Our Favorite Tow Truck Base Models For 2021

For years, pickup trucks have been synonymous with rugged power and utilitarian design – qualities perfect for towing service.  It’s only been recently that expensive and luxurious  have been included in the common lexicon for commercial pickups.  While some of the luxury appointments and attachments merit the cost for towing business, most operators can forego the heated or cooled leather seats, self-parking features, or fancy touchscreen options.

Are you ready to buy that truck? Read through our list to discover which ones are the most affordable today:

Jeep Gladiator

Want a convertible pickup? The Jeep Gladiator is the only one that happens to be that. This four-door pickup has off-road capabilities and additional diesel engine options. The most affordable configuration you can get is the one with a 3.6-l gasoline V-6 engine. This powerful vehicle also has a six-speed manual transmission.

Ram 1500

For full-size pickups, you’d want to take a closer look at this Ram 1500. If you want the cheapest form available, they’ll give you the extended Ram Tradesman, a V-6 engine, and a rear-wheel drive. Unfortunately, a regular-cab model is not available. If you are really looking for an even more affordable one, you can get the older model, which is the Ram 1500 Classic.

Toyota Tundra

Toyota Tundra has been available for quite some time now and is bound to be replaced soon. However, until that happens, you can still buy this reliable one or the other affordable models Toyota has to offer.  The most affordable way to get it is to select the one that has an SR trim level with an extended-cab form. This truck comes with the standard V-8 engine, which is great because most trucks have the V-6 engine. Another way to make this, even more, cheaper is to have industrial-grade vinyl sheets instead of cloth upholstery. The door locks will also lose the power functions if you choose the cheapest version.

Chevy Colorado

Compared to its twin, the GMC Canyon, the Chevy Colorado is a more affordable option. However, the older models are cheaper because of the updates and changes for 2021. Instead of having a base trim, it now has the Work Truck version. It also has a 2.5l engine with rear-wheel drive. With the rear seats removed, the price significantly drops by a few hundred dollars.

GMC Canyon

The GMC Canyon is also on this list as it is the most basic pickup that Canyon has. This has an Elevation trim that we love because it looks better and is better-equipped than the previous SL models. Like the Chevy Colorado, it also has the 2.5l inline-four and a rear-wheel drive. You can also drop the price even more if you choose to have the rear-seats removed.

Nissan Frontier

Previously, the Nissan Frontier was the most affordable pickup truck you can buy but with the new engine for 2021, that has changed. Instead of a four-cylinder engine and manual transmission, the newer 2021 models now have a V-6 engine with a 3.8l capacity. This is the main cause why the price has significantly risen. The new engine is the only main change that this vehicle has as the other parts and features are the same as the older models. However, do watch out for the redesigned version in 2022.

Nissan Titan

The Nissan Titan is usually a competitor to look out for when it comes to full-size trucks. However, the 2021 version is quite different. Nissan changed this up by removing some variants like the XD and regular cab models. Some of those were also equipped with the Cummins diesel engine. For 2021, the Nissan Titan now has a gasoline-powered V-8 engine with a 5.6-liter capacity. The only forms available are the crew-cab and extended-cab. However, we liked that this model is decently equipped even if it costs a bit more than what Chevy, Ford, and Ram have to offer.

Ford Ranger

One of the most affordable trucks you can buy today is the Ford Ranger. Unlike the previous versions, the size is upgraded. Just like it used to, it still has various forms available like the XL extended-cab. The additional couple of hundred savings due to the removal of the rear seats is not available as that option is now a no-cost option.

Toyota Tacoma

If you are in here to find an affordable and small pickup truck, then that would be in the form of the Toyota Tacoma. It has a reputation for being affordable, reliable, and a capable truck. This is the most affordable truck you can get for 2021, at least for now. This is due to the Utility package available. This package saves a whopping $1700 savings. It removes the bumper paints, exterior trim pieces, rear sliding window, and rear seats.

Taking Care Of Cheap Trucks

Even if your trucks are the most affordable ones in the market, that doesn’t mean that you should not properly care for them. They still cost a lot and you can get the most out of your money if you know how to use them and maintain them properly.