Pickup trucks have been around since the early 1900s.
It was Ford who released the first pickup truck in America.
There’s no question that pickup trucks have a lot of popularity in the United States.
In 2021, the car that sold the most was the Ford F-150 Series.
It sold 726,004 units even with a global chip shortage slowing down its sales.
It may make you wonder why trucks are so popular in the United States.
Here are 10 reasons pickup trucks are popular.
Why Are Pickup Trucks So Popular? (Top 10 Reasons)
1. Extended Visibility
One of the reasons pickup trucks are popular is because of their extended visibility.
The shape of the cabin makes it so that the truck has windows all around the driver.
The windows are also large.
This allows the driver to look ahead, next to, and behind them with ease.
This is important for farmers and construction workers who regularly use their pickup trucks professionally.
It helps them ensure that they’re not going to run over equipment, other workers, or hit something while they’re backing up somewhere.
Besides professionals, the visibility is also appealing to those who use it personally.
Families who are concerned about safety appreciate being able to see practically everywhere on the road.
When they’re changing lanes, they can easily tell if someone is in the lane next to them.
The height of the truck also lets them get a clearer view of the road ahead.
With the great amount of visibility that pickup trucks provide, they’re safer and easier to operate.
This appeals to both professionals and personal owners which means there’s a lot of popularity for trucks.
2. Height
Speaking of height, pickup trucks tend to be taller than most other cars around them.
The height difference is also appealing to many drivers.
One of the reasons this is appealing is that it lets the driver see down the road even if there are cars in front of them.
This helps them stay alert to potential problems on the road.
The short car in front of the truck might not be aware of a traffic jam ahead, but because the truck is tall and can see over the line of cars, the driver of the truck is aware.
This lets them respond in time to ensure an accident doesn’t occur.
It’s also helpful in seeing over bushes or shrubbery.
When driving down the highway, a short car may not be aware of a family of deer starting to cross the road because they’re concealed by bushes.
A tall truck might notice them because the driver can see the deer over the bushes.
This allows them to react accordingly with plenty of time to spare.
There’s an added sense of comfort and security when driving a tall vehicle.
Besides increasing the ability to see around, it makes you a bit safer because you’re easier to see.
Semi-trucks that might not see a short car beside or behind them might accidentally transition into a lane, putting them in danger.
Pickup trucks, because they’re taller, are easier to spot.
It’s less likely that a semi-truck driver will change lanes because they can see the truck beside them.
Pickup trucks are popular because their height makes them safer to drive and makes the driver feel more comfortable behind the wheel.
3. Off-Roading Capabilities
One of the perks of a pickup truck is that it’s made for both on-road driving and off-road driving.
Pickup truck tires tend to be larger than those of the average car.
This allows them to have better traction on dirt paths and in fields.
They also tend to have more powerful engines, which generate more power to allow them to get through mud and other problematic types of terrain.
The ability to go off-road appeals to many different types of people.
Some people enjoy camping and hiking.
Being able to take their truck into the woods for a good portion of the hike means they can spend more time enjoying the part of the hike that they want to do.
It also means that they can camp inside of their truck, which can save them money on renting a trailer or buying camping equipment.
It appeals to hunters who might use their trucks to get deep into the woods and set up a base camp for themselves.
There are also those who just enjoy off-roading and get a lot of fun out of their pickup trucks.
Because trucks are as effective as they are off the road as they are on the road, they appeal to many different types of people.
The pickup truck is popular because it can go off-roading.
4. Cargo Haulers
One of the main reasons pickup trucks are so popular is their ability to haul cargo.
Space always seems to be a problem when it comes to cars.
When a family has a full car, they often don’t have enough room for groceries or other items.
Packing for vacations can be a real problem.
That’s why many turn to pickup trucks instead.
The pickup truck splits the vehicle into two segments.
The first half belongs to the passengers.
The cab is for the driver and the passengers only.
The second half belongs to the cargo.
Each pickup truck has a large bed at its back, which offers plenty of space for cargo.
If you know how to pack, you can even stack items and haul even more cargo.
Pickup trucks are primarily built with professionals in mind.
They know that farmers and construction workers need a reliable vehicle that can carry some heavy stuff.
Trucks are designed to carry a decent payload.
This allows the truck to have enough power to carry heavy cargo.
A farmer can load up the truck with supplies or products and a construction worker can load up with materials and tools.
Families can load up with bags, groceries, or even furniture.
The large bed of the truck is easily one of the reasons many people love pickup trucks.
The ease of carrying cargo between destinations is something that other cars can’t quite match.
Whether they’re used professionally or personally, pickup trucks are extremely popular due to their ability to haul cargo.
5. Towing Capabilities
One of the benefits of owning a pickup truck is that it can tow almost anything.
Depending on the type of pickup truck, some of the Heavy Duty versions can tow some pretty heavy items.
In most cases, people use their pickup trucks to haul boats and trailers.
Without a pickup truck, they have to hope that their car has the power it needs to tow.
If it doesn’t, they need to rent something that does have enough towing power.
Pickup trucks can haul large boats in and out of the water, too.
It’s simple for cars to tow something down the road.
Roads tend to be flat, in most cases, which means the car doesn’t need that much power to pull.
That all changes when it comes to putting the boat in and out of the water, however.
Boat ramps have an incline on them.
If the boat is too heavy, then it can cause the car to slip into the water.
The same goes for hauling the boat out of the water.
If the car can’t produce enough power, then the trailer and boat can drag the car into the water instead.
Pickup trucks can usually handle the job unless it’s an extremely big boat and not a Heavy Duty truck.
The same is true of trailers.
If a family wants to go camping, then they might worry if their car can haul the trailer to a campsite.
The car has to contend with mud among other terrain problems while hauling a heavy vehicle.
Not all cars can handle it.
Most pickup trucks can since they’re designed to haul trailers.
Even if there’s mud, a truck’s large wheels and engine power should be able to pull both itself and the trailer out of it.
Professionally, the towing capabilities of a pickup truck are also popular.
Farmers use trucks to tow other tractors or storage trailers.
Construction workers might use them to haul other service vehicles that become stuck.
Because of their towing capabilities, pickup trucks are very popular among families and professionals.
6. Ideal For Moving
A family is going to go through several moves during their lifetime.
They might move from one house to the next.
Their children will grow up and move out of the house.
Those same children might need to move to another apartment when they finish college or move to a different area for work.
Moving is inevitable for most families.
The problem with moving is that it can be expensive.
In most cases, families end up renting a large moving truck to help with the move.
They can save money if they had bought a pickup truck instead.
Pickup trucks can handle most moving needs.
Their large bed allows them to easily stack boxes and move them to their destination.
You can also put furniture in the back of the bed and strap it down with restraints.
For more delicate items, you can put them in the cab of the truck to keep them safe from the elements.
While you’ll have to take a few more trips with a pickup truck than you would a moving truck, you will save a lot more money.
You may end up taking fewer trips than you thought thanks to the large size of the bed.
There’s no question that pickup trucks are ideal for families when it comes to moving.
Even professionals can find a use for pickup trucks when moving things around.
Farmers can put storage supplies in the truck when they’re moving to a new facility or opening up a new barn.
Construction workers who are always on the move can use the truck to haul their equipment and gear to the next job site.
Pickup trucks make moving easier and cheaper.
That’s why they’re so popular.
7. Sturdier Frames
Safety is always something at the forefront of the minds of families.
That’s why many of them end up choosing a pickup truck.
Trucks have sturdier frames.
They’re built for tougher use, so they need a frame to complement that use.
Add this to a truck’s height and greater visibility, and trucks tend to be safer than other vehicles.
That said, according to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, truck accidents are 2.5 times more likely to lead to fatal injuries during an accident.
While they may have a reduced chance to occur, if they do occur, they are bad.
Part of that is because the truck tends to roll over.
It has its height to blame for that.
That said, because of its sturdier frame, trucks tend to survive a bit better than other cars.
The sheer size of a pickup truck usually means that it’s coming out of an accident in better shape.
Because of this, many families prefer the security that a pickup truck can offer.
This also goes for professionals.
Farmers are no strangers to accidents.
Whether it’s hauling heavy equipment or driving through ditches, accidents are common problems that farmers have to deal with.
They like to use pickup trucks because their sturdiness is reliable.
This also goes for construction workers.
On busy job sites surrounded by people and heavy machinery, accidents are just as common.
A sturdy pickup truck has a greater chance of standing up to the damage presented to it on the job site.
Pickup trucks are popular because they’re sturdier and seem safer.
8. Better Handling In The Snow
One of the reasons you tend to see more pickup trucks on the road during the winter is that they handle the snow better.
In areas that see snow winters, it’s not uncommon to see an influx of trucks on the road.
They’re helpful for plowing snow from streets and driveways.
They also handle better on snowy roads.
There are a few reasons trucks are better for snowy roads.
Pickup trucks are heavier.
This means it’s a bit harder to get them to slide around on the road.
Their weight keeps them firmly planted on the road.
Another reason is the size of the truck’s tires.
Most pickup trucks use large, wide tires.
These are better for snowy roads because it means the truck has more surface area to work with.
Thinner tires have less surface area to stick to the road.
If they hit an icy patch, then the car is going to slip around.
Wider and larger tires give better traction.
Finally, truck tires also have deeper treads on them.
That’s because pickup trucks are primarily used for hauling.
To make hauling easier, the tires have deep treads to better grip the roads with.
This also happens to help on snowy roads.
The deep tread allows the truck’s tires to grip onto the road better.
Since trucks perform better on snowy roads, many families choose to drive one.
It’s safer for them.
Professionals also use pickup trucks because it helps them get to their job site without any problems.
Even professional snow plowers will use pickup trucks because they have the power to plow snow effectively.
Their smaller size than fleet-sized plows also enables them to move a bit easier on the smaller roads.
Pickup trucks are popular because they’re great in the snow.
9. Reliability
When it comes to buying a vehicle, many families have an interest in the reliability of the vehicle.
They want a vehicle that they know will last a long time.
In most cases, a truck tends to be more reliable than a car.
One only needs to look at the miles to see that pickup trucks tend to last longer than cars.
The average car can last around 150,000 miles before needing serious repairs.
In most cases, repair shops suggest just selling the car since it isn’t worth replacing the parts.
Pickup trucks can last 200,000 miles.
Some models even have a reputation for lasting 300,000 miles.
While this means trucks tend to get 50,000 more miles than cars, that can be quite some time if you only drive around 10,000 miles a year.
The reason trucks tend to live longer than cars is because of how they’re designed.
Trucks are usually for professional use.
Manufacturers expect pickup truck owners to use their trucks to haul and tow.
If the truck doesn’t do that much hauling or towing, then its heavy-duty parts last a long time because they’re not seeing that much wear and tear.
This makes the truck last longer.
Pickup trucks are popular because they tend last longer which helps people save money.
10. Customization
Although pickup trucks look great on their own, some owners find that the vehicle is ideal for customization.
This usually means bigger wheels.
Trucks are tough and leave a lot of room for customization options.
Whether it’s LED lighting, transforming the truck bed, or adding in some other customizations, there’s no question that a lot of people enjoy getting trucks so they can customize them.
Trucks already give people a sense of safety and comfort because of their height and toughness factor.
Customizing the truck to one’s preferences means the truck can make you feel powerful, important, or show off your status.
Trucks are popular because they’re customizable.
Conclusion
Pickup trucks are one of the most popular types of vehicles on the road.
There are a lot of benefits you can gain by owning a truck, like towing and hauling heavy loads with ease.
Its safety and sturdiness also make families feel safe.
As car trends change in the future, there will likely always be a desire for pickup trucks.
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