Americans love pickup trucks — they are our national vehicle.
Pickups are practical and fun to drive. You can use them for work, home projects, or road trips. Your kids can ride in the back if they’re acting up. And they’re a symbol of a core American identity: toughness, a spirit for adventure, a life philosophy grounded in pragmatism and enterprise. (RELATED: Trump Makes Big Move To Bring Small (But Awesome) Trucks Back To America)
But in recent years, pickups have gotten wildly expensive. So expensive, in fact, that I find it hard to believe that Americans are keeping themselves out of a debt trap after purchasing them.
More than 233,000 full-sized pickups were sold in December 2025, making it the best month for trucks in five years, and the sixth best in the past decade, according to a January Kelley Blue Book Report.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 27: A new Chevy truck is displayed at the New York International Auto Show on March 27, 2024, in New York City. The annual show, which opens to the public on March 29th, is one of the largest auto shows in the world and reveals numerous new car models for both the public and the media. This year’s show includes an emphasis on new electric and hybrid models. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
However, the average price of a full-sized pickup truck has soared. In December, the average price clocked in at $66,386, just below a record set in October. In total, Americans spent over $15 billion on retail and fleet sales of full-size pickups.
What average, middle-class American can afford this without draining their savings and going into debt?
Maybe I’m wrong, but I think if you asked the average American what they would want out of a truck, I reckon most would say they want reliability, a large enough bed for work purposes, and a simpler, stripped-down version that doesn’t have all the unnecessary bells and whistles that jack up the price. We don’t need an iPad built into the dashboard. We don’t all need these complicated screen options and useless luxuries. I would take leather and analog inside a retro design, over plastic, synthetics, and a Tesla-style exterior.
All these new technologies add to the cost of manufacturing the vehicle, and maybe Americans want the gadgets and gizmos. The newer, bigger trucks are also built to maximize towing power (which a lot of people do use) and feature off-road capabilities (which most consumers probably don’t even use), but are nonetheless cool. I could be missing something completely, blind to the fact that consumers actually love expensive trucks because they serve as a status symbol. Perhaps, trucks are becoming no different than luxury Mercedes cars, just more practical.
The Ford Maverick, on the other hand, is a smaller, compact truck that is relatively more affordable. You can buy a stripped-down version without the frills. But still, that vehicle, bought new, will cost close to $30,000. The bed is also quite small, making it impractical for people who need it for work and transportation.
President Donald Trump recently made a big move to eliminate a fuel regulation that was making the production of smaller trucks more costly, and therefore disincentivizing auto companies. But we need to go further. We need affordable, full-size pickup trucks that are simple, well-made, and won’t ensnare you in a debt trap.
Americans will always purchase vehicles because they can signal status, and some are just awesome and cool, and to drive one is pure bliss. That’s amazing. But Americans should also have the option to buy a full-size pickup truck at a reasonable price. They should have a choice to upgrade with fancy accessories, and not be forced to pay for things they don’t even want or use. The truck is in our lifeblood as Americans, and we shouldn’t have to break the bank to continue this great tradition.
If you are a truck owner, let me know what you think about the rising costs and whether auto companies should bring back smaller, more affordable trucks. jloftus@dailycaller.com.
