The 2 Fastest Pickup Trucks for 2023 Are Among the Highest-Ranked on Car and Driver
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 05/23/2023
For most of the time pickup trucks have existed, speed wasn’t a factor for them. However, these days, everyone and their brother seems to want a pickup truck with 500+ hp. Usually, building a vehicle with tons of horsepower means sacrificing most other aspects that make driving a car enjoyable. However, the two fastest pickup trucks for 2023 are among the highest-ranked on Car and Driver.
What are the fastest pickup trucks on the market?
There is no shortage of fast pickup trucks. Models like the Ford F-150 Raptor and the Ram 1500 TRX are superpowered behemoths made for dune destruction at devastating speeds. Even still, the dino trucks can’t hang with the near-instantaneous acceleration of modern electric powertrains. Which why the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T stand as the two fastest trucks reviewed by Car and Driver thus far.
The fastest pickup truck is the Rivian R1T. This electric pickup can go from 0-60 mph in a volcanic 3.8 seconds. While still monstrously quick, the Ford Lightning takes 4.3 seconds to hit 60 mph.
Are electric pickup trucks good?
What is more impressive about these two electric pickup trucks is that, aside from their speed, Car and Driver rated them both at 9/10 or higher. In the case of the Rivian, it earned a perfect 10 and a spot on C&D’s 10-Best List.
Car and Driver rates vehicles on initial impressions and value for money. In that sense, its surprising that the Rivian R1T makes the list with its $70,000 initial price tag. Though, with models like the Ram TRX and high-spec Ram 1500 models in the same range, perhaps the bar for truck pricing is higher than most realize.
Is the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning a good truck?
Nearly every reviewer gushed about the all-electric 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, including C&D’s Drew Dorian. The cabin is quiet and beautifully designed. The top trim 580-hp powertrain rockets drivers with a shockingly quick burst of speed. Even with all that power, the F-150 Lightning can get 230 miles of range from a full charge. This is also the first time an F-150 has had independent rear suspension giving the truck a properly comfy, quiet ride. For all these quick thoughts and more, the Ford Lightning ranked second overall for full-size pickup trucks.
Is the Rivian R1T a good truck?
Similarly to the Lightning, the Rivian is a proper powerhouse (pun intended). It can rocket from 0-60 mph in only 3.8 seconds thanks to its 835-hp electric powertrain. The Rivian offers luxury that no other pickup truck has ever offered in the past. This electric pickup truck can not only rip like a supercar but also go off-road with the best of them. If all that wasn’t enough, the Rivian is loaded with unique and clever features like the popular gear tunnel, extendable electric kitchen option, and zero-turn capabilities.
While reliability data is still undetermined, the initial impressions of both electric pickups mean they’re here to stay, and that’s a good thing.
