Best pick-up truck: how to choose a used one for work, loads and leisure

• The Ford Ranger T6 (2011–2022) is an all-round used pick-up for work and towing. The 2.2 TDCi engine is enough for everyday use, while the 3.2 TDCi five-cylinder suits frequent towing and long journeys. Depending on the version, the XL from the 2016 line-up can tow up to 3,500 kg and carry a payload of up to 1,041 kg.
• After its 2019 facelift, the Mitsubishi L200 with the Super Select 4WD II system can be driven in four-wheel drive even on dry tarmac. That makes it a good fit for switching between road, snow and farm tracks. It can tow up to 3,100 kg.
• The Toyota Hilux suits heavy work off the tarmac. The first-generation Volkswagen Amarok (2010–2020) and the Nissan Navara D23 (2015–2021) are for those who mostly drive their pick-up on the road and carry passengers.
• A double cab suits families and leisure, a single or extended cab suits long loads. Each extra row of seats takes length away from the load bed.
• In a used pick-up, a healthy chassis frame, suspension with no signs of overloading and a drivetrain service history come before specification and looks.

A pick-up combines a cab for the crew with an open load bed that is separate from the cab. You can load wet firewood, a muddy bike or bags of cement without the upholstery suffering. On the European used market you will most often come across five models with diesel engines and 4×4: the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200, Volkswagen Amarok and Nissan Navara. The best pick-up for you isn't decided by the brand or the power output. It is decided by the cab, the payload, towing and how much you will drive on tarmac. With a used one, there is also the question of how much hard work the vehicle already has behind it. How part-time four-wheel drive with low range works is explained in the article How 4x4 works.

The following editorial selection is not a ranking. Each model suits a different use.

Ford Ranger T6: a workhorse with two engines

With the smaller 2.2 TDCi diesel, the Ranger is a sensible choice for a driver who will use the load bed and off-road ability but doesn't need a big power reserve. Carrying tools, garden machinery or sports equipment doesn't require the more powerful engine. A well-kept Ranger 2.2 TDCi is therefore a better buy than a neglected, more powerful example with signs of heavy use.

You will appreciate the 3.2 TDCi five-cylinder when overtaking, climbing and on long journeys with a loaded vehicle. It pays off where loads or towing are more than an occasional weekend job. The more powerful engine doesn't raise the payload or the permitted trailer weight, though: the limits of 3,500 kg and 1,041 kg apply only to certain versions of the XL.

Mitsubishi L200: for switching between road and unsurfaced tracks

After its 2019 facelift, the Mitsubishi L200 has a 2.2-litre diesel with 110 kW. For mixed use, the most interesting version is the one with the Super Select 4WD II system. It lets you leave four-wheel drive engaged even on a dry road, which helps when clear tarmac alternates with wet and snow-covered stretches. The basic Easy Select 4WD system works like a conventional part-time four-wheel drive. When choosing, look mainly at the name of the drive system rather than at cosmetic extras or wheel size.

Toyota Hilux: for work that doesn't spare the vehicle

The Hilux has built its reputation as a working vehicle that tolerates rough treatment and high mileages. It suits forestry, building sites or farms, where the vehicle spends a lot of time off the tarmac and is expected to last for many years. That reputation usually comes at a premium on the used market. On the road it feels firmer and noisier than the Amarok or the Navara.

Volkswagen Amarok: the closest to a passenger car

The first-generation Amarok has a wide cab and a composed chassis. On roads and motorways it behaves most like a passenger car of the five. The 3.0 V6 TDI six-cylinder introduced with the 2016 facelift is well suited to heavy trailers and long trips. Watch the drivetrain version: part-time 4Motion with low range suits off-road use, while permanent 4Motion with the automatic suits winter roads but has no low range. The second generation (from 2022) is technically related to the new-generation Ford Ranger.

Nissan Navara D23: for the crew and comfort

The double-cab Navara has coil springs at the rear instead of leaf springs. So when empty it bounces less over bumps and is more comfortable on the road than most of its rivals. It suits you if the pick-up mainly carries people, bikes, skis or camping gear and you only occasionally load the bed to the full.

The cab decides how much length is left for the load bed. On the same model, a more basic version can therefore often carry work equipment better than the most expensive double-cab version. Double cabs dominate among used pick-ups.

For a family, choose a double cab; for cargo, choose the load bed by the length of the load. A motorbike, a ride-on mower or pallets may need more room than the vehicle's outside size suggests. The width of the bed is also limited by the wheel arches. Driving with the tailgate down is no substitute for a longer bed: the load is harder to secure and the tailgate can get in the way of a trailer.

Payload, load bed dimensions and towing capacity describe three different abilities. A bed full of light equipment may still have spare capacity, while a small pile of building materials can use up the payload.

The Ford Ranger XL can tow up to 3,500 kg and carry up to 1,041 kg, and the Mitsubishi L200 can tow up to 3,100 kg. You usually can't use both maximums at once, though, because the gross train weight limits them. Accessories also eat into the payload: a hard top, a drawer system, a winch or heavy protective bars. For work, a lighter and simply equipped version is therefore often more practical than one kitted out for expeditions.

Before you buy a vehicle for towing, check the permitted trailer weight and gross train weight in its registration documents, along with the tow bar's ratings. A figure for the whole model range is not enough: the values differ by cab, engine and gearbox.

Most pick-ups drive the rear wheels as standard, and the driver engages the front axle. A rigid connection between the axles belongs only on slippery surfaces, though; on dry tarmac it would strain the drivetrain and tyres. Low range shortens the gearing for slow off-road driving or for pulling away uphill or from a wet field with a heavy trailer.

All-wheel drive helps with pulling away and traction, but it doesn't shorten braking distances and doesn't replace winter tyres.

A pick-up built to carry loads is more unsettled than an SUV when unladen. A rear axle on leaf springs bounces over bumps, jolts reach the cab and large wheels with off-road tyres add noise. A double cab doesn't remove these traits. Of the five, the Volkswagen Amarok and the Nissan Navara D23 with rear coil springs feel the most comfortable.

For mostly on-road use, choose standard suspension, road or moderate all-season tyres and an automatic gearbox. Raised suspension and aggressive tread only make sense if you really use them off the tarmac. Otherwise they make steering, getting in and parking worse.

If the vehicle will mostly carry the family and clean luggage, an SUV or estate is more practical. A pick-up pays off for its separate load bed, work use and carrying loads away from paved roads.

The biggest risks are long-term overloading, corrosion and amateur modifications. Shiny paint and well-kept seats won't reveal what has been going on under the load bed. Low mileage doesn't necessarily mean an easy life either: the vehicle may have made short trips through mud with a heavy trailer.

Checklist before you buy

• Chassis frame and its mountings: deep corrosion, deformation or amateur welds call for a thorough professional inspection. Fresh protective underseal can hide the condition of the underbody.
• Load bed and tailgate: a buckled floor, damaged tie-down points and a tailgate that doesn't close properly reveal rough treatment. Scratches are normal on a working vehicle.
• Suspension and drivetrain: play, oil leaks, vibration and drive modes that don't work, including low range, mean further expense.
• Tow bar: its condition, mounting and consistency with the documents, not just the presence of a tow ball under the bumper.
• Service history: oil changes in the gearbox, transfer box and differentials, not just in the engine.
• Aftermarket modifications: bigger wheels, raised suspension and heavy accessories worsen handling and reduce the payload.

A pick-up with the right combination of cab, engine, drive system and tow bar is hard to find in a single country. Carvago has the widest range of used cars: roughly a million cars from dealers in several European countries. Even in the narrow pick-up segment, the choice is therefore larger, usually by an order of magnitude, than on a local market.

Before sale, a technician checks every car as part of the CarAudit™ inspection, with up to 270 checkpoints. The inspection covers the available information on the vehicle's history and legal status, an inspection of the exterior, interior and technical components, diagnostics and a test drive. You know the result before you decide to buy, and Carvago guarantees the condition stated in the certificate. Every car comes with a free extended warranty.

Before the sale, Carvago buys the vehicle from the original seller, becomes its owner and takes on its risks. So you buy directly from Carvago. Once the purchase is approved, Carvago uses a power of attorney to handle the paperwork, including registration in your country, and as standard delivers the vehicle to your door, so you can drive off as soon as you take it over.

Is a load bed with a hard top as practical as a boot?

Not entirely. A hard top or a roller cover protects the load from rain and prying eyes, but items near the cab are harder to reach and a hard top reduces the payload. How well it keeps out water and dust varies with the design and the condition of the seals.

Is a pick-up suitable for a dog?

An open load bed is not suitable for carrying a dog. It belongs in a secured transport crate in the cab or under a closed hard top. Even a closed hard top needs ventilation and protection from overheating, though, because heat builds up quickly inside in summer.

Why does a pick-up with an empty load bed easily slide at the rear in winter?

Most of an empty pick-up's weight sits on the front axle, so the rear wheels carry little load and easily lose traction on snow or in the wet. On a snow-covered road, engage the front axle and drive an empty pick-up more carefully than you would a passenger car.

1. https://nyheder.ford.dk/pressreleases/pickup-til-det-grove-og-til-det-sjove-ford-ranger-med-nyt-design-mere-sikkerhed-og-flere-kraefter-1410536
2. https://www.mitsubishi-motors.at/ueber-uns/presseportal/der-neue-l200
3. https://carvago.com/caraudit
4. https://carvago.com/how-carvago-works
5. https://carvago.com/car-delivery