2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
There's no satisfaction like someone taking your advice, and Chevrolet's midcycle refresh to its full-size Silverado directly addressed our criticisms of the truck.
2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year: The Contenders
These five big-time nameplates faced off for the title of MotorTrend Truck of the Year.
MotorTrend StaffWriterMotorTrend StaffPhotographer
We've already revealed the 2023 MotorTrend Car and SUV of the Year, and now it's time to open the envelope in the open-bed category, as one of these pickup trucks from Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Ram, and Toyota will take home the 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year award. The field was slightly down from last year's relatively large group (which saw the Rivian R1T emerge as the winner by the narrowest of margins), but the battle was no less fierce given the prominence of the five nameplates in attendance (seven variants in all): F-150, Silverado, Tundra, Sierra, and Ram 2500. Remember, our Of the Year contests don't function like our usual comparison tests, which pit two or more vehicles against each other under specific circumstances; instead, each vehicle at an OTY competition—or truck in this case, of course—faces off against our six key criteria in an attempt to claim the coveted Golden Calipers. Read on to see the alphabetized list of contenders for the title of 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year.
2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
This new interior is a drastic improvement over the old, a sentiment shared across our board of Truck of the Year judges. Not only do most trim levels now have a huge 13.4-inch touchscreen (larger than the non-Lightning F-150 or the Ram), but the infotainment system also features Google Maps and Google Assistant integration, which deliver a navigation interface better than Apple CarPlay, plus voice recognition that's actually, mostly, usable. Head here for the full 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 TOTY review
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
The fact the Ford F-150 Lightning ever had a $41,769 price tag was absurd. Here was a 452-hp all-electric full-size pickup truck with dual motors providing all-wheel drive and a 230-mile range. It cost less than an equivalent XL-trim crew-cab, four-wheel-drive gas-fed F-150—heck, it cost less than several all-wheel-drive compact electric cars and SUVs, including the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (our 2023 SUV of the Year), Volkswagen ID4, and Tesla Model 3. Of course, after hikes, that pricing is now but a dream.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
Even on the nicer XLT, Lariat, and Platinum models, the Lightning's interior isn't impressive, even if, as associate editor Duncan Brady pointed out, it's "exceptional that this detailed of a digital instrument cluster and this large of a touchscreen are included on the Pro, and a larger screen is available on upper trims." Still, other judges marveled at how roomy the interior is, especially the rear seat. Head here for the full 2022 Ford-F-150 Lightning TOTY review
2022 GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra received a significant midcycle update for 2022, but test vehicles weren't available in time for last year's Truck of the Year competition. So here it is.
2022 GMC Sierra 1500
The thorough update includes a GMC-specific interior design, but perhaps the most compelling thing in the cabin is what's available via the screens: not only wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but also a deep integration with Google. Google Maps powers the navigation, and tons of functions are just a Google Assistant voice prompt away. "Google integration is primo," deputy editor Alexander Stoklosa said. "I love how it reads back what you ask of it via on-screen text. It's really responsive, promptly delivering me search results and navigation directions and responding to natural voice queries." Head here for the full 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 TOTY review
2023 Ram 2500
Not everybody needs a range-topping Ram 2500 Power Wagon. In fact, not everybody needs a 2500, let alone a 1500. But there are still plenty of use cases for a big, capable truck, and the 2023 Ram 2500 Rebel doesn't disappoint, despite being engineered intentionally a notch down in capability from the almighty Power Wagon.
2023 Ram 2500
The adaptive cruise control is smooth, with head of editorial Ed Loh saying, "Smooth engagement, smooth on and off the brakes, and good lane centering, especially for such a large truck." The ride isn't so bad, thanks to such a comfortable interior, the top two trims of which come with nice leather-appointed seats and a well-conceived 12.0-inch console display, but the infotainment system has begun to show its age compared to newer, more responsive systems on the market. Head here for the full 2023 Ram 2500 TOTY review
2022 Toyota Tundra
Toyota's all-new-for-2022 Tundra was represented during TOTY by two trucks, a Platinum 4x4 and an off-road-ready TRD Pro. The Tundra struck us as a solid middle-of-the-road truck, but our list of complaints was worryingly long.
2022 Toyota Tundra
The cab drew criticism for its randomly placed switchgear, and the Platinum model was deemed insufficiently luxurious, though the TRD Pro, with its embroidered seats and contrast-color stitching, was a bigger hit. We were surprised that the big 14.0-inch center screen only shows one function at a time; it's as if Toyota simply scaled up small-screen graphics rather than designing an interface to fit the space. The system frustrated features editor Scott Evans, who asked, "Why is there no home screen where you can customize what you actually want to look at?" Head here for the full 2022 Toyota Tundra TOTY review