A pickup truck, or pickup, is a motor vehicle with an open cargo area, known as a bed, in the rear. Traditionally a work vehicle, a pickup is easily recognizable and has been in general use since the 1920s.
The chassis for a pickup is typically constructed of channel or tubular rails and separates the cab from the cargo section. This design allows the chassis to flex under stress while preventing any warping of the sheet metal in the pickup’s body. Sheet metal is generally not a load-bearing component in pickups. Exceptions to this are some car-based midsize and compact pickups, like the Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz, and Honda Ridgeline, all of which are unibody (frameless) designs.
Trucks come available with 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel-drive. The rear wheels power most 2-wheel-drive trucks. Four-wheel drive is helpful when traversing rough or slippery surfaces, especially when towing, but all trucks are plenty capable with rear-wheel drive.
Modern pickups come in four sizes: full-size, midsize, heavy-duty, and compact. Full-size trucks are generally what most people think of when they refer to pickups. Midsize and compact pickup are lighter-duty and more suitable for urban environments. On the opposite extreme, heavy-duty pickups exist to tow excessive loads, like construction equipment, large boats, fifth-wheel campers, and livestock trailers.
Full-size pickups are classified according to their payloads, and the current categories in North America include 1/2-ton, 3/4-ton, 1-ton, and 1-1/2-ton. These categories initially indicated the vehicle’s maximum payload; however, the payload capacity of full-size pickups has steadily increased while the category names have remained unchanged. A modern 3/4-ton pickup typically has a maximum payload of at least 2,200 pounds, but this may be as high as 4,000, depending on the configuration.
Pickups were originally intended to be work vehicles, but with the popularity of crew cab (4-door) trucks, they are also used to haul families in North America.
