There are fierce advocates on both sides of this debate. Here's why we choose trucks.
1. You Live for the Great Outdoors
As an outdoorsman, you sometimes travel with things you wouldn't want in the passenger area of your SUV, including your latest catch or harvest. Other things, like snowmobiles or jet skis, are a hassle to pack into an SUV, if it can even be done. And, of course, if you're a wilderness adventurer, you travel over rugged roads where you need maximum traction, balance and ground clearance.
It's no accident that this reason is #1 on our list: trucks and outdoorsmen were made for each other (well, mostly, trucks were made for outdoorsmen, not the other way around). Don't take anyone's word for it: once you decide to get a truck, you'll find, as many others do, that you don't understand how you ever lived without one.
2. You Want Cargo Hauling and Towing Power
Let's deal with the elephant in the room. (No, not a literal elephant, although a heavy duty pickup, like the Ram 3500 Tradesman, could haul a small elephant right there in the truck bed). This decision is largely about cargo space, towing power, and payload capacity.
With a good truck, you can match the towing capacity of many leading SUVs with the hauling capacity of the truck bed alone.
Not to mention, even in a well-designed SUV, the seats don't just vanish when you need more cargo space. If being able to transport almost any cargo is important to you, a truck is the more versatile and flexible option.
3. You Don't Have a Big Family
For some, the truck vs. SUV debate comes down to the simple question, "Do I need to move more people, or do I need to move more stuff?" If you have an average-sized family of four or five, there's rarely a good reason to choose more seating over the versatility of a four-door pickup.
4. You Have Long Legs
This is no joke. Working tradesmen, traveling outdoorsmen and residents of the big State of Texas, among others, all spend more time on the road than your average Joe. If you're in that group, there's no substitute for the comfort of actually having enough leg room.
Wherever you're going, your drive should be a time when you can relax, breathe and spread out. There's nothing like a roomy truck for sitting back and genuinely enjoying the journey.
5. It Snows Where You Live
Plowing your own snow makes you the instant envy of every shoveler in town. To get through that deep snow, you need (at minimum) a truck-based SUV, better yet, a full-on truck. Nothing tackles that driveway blockade, let alone your neighborhood roads, like a truck with a snow plow. Get yourself a truck and never get stuck again.
6. You're in Good Company
The "pickup guy" is a fixture in any group of buddies. Whether your friend is moving, hosting a cookout, or going camping, you're always needed. Whether you help out of the goodness of your heart or for a little extra cash (it's okay, we won't tell), as a truck owner, you're on speed dial for any and all heavy duty tasks.
In a way, people will look up to you: with America's Longest-Lasting Pickups*, it's not crazy to say you'll be "the neighborhood hero" for years to come.
* Based on IHS Automotive VIO registration data for all brands of GVW 1-3 pickup trucks continuously sold in the US since 1988, Dodge and Ram have the highest overall percentage still on the road.
