The best compact pickup trucks you can buy in 2025
Can you believe it? We're summarizing MotorTrend's Ultimate Car Rankings, which ranks every vehicle in every segment sold in America, and compact pickup trucks are a entirely separate category now! Or would that be again? Small rigs such as these were feared extinct for years — even trucks that, in previous lives were compacts have recently re-emerged as larger midsize models. We're talking about the Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado, of course. That means so far, the pickups that make up the compact truck segment are new, with new names.
So far, the segment is as tiny as the trucks, with only the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz competing for size- and price-conscious pickup shoppers. But rumor has it Toyota and others could be getting into the game. We'll include those if or when they arrive, so for now, here's how the compact pickup truck segment shakes out.
2. 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz | MT Score: 8.5/10
Hyundai has a genuinely good compact truck in the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz. Much as the Maverick is related to its Bronco Sport SUV kin, the Santa Cruz is essentially a Tucson compact crossover SUV with a small truck bed. But while the Maverick has the look of a truck, the Santa Cruz maintains the slicker lines of its crossover sibling and has a less utilitarian feel overall, though a new-for-2025 XRT off-road trim butches the appearance up nicely with more aggressive tires and red-painted tow hooks. And of course, the Santa Cruz is able to tow and haul more than the more popular Maverick, though the Hyundai’s minuscule (and not particularly tall) 4-foot bed hinders making practical use of all that capability.
The Santa Cruz’s car-like chassis means it drives very well, but it’s not as utilitarian as the Maverick — nor does it offer a hybrid powertrain option. Instead, it makes do with a pair of 2.5-liter I-4s: a naturally aspirated unit or a thirsty and expensive turbocharged option. Read more about the 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz here.
2. 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz pros, cons and specs
Pros
- Striking design
- Great road manners
- More utility than a comparable crossover
Cons
- Why not buy a Maverick?
- Tiny 4-foot bed
- Expensive with the turbo-four
Specifications
1. 2025 Ford Maverick | MT Score: 9.1/10
A few do genuinely need the ability to tow or haul more than three tons of weight every day, but for everyone else, the 2025 Ford Maverick is the right truck. Inexpensive, reasonably capable and extremely efficient, the Maverick effectively maxes out what a compact truck can do. Driving dynamics and ride quality are great, and even the hybrid variant will accelerate with many midsize and full-size trucks. More important, the Hybrid gets roughly double the fuel economy of other trucks in (and near) its class.
Happily, for 2025, the hybrid powertrain (which was made optional previously) is standard again (with the turbo being optional, as it was when the Maverick first launched). The Tremor off-road trim allows for some trail capability, while a new-for-2025 Lobo model resurrects the sport mini-trucks you remember from long, long ago. All Mavericks have a funky interior with unconventional colors and textures. Read more about the 2025 Ford Maverick here.
1. 2025 Ford Maverick pros, cons and specs
Pros
- Efficient hybrid powertrain
- Outstanding value
- Off-roadable Tremor variant
Cons
- Lower towing and payload than Hyundai Santa Cruz
- Single cab/bed configuration
- Short seat cushions
Specifications
The best compact pickup trucks you can buy in 2025
2. 2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz
1. 2025 Ford Maverick
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