Best Trucks for Moms for 2025
These are the best trucks for moms (and dads) based on iSeeCars' analysis of each vehicle’s pricing, safety, and reliability.
The best midsize truck for moms is the Honda Ridgeline ($3,269.19 annual lifespan cost).
The explosion in truck popularity over the past two decades has transformed them from pure work horses into daily commuters, luxury rides, and yes, even family vehicles. And when you consider what today’s crew-cab, two-row pickup trucks have to offer in terms of functionality, security, and safety features, it’s no surprise to see many car moms transitioning to truck moms.
American full-size trucks, including the Chevy Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500, offer plenty of space and power, but their large size makes them rather unwieldy in urban, and even suburban, environments. They can also be quite expensive to buy, with top trim versions boasting Cadillac Escalade-like bling, but at Mercedes-Benz-like prices. And don’t forget the gasoline bill that comes with feeding a full-size Chevrolet or Ford truck. Even the newest Toyota Tundra, which is powered by hybrid drivetrains, still struggles to get better than 20 mpg in real-world driving conditions.
Unless you’re a mom (or dad) looking to tow and haul multi-ton loads on a regular basis, you’re better off with one of the extremely capable new trucks from the midsize or compact categories. Midsize examples include the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma. These trucks all use a body-on-frame design, making them well suited for off-roading or medium-duty towing and hauling, while still offering superior maneuverability and mpg compared to a full-size truck.
Moms seeking the best ride quality and fuel efficiency available in the truck world should consider models built on a unibody (car-like) structure. These include the midsize Honda Ridgeline and compact Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. All three of these trucks ride and handle as well as a modern sedan and offer fuel economy figures between 25 and 40 mpg. This makes them great for commuting, running errands, or embarking on a road trip.
These smaller trucks won’t offer Jeep Wrangler-like off-road capabilities, and they can’t tow 10,000 pounds over a mountain pass. But they do include amenities like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and they are comfortable and fuel efficient enough to drive across town or across the USA without complaint. For parents looking to avoid the station wagon, SUV, or minivan alternative, today’s midsize and compact trucks are worth a look.
iSeeCars has identified the best trucks for mom blow. They are ranked by their annual lifespan cost (which rewards the longest-lasting trucks), they had to have strong safety and reliability scores to even be considered. New and used pricing, along with mpg ratings, horsepower, and important features are also listed for each model.

Best Midsize Trucks for Moms
- Annual Lifespan Cost
How We Rank These Cars
The Best Cars for Moms rank vehicles by iSeeCars' analysis of each vehicle’s average lifespan and annual lifespan cost.
Only vehicles with a NHTSA safety rating of 5 or an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, along with key family-friendly features like seating, are included and ranked. For each vehicle, we also display an iSeeCars Score.
iSeeCars Score is an analysis of three factors: reliability, resale value and safety. It is calculated based on the latest research and analysis by our data science team. The data analysis comes from over 12 million new and used vehicles in our Longest-Lasting Cars and 5-Year Depreciation Studies, combined with NHTSA and IIHS Safety Ratings.
Vehicles are scored in three categories:
Reliability
The reliability score represents an analysis of iSeeCars' proprietary research on the longest-lasting vehicles.
Value Retention
The value retention score is based on our data science team's statistical analysis and prediction of 5-year depreciation from MSRP to determine which cars hold their value best, using US Bureau of Labor Statistics data to adjust for inflation.
Safety
The safety score is calculated based on the last five years of crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and incorporates the latest Top Safety Pick information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).