Half-ton, three-quarter-ton and one-ton are informal classifications for pickup trucks and SUVs that are used to generally classify them by their payload capacities, meaning the maximum weight a pickup or SUV can carry in its cargo and passenger areas. Payload is not just what’s in the pickup bed; it also includes all the people and stuff the truck is carrying, as well as the trailer tongue weight. Although tonnage designations used to correspond to a truck’s payload capacity, they now are little more than a casual way of classifying these trucks.
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As a refresher, traditionally one ton is 2,000 pounds, meaning a half-ton truck would have a 1,000-pound payload, three-quarter tons are rated to 1,500 pounds, and one-ton trucks can carry 2,000 pounds of payload. Actual vehicle payloads are far higher, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
Which Pickups Are Considered Half Tons?
The bestselling half-ton pickup class — also known as light-duty pickups — includes the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500. The Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra also qualify as half-ton pickup trucks. These are the most common pickup trucks, ones sold by the millions every year.
Which Pickups Are Considered Three-Quarter Tons?
The three-quarter-ton class — also referred to as heavy-duty pickups — includes the Ford Super Duty F-250, Ram 2500, Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500. These are sometimes referred to as the 2500 series pickup trucks. Toyota does not offer a heavy-duty truck, and the Nissan Titan is different in that it has something the brand calls a Titan XD, which is more capable than a light-duty half-ton truck but less than a heavy-duty three-quarter-ton pickup. Typically, these trucks have an automatic transmission and are diesel-powered, but they may also offer big gasoline engines.
By Conner Golden
June 17, 2025
