Torque – it’s one of the essential aspects of a work truck. It’s excellent if your pickup has the horsepower to hit triple digits, but you need torque to tear down walls, yank tree stumps, and, most importantly, tow. Here are the top 10 pickup trucks by torque rating.

When it comes to torque, electric pickups dominate the marketplace. Electric vehicles deliver a pile of torque, in simple terms, because they don’t use traditional transmissions. The power is delivered instantaneously across a wide RPM band.

Before we get started, it’s important to note that these are not heavy-duty trucks. The trucks you see here, other than the last model listed, are full-size light-duty trucks.

No EV pickup has more torque than the GMC Hummer EV pickup. GM estimates the three-motor Ultium Drive system delivers 1,000 horsepower and combined axle torque of GM-estimated 11,500 lb-ft. In reality, that number, when using standard math, is said to be over 1,100 lb. ft., which still puts it at the top of the torque meter for pickups. One note – the Hummer EV pickup is a 2022 model. The 2023 model has not debuted yet.

 

Next up on the list is the 2023 Rivian EV pickup in the quad motor configuration. It delivers 900 lb. ft. of torque because it has an electric motor at each wheel. It’s smaller than its rivals but does have an impressive tow rating of 11,000 pounds.

The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning comes in third on the list with 775 lb. ft. of torque. Not only can it pull stumps, but it can also power your home during a blackout when properly equipped.
The first gasoline guzzler on the list, at the number four position, is the 2023 Ram 1500 TRX with the 6.2-liter Hemi Supercharged V-8. Many dinosaurs went extinct to feed this beast, which has 650 lb. ft. of torque.

Fifth on the list comes the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R. Its 5.2-liter supercharged, intercooled V8 delivers 640 lb. ft. of torque. This truck offers all the performance you want at 700 horsepower. It goes fast and can still be deemed a worthy work truck.

For the sixth position, it’s time to cross back to the electric pickups. The dual-motor 2023 Rivian is rated at 600 lb. ft. of torque. Having half the motors only cuts the torque from the quad-motor model by one-third.

The seventh spot might surprise some because Toyota isn’t known for its torque – and the high number comes from a V6. The 2023 Tundra I-Force Max with the 3.5-liter aluminum block V6 hybrid engine with twin turbochargers is rated at 583 lb. ft.

It’s back to the Raptor lineup for the eighth position. The 2023 Ford Raptor with the high-output 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged, intercooled 60-degree overhead-cam EcoBoost V6 is rated at 510 lb. ft. of torque.

Not too far behind, in the ninth position, comes the first diesel entry into the top 10 based on specifications available for 2023 models as this article was researched and written. The 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 3.0-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel has a torque rating of 495 lb. ft.

Another diesel takes the 10th and final position on this list. That would be the 2023 Ram 1500 equipped with the 3.0-liter Ecodiesel V6. It has a rating of 480 lb. ft.

So, what’s the lowest-rated 2023 pickup when it comes to torque? That distinction goes to the 2023 Ford Maverick. Its 2.5-liter Atkinson inline four-cylinder engine is rated at 155 lb. ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. The Maverick is great, and does exactly what it advertises, but it will never fit on this list of pickups with the most torque. Neither will its contemporary, the Hyundai Santa Cruz.