Price matters when buying a new car or truck. However, reliability is key to making a good car or truck buying decision. Reliability is bigger than just how often stuff goes wrong on your vehicle. There are some vehicles that don’t break all that often, or don’t break at all, at least in the first few years; however, when something does go wrong or some maintenance needs doing, the design makes the work hard and slow. This is why understanding the cost of ownership is so important. So what is the cheapest pickup truck brand to own? You probably already know, right? I’ll give you a moment to think. Got it. Yep. It’s Toyota. Toyota pickup trucks are the cheapest pickup trucks to own. Let’s see why. 

Toyota pickup trucks are the cheapest pickups to own

Toyotas are nothing if not reliable. This legendary Japanese brand has built its reputation on reliability. However, Toyotas aren’t just tough; they are also friendly to work on. This keeps repair costs down when they come up. 

What is the most reliable pickup truck ever?

As many truck fans know, the original Toyota Pickup Truck is famously known for its stubborn will to keep driving. The boys at Top Gear proved this bit of colloquialism out to be pretty true. After a series of inhumane efforts to destroy the plucky little truck, it continued to fire up. Others have continued to stupidly reprove this truth.

The engine at the heart of this legendary pickup truck is the venerable 22R. This little four-cylinder engine is what Toyota began building its reliability reputation on. 

How much does it cost to own a Toyota? 

Buying a new Toyota these days will require a serious bit of cash. For instance, the 2023 Toyota Tundra starts at $37,865 and climbs far higher than that. As most car owners understand, buying your ride is only the beginning of the money you’ll spend on it. 

While Toyota makes some of the most reliable vehicles on the market, they can only stay that way if they are well-maintained. Things like tire rotations and oil changes are essential to keeping your car running and driving well. 

Consumer Reports says, “When comparing cumulative costs by brand for years one through five and six through 10, we found that Toyota had the lowest maintenance costs. At the opposite end of the rankings, several German automakers are clustered as the most expensive brands, namely Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.” 

High maintenance costs will kill you

Consumer Reports makes a good distinction here. Maintenance may not be as dramatic and exciting as reliability, but you cannot have one without the other. So, if even the most reliable trucks have to have the same maintenance, then shouldn’t we want the pickup truck with the lowest cost of maintenance? 

Buying cars and trucks is hard. There are a lot of factors that make the process difficult, confusing, and frustrating. The worst part is, if you pick poorly, it can be quite an expensive mistake. When buying a new pickup truck or car, always remember to do your research, take your time, and choose wisely.