You would be hard-pressed to find any ‘best of’ list for pickup trucks and not find a Ford. Often heralded as one of America’s best-selling trucks, the F-150 tends to land at the top of the segment. The automaker, in close rivalry with Chevrolet, usually shows up at or near the top of lists of the other pickup classes, as well.

But times are changing, and truck manufacturers are making significant improvements across the board and leveling the playing field. MotorTrend released its Best 2020 Pickup Trucks roster, and mysteriously, Ford isn’t on it at all. In fact, there’s one pickup gaining ground in the market that might surprise you.

The annual MotorTrend list of the best

Whether it’s a full-size, half-ton truck or midsize pickup, there’s no question that trucks, in general, are wildly popular among consumers. MotorTrend annually reviews every model in the segment and then creates what they call the Best 2020 Pickup Trucks list.

Today’s varieties are hearty and capable. But they’re also getting plushier perks and loads of tech. The competition is steep, and this list offers consumers valuable insights. Before you buy your next pickup, this is one annual review you can’t miss.

Which trucks made the MotorTrend list?

Many trucks were considered in each segment, including midsize, full-size, and heavy-duty pickups. The experts evaluated each model in terms of performance, value, features, and safety. And there are some surprises in this latest MotorTrend list.

The best midsize truck this year is the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado. The highest-ranking full-size pickup is, believe it or not, the 2020 Ram 1500. And besting all others in the heavy-duty class of trucks is the 2020 Ram 2500/3500 HD. So, where are the Ford pickups?

What’s new for the Ford F-150 in 2020?

Ford trucks continue to be fan favorites, and none are as popular as the Ford F-150. Reviews and pickup owners love its towing and payload capabilities, making it great for play and work. It’s also pretty comfortable with plenty of tech and luxury options.

Enthusiasts enjoy having plenty of engine configurations from which to choose, as well. According to Edmunds, new this year are a few appearance packages and standard 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s hard to imagine how this truck, traditionally known to be America’s best-selling, didn’t make the MotorTrend list.

Ram trucks are gaining ground on the competition

Ram has long held titles behind the likes of Ford and Chevy. However, in the last decade, Ram clearly has its eye on the truck prize and is making ground on the lead. Sources like Trucks.com cite the automaker has increased from 15.9% market share in 2009 to the 25.5% market share ram trucks have today.

Ram’s full-size truck sales increased by 18% alone since 2018. The brand has continued to grow, in part due to its Ram 1500 half-ton redesign and the continued sales of its older design models. The new 1500 has earned significant recognition, according to HIS Markit analysts. Per the experts at MotorTrend, Ram has improved enough to earn the ‘best of’ status for more than one truck category this year.

The pickup segment continues to grow more popular. Consumers need beefy performance level rides for the most rugged of jobs. But they also need the weekend haulers for the family boat, seating for four, and all the tech touchpoints for complete and total connection.

Nearly every truck in the midsize, full-size, and heavy-duty classes bring worthwhile contenders. And Ford has typically enjoyed being at the top of most review lists. For this MotorTrend annual truck evaluation, Ford has to sit one out altogether. Ram may be taking over and, for now, can enjoy having a couple of this year’s best trucks on the market.