Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Two things are true in today’s car market: Vehicles are more expensive than ever, and pickup trucks continue to dominate the sales charts. And if affordability is an issue for most vehicles in 2025, it’s an even bigger problem for pickup trucks, which, generally speaking, have always been pricier than their passenger-car counterparts. 

So what about buying a used truck? It’s not so easy there either. All of the characteristics that make a pickup truck desirable to new-vehicle buyers carry over to the used market as well, and the result is that pickups often have excellent resale value. Just take a look around your local used car listings, and you’ll see five, 10, or even 20-year-old pickups with asking prices that seem too high to be real. 

But that’s the state of the market, and for pickups, it’s been like that even before the post-pandemic used car boom. So while finding a true bargain on a popular used truck model is going to be difficult, there are still options that can provide a good value. You can still get a good used truck for $20,000 or under on today’s market, especially if you are open to light-duty trucks or an older, but proven full-size model. Consumer Reports is one of the leading names in ranking vehicles, both used and new, so let’s break down some of its picks for used trucks that can be purchased for under $20,000.

Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

When Ford introduced the Maverick for the 2022 model year, with its low base price and excellent fuel efficiency, it was a game-changer. Though its entry MSRP has climbed steadily since it debuted in 2022, the Maverick continues to be one of the most value-friendly and just plain sensible small trucks on the market. So what about used versions? With the early examples of the truck now over four years old, it’s not hard to find Mavericks under $20,000. But don’t expect to find many low-mileage or higher trim Mavericks in that price zone. 

Looking through classified listings, most of the used Mavericks priced under $20,000 are the front-wheel-drive hybrid version, which exchanges horsepower and capability for excellent fuel economy numbers, and for a lot of buyers, a Maverick Hybrid could be the perfect around-town pickup truck. But aside from all of the superficial debate over whether the Escape-based, unibody Maverick is a ‘real truck’ or not, there’s no denying its limits when compared to a traditional body-on-frame pickup.

If you are looking to carry heavy payloads, need big towing capacity, or are looking for serious off-road capability, you’ll probably need a pickup that’s a little more substantial than the Maverick. In other words, when compared to larger trucks, all of the pros and cons of a new Maverick apply to a used one as well.

betto rodrigues/Shutterstock

Consumer Reports ranked the 2017 and onward Honda Ridgeline as its best used pickup under $20,000. A lot of the stuff said about the Ford Maverick can also be said about the Ridgeline, only the Ridgeline is larger and has been on the market for longer. Like the Maverick, the Ridgeline uses a car-based architecture rather than a traditional body-on-frame design, and that’s exactly what makes Honda’s pickup stand out from the crowd. 

It’s no F-150 or even Ford Ranger when it comes to raw capability, but the Ridgeline punches far above its weight when it comes to interior space, flexibility, and casual truck tasks. With a budget of $20,000, you won’t find many nearly-new or fully-loaded versions of the Ridgeline on the market, but you can find plenty of earlier models with less than 100,000 miles on the odometer. And in terms of daily usability — especially for those with families — the Honda truck truly offers a lot for under 20 grand.

As an added benefit, the current Ridgeline has been around since the 2017 model year, and all second-generation models use the same engine. That means you can buy a Ridgeline that’s seven or eight years old without feeling like you’re driving an old, outdated truck. Again, while this one is not a ‘real’ body-on-frame pickup, it’s not hard at all to see why Consumer Reports gives its top honors to the Ridgeline.

Artistic Operations/Getty Images

The Maverick and Ridgeline are great, but if you need a more serious truck with a rugged, body-on-frame design, there’s the Tacoma. It’s not surprising that CR ranks the Toyota Tacoma so favorably. When it comes to reliability, the Tacoma is a bit of a legend, but that also means used ones don’t come cheap. For example, when looking at CarMax listings, the only Tacomas priced under $20,000 are about a decade old and are very bare bones versions with over 100,000 miles. A lot of them don’t even have the V6 but the base four-cylinder engine.

There are lots of things to keep in mind when shopping for a Toyota Tacoma, and in some ways, the idea of paying retail market value for an old Tacoma can be seen as a bit of a double-edged sword. Yes, you are buying one of the most trusted and reliable pickup trucks you can get, but you’re going to pay a price for it.

And when it comes to performance and features compared to other brands, you’re going to be sacrificing a lot in exchange for that reliability. Consumer Reports even points out specifically that older Tacomas lag behind the competition when it comes to things like power, interior comfort, and refinement. It’s up to you to decide whether the so-called ‘Toyota Tax’ is worth it.

Marekuliasz/Getty Images

What if you need a true, full-size half-ton pickup? Again, no surprise here, but Consumer Reports gives high ranks to the Toyota Tundra. A lot of the same aspects that benefit the Tacoma also apply to its full-size sibling. Both trucks are known for their reliability and were only recently given full redesigns after years of service on the same basic platforms. And like the Tacoma, used Tundras hold their value extremely well. 

What does this mean when shopping for sub-$20,000 Tundras? It means you’ll be looking at older trucks. In fact, with a budget of $20,000, you’ll be lucky to find a Tundra that’s newer than 10 years old. In that price range, it’s more likely you’re going to find Tundras that are closer to 15 years old, with well over 100,00 miles on them.

The good news, though, is that an old Tundra is not necessarily an ‘old Tundra’. Mechanically and platform-wise, Toyota sold the same second-generation Tundra from the 2007 model year to the 2021 model year, and the old 5.7-liter V8 is known to be a great engine that doesn’t suffer from the mechanical issues of the new turbo V6.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

While it’s good to know that there are some decent Consumer Reports-backed used truck options out there, there are some other important factors to consider before you settle on one. Just because a used pickup might be cheaper to buy than a new one doesn’t always mean it’s the smarter, long-term purchase. And this is part of the used car vs new car debate that applies to all vehicle purchases.

When looking at used trucks specifically, the same high resale values that make them seem expensive also mean that a new truck purchase may not be as risky as you think. If you do your research and don’t overpay for a new truck, you can retain a lot of your investment if or when you go to sell. Though the trucks on this list have generally been found to be reliable, most will be out of warranty, so you’ll be responsible for any repairs. For some truck buyers, the added peace of mind of a factory warranty is worth the extra upfront cost of a new truck.

A reasonably priced used pickup truck can absolutely serve its owner very well for a long time, but as with any major vehicle decision, it’s vital to do all the research you can and consider all your options before jumping into a long-term purchase that seems good on paper but could hide extra ownership costs.