8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Pickup trucks have been around in one form or another for almost 100 years, and they were never, ever meant to be high-performance vehicles. I suppose that’s because the qualities that make a good pickup - large cargo capacities, heavy-duty components and prolific ground clearance - are pretty much the exact opposite of what makes a good performance car. And that’s why even now, the idea of a high-performance on-road pickup truck is still a very polarising topic amongst both car and pickup enthusiasts.

Personally I love them, but I need to make something clear. When I say performance on-road pickup trucks, I don’t just mean a massive chunk of truck with an equally massive engine. I’m also talking machines with enough handling ability to push through a canyon byway without making everyone seasick. Nor am I considering Australian utes as part of the pickup world. No doubt they’re cool, but utes are far more car than pickup.

Trucks are still vastly the domain of those who think hauling ass requires a horse trailer. But in a world of towering suspension lifts and weekend mud bog meets, these trucks only go off-road when the driver misses an apex.

1. 1978-1979 Dodge Lil Red Express Truck

Some might say the emissions-choked 1970s gave birth to this whole performance truck genre. That’s because pickups weren’t subject to all the same emission regulations as cars, so Dodge took their lightest 2WD pickup, dressed it up, installed fat on-road tyres and gave it a 5.9-litre V8 that made 225bhp. Yes, everything was slow back then, but trucks were supposed to be really slow. So when the Lil’ Red Express Truck did 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds, it wasn’t just impressive for a pickup, it was the fastest American production vehicle in 1978.

2. 1990-1993 Chevrolet 454SS

Using the old muscle car formula of stuffing the biggest engine into the lightest body, Chevrolet squeezed a 7.4-litre (454 cubic-inch) V8 into a single cab, short box, 2WD half-ton pickup. Suspension, steering and brakes were also tweaked, and to make sure people knew it wasn’t just another Chevy pickup, it was given a monochromatic black paint job. The massive engine only made 230bhp (increased to 255bhp in the later years) but it was a torque monster that could destroy tyres, or when throttled just right, shove the 454SS to 60mph in about 7 seconds.

3. 1991 GMC Syclone

For just one year, General Motors went a bit mad and turned its compact GMC Sonoma pickup truck into a supercar killer. Using a turbocharged 4.3-litre V6, the Syclone sent 280bhp to all four wheels in an automotive-type full time all-wheel drive system. With suspension modifications, a low center of gravity and a curb weight about the same as a Toyota Supra, it was also fairly spry in the corners. It was automatic only but buyers didn’t care, because it could rip to 60mph in around 5 seconds and turn a high 13-second quarter-mile, which in 1991 was quick enough to beat just about everything.

4. 1993-1995 / 1999-2004 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning

When Ford’s Special Vehicle Team dropped a 240bhp 5.8-litre V8 into the lightest 2WD F-150 in 1993 (pictured at the top of the page), it was pretty clear they were going after Chevy’s 454SS. Straight-line performance was equal, but engineers spent more time developing the Lightning’s suspension to actually make it handle pretty well. Then they took it to a whole new level in 1999 with the supercharged Lightning that could dance in the corners, then hit 140mph on the straightaways. Ford ultimately got 380bhp from the second-generation’s boosted 5.4-litre engine, which was enough to unseat the Syclone as the quickest production pickup until the Viper-powered Ram entered the scene.

5. 1998-2003 Dodge Dakota R/T

Before the insanity that would become the Ram SRT-10, Dodge saw fit to equip its midsize Dakota pickup with a 250bhp 5.9-litre V8 and call it R/T. As with other performance trucks of the period, the Dakota R/T received a lowered sport suspension with quicker steering and sticky on-road rubber. Yet despite its midsize classification, the Dakota’s performance was similar to that of the full-size pickups. That shouldn’t suggest it was a disappointment; the R/T could hit 60mph in about 7 seconds and handle corners nearly as well as the second-generation Lightning.

6. 2003-2006 Chevrolet Silverado SS

Chevy’s 454SS follow-up could hit 60mph in a shade over 6 seconds - certainly fast for a truck but not as fast as the Lightning or the SRT Ram. Nor was it as aggressive in the corners as its competition, but it did offer a road-based full time all-wheel drive system with a lowered suspension that compromised well between grip, poise and comfort. Its 345bhp 6.0-litre V8 was the same mill used in other Chevy trucks so it was reliable, and for those who had a tyre-smoking habit, a two-wheel drive version was offered in 2006.

7. 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10

Not only did Dodge somehow manage to defy the laws of physics with this 2.5-tonne monster, they also finally gave enthusiasts a performance pickup with a manual gearbox. That’s because the gearbox - as well as the 8.3-litre, 500bhp V10 - came directly from the Dodge Viper. That explains why the Ram SRT-10 clocked 60mph in under 5 seconds and reached 153mph, despite having the aerodynamic prowess of a speed brake. And though its center of gravity was actually higher than the roof of a Ford GT, it still managed to corner nearly as hard as an E39 BMW M5. Sure, fuel mileage was laughable and maintenance usually required a second mortgage, but there’s never been a more bonkers performance truck.

8. 2005-2013 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner

I love throwing the X-Runner into the performance truck mix, if for no other reason than to watch the SRT and Lightning guys lose their minds over a Japanese pickup challenging their turf. I’m certainly a fan of muscle, and while the other trucks handle really well compared to trucks, the X-Runner handles well compared to cars. Having a good six-speed manual gearbox adds to the pleasure, and when the road begins to wind through the countryside, it’s easy to forget there’s a big stinking cargo bed behind you. Its 236bhp delivers only average thrust by modern standards, but the whole package is every bit as enjoyable to drive as it is practical to use.