Six things to check before buying a full-size US pick-up truck

Australia’s love affair with utes is showing no signs of slowing down, not only for the popular mid-size utes such as the top-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, but for the fast-growing full-size American pick-up trucks.

With the assurance of factory backing and respected local remanufacturing operations in place, these big, premium dual-cab pick-ups racked up more than 10,000 sales in Australia last year for the RAM 1500 (and 2500/3500) and Chevrolet Silverado alone, and now the Detroit-supported Ford F-150 has entered the fray.

Early in 2025, the Toyota Tundra will also join the local factory-backed pick-up segment in what will be a world-first for the Toyota Motor Corporation.

Beyond the car-makers and major distributors, lower-volume local conversion companies also continue to serve Australian customers who want a piece of the action.

If you’re among those thinking of buying one of these American pick-ups, there are several key factors to consider to ensure you make the right choice based on your requirements.

They’re certainly not cheap – all now starting above $100,000 plus on-road costs – and not always easily managed in city or suburban environments.

So here’s our top six things to consider when making such a significant investment…

Unlike the mid-size 4x4 dual-cab utes that dominate the roads in Australia – led by the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux – these American pick-ups do not come with the option of a relatively efficient four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine.

Instead, they typically rely on large V8 or V6 petrol engines.

Most of these are relatively simple and robust powerplants tailored for heavy-duty tasks in the American market, where petrol rules over diesel and is generally much cheaper, making costs at the refuelling pump less of an issue than it is here.

The large-displacement petrol engines are often much thirstier than a diesel, especially when towing a heavy trailer, carrying a decent load or driven a lot in city traffic.

This might be a concern for would-be Australian owners, especially considering the long distances in our country. As hybrids and even EVs come into this space – the incoming 2025 Toyota Tundra will use a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – efficiency will improve.

But for now, bear in mind the large petrol V8 Chevrolet Silverado and RAM 1500 models we’ve tested on several occasions have averaged around 15L/100km. You can expect that to climb well over 20L/100km when driven hard, or in heavy stop-start traffic.

One thing that should be clear about these large American pick-ups, but is worth repeating, is that they’re BLOODY BIG.

Australian city planners were definitely not thinking of these utes when prescribing car park and roadway minimums.

So you’ll need to much more carefully assess the size of the pick-up in relation to what your needs are and the environment you’ll be driving in.

Not only are these trucks extremely long – all of them are up at around six metres in length – but also very wide with a body width of more than two metres (plus side mirrors).

This all means that narrow roads, most inner-urban parking lots and sharp urban corners are all going to be harder to negotiate.

As most US pick-ups are around two metres tall, this can also become a problem in some garages or public multi-level car parks.

As for tray size, most have a useful bed that’s around 1.7m long, so physical load capacity is pretty good in all of them – even if access can be difficult.

American utes are pitched as premium products and most often come equipped with cutting-edge technology and infotainment systems. It’s not just the large touch-screen displays, smartphone integration, navigation systems and advanced driver assistance systems that you would expect with any expensive vehicle, some of these utes also have clever, useful towing technology.

For example, the Ford F-150 has a rotary dial to ‘steer’ in reverse where you want the trailer to go.

Right now, there are no local ANCAP safety ratings for large American pick-up trucks, but negotiations are underway between the independent crash-test authority and the major local car-makers/distributors to make it happen as their popularity increases.

In the interim, ANCAP is expected to introduce an assessment of the vehicles’ driver assist and vulnerable road user protection measures and award colour ratings along similar lines to what it does for vans.

It’s also worth noting that independent crash testing of these pick-ups – in left-hand drive form – by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have generally given them all a high score for safety.

The latest American utes sold in Australia mostly come equipped with a wide range of advanced safety features to reflect their premium prices. All will feature airbags, collision warning systems, lane departure warnings and most have autonomous emergency braking.

A major drawcard with American pick-up trucks is their ability to tow up to 4500kg, which makes them sound ideal for that big caravan or trailer boat.

Be warned, though, that some serious mathematical calculations will be required to make sense of what you can realistically carry in, on or behind the truck – especially if loading up in all three of these areas!

Simply put, you can’t fill any of these monster dual-cabs with five occupants, load their trays with heavy stuff and tow a 4399kg trailer all at once. Something has to give, so consider your requirements carefully before taking the plunge, as we’ve discussed in our separate story on ‘The truth about 4500kg towing’.

As with any new vehicle purchase, but perhaps most acutely with an American pick-up truck, it will pay to consider the costs associated with owning your new set of wheels.

The initial outlay required is significant – more than $100,000 before on-road costs, rising to as much as $150,000-plus.

We’ve already discussed the high costs associated with higher fuel consumption, while large wheel and tyre combinations can also be costly to replace.

Some factory operations do not have capped-priced servicing schemes in place – RAM and GMSV, for example – which means that routine maintenance prices can vary wildly between authorised servicing outlets.

That said, if you research maintenance costs, availability of spare parts and the manufacturer’s service requirements, you might be surprised.

The Ford F-150 has a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and 15,000km/12-month service intervals, plus capped-price servicing at $429 per service for the first four years or 60,000km.

On the other hand, the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado have only three-year/100,000km warranty, while service intervals are 12 months/12,000km for the Chevy and just six months/10,000km for the RAM. And as we said, neither offer capped-price servicing.

In terms of resale value, early indications are that the factory-backed American utes are holding their value well, but be aware that down the track these vehicles can, more than most, be sensitive to oil price movements and cost-of-living rises.

There are thousands of parts involved in remanufacturing a vehicle built in left-hand drive for the United States market into one that has the steering wheel on the right-hand side and is fully compliant with Australian Design Rules and therefore legal to drive on Aussie roads.

These can range from new dedicated right-hand drive steering components and suspension geometry, the dashboard assembly, electric seat, window and mirror controls, wiring looms, heating and air-conditioning plumbing, exterior mirror positioning and right-hand drive wipers and linkages.

Even the number plate positioning or illumination may need to be revised for local requirements.

As part of the conversion process, the company involved must also ensure the vehicle meets all local emissions and safety regulations.

You should be confident that all locally converted US pick-ups, from smaller independent operators to larger factory-backed brands, will meet all relevant local regulations.

But there are important points of difference, which we’ve covered in detail in ‘Should you buy an ‘unofficial’ import?’

As well as considering the warranty on offer, the extent to which the vehicle has been subject to rigorous durability and ride/handling testing for Australian road conditions is also a key point.