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HomeBusinessThe 15 Fastest Pickup Trucks Ever Put to the Test by MotorTrend

The 15 Fastest Pickup Trucks Ever Put to the Test by MotorTrend

 

 

The 15 fastest pickup trucks tested by MotorTrend


Just because a vehicle is a pickup truck doesn’t mean it has to be sluggish. In fact, many trucks boast impressive power-to-weight ratios when empty. While low-end torque and suitable gearing are typically crucial for hauling loads, sometimes manufacturers surprise us by equipping their more practical models with fantastic acceleration.

 

Here’s a rundown of the 15 quickest accelerating production trucks ever tested by MotorTrend. People often confuse “quickest” with “fastest.” Remember, “fastest” means top speed, while “quickest” relates to how fast a vehicle can go from zero to sixty miles per hour, which is the focus of this article. We’ve scrutinized our testing data to rank the trucks based on their 0–60 mph times. If two trucks had identical times, we turned to quarter-mile performance as the tiebreaker and then evaluated trap speeds. Our list includes everything from high-powered street trucks to rugged off-roaders, luxurious models, and even an electric vehicle. Each is impressively quick for a truck, with some being quick by any standard.

 

2004 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning | 0–60 MPH: 5.1 sec

The 2004 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning was the fastest Ford truck we had ever clocked at the time, and it was the first on our list to hit 100 mph in the quarter mile, completing it in 13.6 seconds at a speed of 102 mph. This truck is powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 engine, delivering 380 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. It utilizes a four-speed automatic transmission to send this power to the rear wheels, allowing it to reach 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds.

 

2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10 | 0–60 MPH: 4.9 sec

The Dodge Ram SRT-10, equipped with a Viper engine, stands out as one of the most extreme street trucks until the advent of the TRX. It boasts a staggering 0–60 time of 4.9 seconds and covers the quarter mile in 13.2 seconds. Powered by an enormous 8.3-liter V-10 producing 500 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque, this truck could be paired with a six-speed manual transmission similar to that of the Viper. Though a sub-5.0-second time is impressive, the SRT-10 now faces stiff competition from newer sport truck models.

 

2025 Ram 1500 Tradesman S.O. | 0–60 MPH: 4.8 sec

It’s exciting to see a work truck in 2024 outpacing the legendary Ram SRT-10 from two decades ago. This model comes with a new Hurricane inline-six engine that provides an impressive 420 hp and 469 lb-ft of torque in its basic “Standard Output” version. This powerful engine, a $2,695 option for the entry-level Ram 1500 Tradesman, enables it to reach 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. A combination of the Tradesman’s simplified features and lighter weight, along with the Hurricane’s smooth power delivery, contributes to its performance.

 

2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten H.O. | 0–60 MPH: 4.4 sec

If you read the Tradesman details above and were curious whether Ram offers a High Output version of the Hurricane engine (as the Standard Output designation suggests),

The high-output version of the Ram 1500 is exclusively available for premium models, generating an impressive 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque. This power is sufficient to push the luxurious and somewhat heavy 1500 Tungsten trim from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. While it matches the supercharged Tundra’s 0-60 time, the Tundra pulls ahead in the quarter mile, breaking the tie.

 

2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Supercharged | 0–60 MPH: 4.4 sec

Despite being a decade old, the earlier version of the Tundra TRD Supercharged is still one of the fastest production trucks we’ve ever tested. The installation of TRD components, including the supercharger, did not void the new vehicle warranty, as they were ordered and fitted at the dealership. With a remarkable 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and a quarter-mile run completed in 13.0 seconds at 106.3 mph, this Tundra claimed the quick pickup title back in its testing days. It featured a supercharged 5.7-liter V-8 producing a staggering 504 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

 

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro | 0–60 MPH: 4.2 sec

Is it surprising that even the most basic version of the Ford F-150 Lightning can accelerate to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds? With each Lightning powered by at least 452 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque from dual electric motors, and when you consider the lightest and least equipped variant (the base Pro model), such performance becomes expected.

 

2023 Ford F-150 XLT FP700 | 0–60 MPH: 4.1 sec

Who doesn’t appreciate a high-performance truck that isn’t overpriced? The Ford Performance FP700 kit for the 5.0-liter F-150 boosts the horsepower to 700 (with torque reaching 590 lb-ft) due to its Whipple supercharger. Alongside stickers, a rear suspension lowering kit, and 22-inch wheels, the nearly $13,000 upgrade results in stunning performance: a 0-60 mph time of just 4.1 seconds! It’s important to note that the truck we tested was potentially the lightest configuration available, a two-door, regular-cab, short-bed XLT trim. But that’s still impressive!

 

2022 Ram 1500 TRX | 0–60 MPH: 3.9 sec

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The Ram 1500 TRX, introduced in 2020, features a powerful 702-hp 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine, instantly positioning it ahead of the standard Ford F-150 Raptor. With 252 more horsepower than the six-cylinder Ford, the TRX easily beats it in a quarter-mile run, achieving 60 mph in a mere 3.9 seconds. However, the competition gets closer with the Raptor R, which, powered by a supercharged V-8, clocks in at 3.7 seconds. (Initially, we recorded a 2021 TRX model at 4.1 seconds, which earned it the title of the fastest pickup back then.) That title has since shifted to a different type of vehicle.

 

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range | 0–60 MPH: 3.8 sec

 

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning may not appear extraordinary, but that’s intentional. As America’s best-selling vehicle, Ford doesn’t see the need to change a winning formula. Instead, they enhance it. The Lightning is essentially an F-150 modified with large batteries and electric motors. In its sleeker Lariat version (in relative terms), it achieves a swift 0–60 mph time of 3.8 seconds—making it faster than most gasoline-powered trucks listed here. (When we tested the heavier Platinum, it clocked a touch slower at 4.0 seconds for 0-60.)

 

With acceleration like this, it’s clear that electric vehicles (EVs) represent the future.

 

2024 Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor | 0–60 MPH: 3.8 sec

The Dual Motor Tesla Cybertruck boasts a quarter-mile trap speed that’s just slightly faster than the 2022 F-150 Lightning, giving it an edge. Both vehicles achieve 3.8 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and complete the quarter mile in 12.6 seconds. Notably, this is the most affordable version of the Cybertruck currently available, especially since Tesla has discontinued the single-motor rear-drive variant, making its performance impressive at this price point.

 

2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R | 0–60 MPH: 3.7 sec

After seeing the groundbreaking F-150 Raptor and its twin-turbo V-6 surpassed by the more powerful Ram 1500 TRX with a supercharged V-8, Ford responded in 2023 with the supercharged Raptor R, which also features a V-8. Initially, the Raptor R didn’t quite match the TRX’s power output, but it managed to outperform it on the track, achieving a 3.7-second sprint to 60 mph. With an added 20 horsepower for this year, the Raptor R’s performance could improve even more.

 

2023 Rivian R1T Dual Motor Performance | 0–60 MPH: 3.3 sec

The Rivian R1T electric pickup and its GMC R1S SUV counterpart made a splash in 2022 with their quad-motor setups, which provide exceptional off-road performance and handling. The dual-motor versions, like the one highlighted here, still offer impressive speeds, only lagging by 0.2 seconds to reach 60 mph.

 

2022 Rivian R1T Quad Motor | 0–60 MPH: 3.1 sec

Unlike the Ram 1500 TRX, which uses a traditional and fuel-thirsty V-8 engine, the Rivian R1T takes a modern approach with its all-electric four-motor system—one motor for each wheel! This configuration delivers a staggering 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque, powered by a 135-kWh battery. Despite its weight, the formidable R1T can achieve 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds, and only takes 3.2 seconds off-road. When compared to the TRX, the R1T is a full second faster to reach 60 mph, and its quarter-mile times are impressive as well, clocking in at 11.6 seconds on road tires and 11.7 seconds on all-terrain tires. These numbers are comparable to some high-performance sports cars and significantly faster than any gasoline truck available. The 2024 model of the R1T Quad Motor boasts over 1,000 hp, and we anticipate its performance will exceed that of its predecessor once we have the chance to test it.

 

2022 GMC Hummer EV | 0–60 MPH: 3.0 sec

Achieving a 0-60 mph time of 3.0 seconds is remarkable for any vehicle, but even more so for a truck weighing 4.5 tons. This impressive performance comes from the Hummer EV Edition 1, which features three electric motors producing a massive 1,000 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. This amount of power allows the bulky Hummer pickup to reach 60 mph faster than nearly any other truck on the market. While the larger, less aerodynamic Hummer takes the lead over the Rivian R1T in terms of sheer power, it falls short in quarter-mile performance, trailing by 0.1 to 0.2 seconds and a few mph. Nevertheless, an 11.7-second quarter mile run at 105.4 mph is astounding.

 

2024 Tesla Cybertruck Beast Tri-Motor | 0–60 MPH: 2.5 sec

If you’re a fan of the Tesla Cybertruck, why not go for the top-tier model instead of settling for the lesser versions? The tri-motor “Beast” variant delivers an impressive 845 hp and a sensible curb weight, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. While this speed is absolutely astonishing, it’s still not fast enough to change the opinions of those who dislike the truck.

 

The 15 fastest pickup trucks ever tested by MotorTrend

  • 2004 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning
  • 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10
  • 2025 Ram 1500 Tradesman S.O.
  • 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten H.O.
  • 2008 Toyota Tundra TRD Supercharged
  • 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro
  • 2023 Ford F-150 XLT FP700
  • 2022 Ram 1500 TRX
  • 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat Extended Range
  • 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor
  • 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R
  • 2023 Rivian R1T Dual Motor Performance
  • 2022 Rivian R1T Quad Motor
  • 2022 GMC Hummer EV
  • 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Beast Tri-Motor