Only 2 Pickup Trucks In America Give You 200 HP For Under $30,000

The average price of a new car in America is perilously close to $50,000, with the latest figures from October 2024 currently teetering around $48,625. That’s bad news for the bulk of us, but for the bargain-hunters, cheap cars and trucks can still be found, and some don’t even feel like that much of a compromise.

You Wouldn’t Believe Which Two Trucks Stole My Heart In 2024

These trucks are world’s apart in so many ways, yet both of them are fantastic options for their respective customers.

This article shines a spotlight on two such vehicles, pickup trucks to be precise, which are available at almost $20,000 cheaper than the average price paid, with starting prices coming in just south of $30,000. Furthermore, each of them packs at least 200 horsepower, a respectable amount of tech in all grades and guises, plus, thanks to recent redesigns, they both look fresh and up-to-date, too.

Using manufacturer-sourced facts and figures, this article zeroes in on two of the best value-for-money pickup trucks for sale at the moment. Both offer more than 200 horsepower despite a starting price below $30,000. Eligibility was based on an MSRP of under $30,000, excluding destination and delivery fees, options, and any other on-the-road costs.

America’s Best Bang-For-Buck Pickup Trucks

It’s no secret that cars and trucks are getting more expensive, and we, the consumers, aren’t totally blameless in this. We keep demanding more and more from automakers, insisting on more tech, more creature comforts, larger vehicles, and, with that, larger, flashier wheels, with stylish bodywork to encompass it all. That certainly seems to be the way for most of us. However, some are still happy to enjoy the bare essentials, and both Chevrolet and Ford look to reward such customers.

As of right now, both of these American automakers offer their smallest pickup trucks for under $30,000, with the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado and 2025 Ford Maverick. There are a few caveats here. First, the 2025 model year Colorado isn’t yet on sale and may have an MSRP higher than $30,000. For now, however, $29,800 gets you into the base WT variant. Second, you have to choose the Maverick with the available 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine and AWD to get the 200 hp. Fortunately, in XL trim, this still comes in as low as $27,415.

These aren’t the only pickup trucks in this price bracket, although they are the only two choices with at least 200 horsepower under the hood.

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For The Price, These Two Pickup Trucks Pack A Powerful Punch

2024 Chevrolet Colorado front badge — Chevrolet

Budget Pickup Truck: Powertrain Comparison
Model	2025 Ford Maverick XL	2025 Ford Maverick XL	2024 Chevrolet Colorado WT
Engine	2.5-liter inline-four hybrid	2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four	2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four
Transmission	CVT	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Power	191 horsepower	238 horsepower	237 horsepower
Torque	155 lb-ft	277 lb-ft	260 lb-ft
0 to 60 mph	7.7 seconds	5.9 seconds	8.3 seconds

The base powertrain for the 2025 Ford Maverick is a hybrid, while the EcoBoost inline-four is a no-cost option (although it forces you to pay $1,020 extra for AWD). Opting for the EcoBoost engine sees peak power output swell from 191 to 238 horses, which is enough to cut the 0 to 60 mph time down to just a shade under six seconds. Other differences include notably higher torque, and the CVT transmission being swapped out for a slick eight-speed automatic.

For 2025, Chevrolet is dropping the lower-output engine, and instead opting to offer only the higher-output 310 horsepower inline-four. However, to keep within the $30,000 budget, only the 237-horsepower WT model from 2024 fits the bill. Performance is down in comparison to the EcoBoost-powered Maverick, and not because the Chevy misses out on that all-important single horsepower, but likely because it checks in at just over 600 lbs heavier. It’s still quick enough, though, with a 0 to 60 mph time in the region of eight seconds.

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Video: 2025 Chevrolet Colorado Officially Reduced To One Engine Option

The L3B is a versatile engine.

Pricing And Equipment: A Closer Look At What Your Money Buys You

Stepping into either Ford or Chevrolet and insisting upon an entry-level Maverick or Colorado with zero options will save your wallet. This won’t be the wisest move comfort-wise, though, unless you’re specifically after a work truck. As standard, both the Maverick and Colorado miss out on some creature comforts that would likely be considered daily essentials by many, such as alloy wheels, electrically operated seats, cruise control, and a choice of materials.

The bare-bones XL with its steel wheels comes across more like a work truck than one fit for family duty. The Lariat is by far the nicest trim, but it’s also a lot more expensive than the XLT. While the XLT doesn’t have that many more features than the XL, it looks a lot smarter on its alloy wheels, and it has access to a ton of extras, so you can treat it like a blank canvas and kit it out to your heart’s content

– Cobus F. Potgieter, CarBuzz

Having said that, both the Colorado and Maverick do come standard with decent-sized touchscreens, which both boast Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and GPS Navigation. Shelling out a few hundred dollars over the $30,000 budget will net you the XLT grade Maverick, which introduces extra features, such as automatic dual-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, and power front seats. Features such as adjustable lumbar on the front seats and remote keyless entry are standard across the range.

The Colorado sports a fully digital cockpit right down to the humble Work Truck, with all trims featuring large dual screens. The dashboard is as modern as anything in this segment, and the quality of the materials is vastly better than the old one, but there are still many hard plastics about the place, even if they are all of solid construction.

– Cobus F. Potgieter, CarBuzz

Keen to keep owners connected, the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado boasts both a wireless phone charging port and multiple USB ports supporting dual screens; an 11-inch driver’s display and an 11.3-inch central touchscreen. The screen-heavy approach might be criticized by some, but Chevrolet has kept certain aspects, such as the HVAC controls, separate from the screens.

Here’s How Much A Fully-Loaded 2024 Ford Maverick Costs

With such a low starting price, can you really build an expensive Maverick? Turns out you can.

How The Colorado And Maverick Compare To Other Cheap Pickup Trucks

Cheap Pickup Trucks On The Market In 2025

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz – Starting Price: $28,650
2025 Toyota Tacoma – Starting Price: $31,590
2025 Nissan Frontier – Starting Price: $32,050
2025 Ford Ranger – Starting Price: $32,980

While it is easy to argue that both the Colorado and Maverick offer the best value for money in this cheaper end of the American pickup truck market, they are certainly far from alone in the segment, with many other rivals keen to steal market share with their own capable compact and mid-size models.

Doing battle south of $30,000 is the sharp and stylish Hyundai Santa Cruz, which packs 191 horsepower, and is available with both front and all-wheel drive, much like the Maverick. The Hyundai’s base inline-four packs the exact same amount of horses as the hybrid Ford Maverick, although, upgrading to the turbocharged option will see the Santa Cruz pack a mighty 281 horsepower – more than enough to rival the EcoBoost-powered Ford. However, the 281-horsepower lump is only available under the hood of more expensive grades, whereas even the entry-level XL Maverick can enjoy the 238-horsepower EcoBoost engine.

Toyota’s revised Tacoma looks to be tough competition for the Colorado, boasting a choice of powerful hybridized powertrains, in addition to well-equipped off-roading grades, much like the Chevy. Arguably the most tempting upgrade, though, is the Ford Ranger, which starts at just under $33,000 for a 2025 model. Once you’ve ticked a few options and upgraded from the XL trim in the Maverick, the price gap between that and the 2024 Ford Ranger narrows dramatically. In which instance, would the larger and more capable truck be the wiser purchase?

Sources:
Ford
,
Chevrolet

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