About 1/2-Ton Pickup Trucks
The first pickups were created in 1913 when the Galion Allsteel Body Company of Galion, Ohio, began to do aftermarket conversions of Ford Model Ts to include hauling boxes. Today, pickups make up approximately 20% of all vehicles sold in the United States.
Ford F-150 XL Half-Ton Pickup
Pickup trucks are often categorized by their payload and towing capacities, such as 1/2-ton, 3/4-ton, and 1-ton. These designations, which were once directly tied to the difference between a truck’s weight and its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), are today used more as general descriptors to help buyers differentiate between trucks’ capabilities. In a way, you can think of 1/2-ton, 3/4-ton, and 1-ton pickups as good, better, and best with regard to payload and towing capacity.
Although there are many jobs that require the heavier-duty engines and greater capacity provided by 3/4-ton and 1-ton models, 1/2-ton pickups are generally the auto industry’s bestsellers as they are capable work trucks and make great daily drivers, as well. They’re incredibly handy around construction sites and on the farm, where a bed-mounted toolbox and a 4x4 drivetrain can make any number of jobs easier to get done.
Features & Configurations
One of the most popular 1/2-tons, Ford’s F-150, comes in eight trim levels: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited, Tremor, and Raptor. The base XL model is available as a 4x2 or 4x4 truck, with a standard 3.3-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine and four optional power plants: a 2.7-L and a 3.5-L EcoBoost V6, a 5.0-L Ti-VCT V8, and a 3.5-L PowerBoost Fully Hybrid V6 that generates 430 horsepower (320 kilowatts) and 570 pounds-foot (773 newton-meters) of torque. The high-end F-150 Raptor’s engine list is somewhat more succinct: the sport truck comes standard with a 3.5-L EcoBoost High-Output V6, and a High-Output 5.2-L Supercharged V8 is available as an option.
Another highly popular 1/2-ton is Chevrolet’s Silverado, which comes in nine trim levels: Work Truck, Custom, Custom Trail Boss, LT, RST, LT Trail Boss, LTZ, ZR2, and High Country. The unassuming but capable Work Truck comes in 4x2 and 4x4 versions, with Regular, Double, or Crew cab options and a Short, Standard, or Long bed. The truck is powered either by a standard 2.7-L Turbo engine or an optional 5.3-L EcoTec3 V8. Chevy’s Multi-Flex Tailgate is an option, as are trailering mirrors, a factory spray-on bedliner, and much more.
As of this writing, hybrid and battery-electric 1/2-tons are on the rise, as evidenced by the arrival of the Ford F-150 Lightning and the announcement of the Chevy Silverado EV and the Ram 1500 REV.
Find The Right 1/2-Ton Pickup Truck
You’ll find hundreds of new and used 1/2-ton pickups for sale on TruckPaper.com from top manufacturers including Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Ram, and Toyota.
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