Pickup truck owners are an extremely loyal bunch, hanging on to their beloved trucks for years and bragging about high mileage. A few brands jump to mind when it comes to longevity. Ford is a name that is almost synonymous with pickups in the United States. Ram trucks have been on the road for years and make up a huge swath of the country’s commercial fleet. But what is the surprising truck that people longer than Ram or Ford?

Interestingly, the top 15 models of vehicles that people keep for 15 years or longer in America are all Japanese. According to a recent survey, the Toyota Tacoma ranked number 3, and Toyota Tundra ranked number 4 in owner longevity.

The number one and number two spots are also occupied by Toyota’s, the Highlander SUV and the Sienna van, respectively. Why does Toyota breed such devotion, especially when it comes to its trusty pickup trucks?

Toyota trucks inspire loyalty

The Toyota Tacoma stands out as the truck that is kept longer than Ram or Ford trucks. The reason two pickups by Toyota made the top 5 is the indestructible reputation of the Tacoma and Tundra. They continue to be able to function perfectly for years, making them the ideal work and family trucks. 

The Toyota Tacoma first came into production as a compact pickup in 1995. Since then, it has evolved into a sophisticated truck that now has 6 different models. The Tacoma of 2020 offers powerful performance, with an available Atkinson-cycle 3.5-liter V6. Paired with the available towing package, the 2020 Toyota Tacoma serves up a 6,800-pound towing capacity.

Another driver-favorite feature on the Tacoma is Toyota’s available Remote Connect which lets you communicate with your vehicle from any smart device, including your smartwatch. 

Speaking of technology, this is the most sophisticated Tacoma yet, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a panoramic moon roof with cameras on each side to give you a 360-degree view of what’s going on outside the vehicle, and a smart-key system with push-button start.

Every Toyota since 2016 is equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, a full suite of active and passive safety features designed to keep you safe under all circumstances. 

The Toyota Tundra

The Toyota Tundra comes in at a close second as the truck that drivers keep the longest. Tundra was the very first pickup in the North American market built by a Japanese manufacturer in the United States, in 1999. The Toyota Tundra is still designed, engineered, and assembled in the U.S. to this day. 

The 2020 Toyota Tundra has a towing capacity of 10,200 pounds to tackle just about any job. It now features sophisticated technology and options such as turn-by-turn directions on an 8-inch, color, touchscreen display.

Under the hood of today’s Tundra is an i-Force, 5.7-liter V8 engine pumping out 381 horsepower and 401-pound feet of torque. The automatic slip differential keeps you in control without sacrificing power.

Are Ford & Ram pickups unreliable?

Even though Ford and Ram’s trucks are at the bottom of the list, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Ford F-150 is the most popular vehicle in America for good reason. Drivers love the F-150 and are eager to get the latest model before their current one has reached the end of its life. And, there are plenty of older Ford F-150’s and Ram trucks still faithfully on the road. 

Overall, the results of the survey don’t mean that Ford and Ram’s pickups are inferior trucks. It’s just that Toyota trucks run so efficiently for so long, there is no reason to get rid of them.