,800, so with a $1,595 delivery fee, we’re at just $33,775 total. If you want the most towing capacity possible for under $35,000, this is how to get there.

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7 2024 GMC Canyon Elevation 2WD – $37,440

Towing capacity: 7,700 lbs

The GMC Canyon is mechanically similar to the Chevy Colorado, but there’s a noticeable price difference. With a 220-amp generator for $150, a TurboMax engine, and a ProGrade towing system for $990, the $36,300 base model Elevation costs $37,440, making us pay $5,260 more than the Chevy. And that’s without the $1,595 delivery fee, which brings us to $39,035. The main thing you get for the extra $5,000 is a nicer interior.

8 2024 Jeep Gladiator Sport 4×4 – $43,685

Towing capacity: 7,700 lbs

The 2024 Jeep Gladiator starts at a base MSRP of $37,895, but to unlock 7,700 lbs of towing capacity, you’ll need to add the $2,500 8-speed automatic transmission, the Max-Tow package for $1,995, and the trailer hitch and auxiliary switch group for $1,295, which brings us to $43,685 before the $1,895 destination charge, which brings us to $45,580, which puts us on par with the Colorado and still below the average price of a new car, but if your primary interest in a pickup truck is towing, you might as well be looking at a full-size Ford F-250 or a Ram 2500 Tradesman at that price.

9 2024 Ford Ranger XL – $33,215

Towing capacity: 7,500 lbs

With the $495 trailering package, the 2024 Ford Ranger is ready to tow 7,500 pounds in every configuration except the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with all-wheel drive, which tops out at 5,510 pounds. A base XL starts at an MSRP of $32,720, with the trailering package bringing us to $33,215. With a $1,595 delivery fee and a $695 acquisition fee, our total is $35,505. The price difference between a Ford Ranger and a Chevy Colorado equipped for 7,700 pounds is marginal, as is the difference in towing capacity, so there’s no shame in choosing brand loyalty here.

10 2024 Nissan Frontier King Cab S 4×2 – $31,015

Towing capacity: 6,640 lbs

To get the maximum towing capacity out of the Nissan Frontier, you’ll need a rear-wheel-drive King Cab S model. That starts us off at a base MSRP of $30,510, and if we want to add a $505 towing package, we’re at $31,015. The $1,510 delivery charge brings us to $32,525.

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The Frontier is more than 1,000 pounds heavier than the 7,500-pound Colorado, which will cost you a little more than $1,000. But the Frontier is known for its reliability, so the Nissan might be a better long-term investment if you want to join the frequent drivers’ club.