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10 Pickups From The 90s Still Worth Buying (And 10 That Weren't Even Worth It Then)

Let's take a look at 10 trucks from the 90s worth every penny and 10 that weren't worth it then.

What is it about trucks that we love so much? They use too much gas, they are bad for the environment and they are difficult to park, but for some reason, we just can't get enough of them. The love of trucks goes way back into the 19th century when most people lived on farms and needed to cart stuff around. Back then people used horses and wagons, however as people evolved, so did transportation.

Trucks began to appear as soon as the car had managed to force its way into the lives of the average individual. Those who still lived on farms relied on trucks to get them into the newly formed towns and cities that had begun to pop up all over the world. In 1925, the Ford Model T Pickup was released to the general public and was an instant hit. All of a sudden, trips that usually took all day, lasted just a couple of hours, with the Ford Pickup assisting the lives of people everywhere. These days, trucks are just as important, with some owners regarding their truck as a member of the family.

Yes, they may have a reputation for being a gas-guzzling money giant but they are still respected and sold extensively across the globe. However, it was during the nineties when things really kicked off, so let's take a look at 10 trucks from the 90s worth every penny and 10 that weren't worth it then.

20 1990 Chevrolet Silverado 454SS

The Chevrolet 454 SS might not look spectacular or even interesting, but it certainly wowed audiences upon its release back in 1990. The truck, which is basically a 7.4-liter V8 stuffed in a 15000 chassis Chevy pickup, is one of the most iconic pickups to date and is often spoken with high regard.

Annoyingly, Chevy didn't anticipate the need for powerful pickups and produced only a select amount (just 17k in total). So, make sure you hold on to one of these special bad boys if you are ever lucky enough to find one.

19 1998 Hafei Ruiyi

Sometimes, size isn't everything, with the Hafei Ruiyi proving that great things also come in small packages.

It might not look fast but it certainly packs a punch when compared to its competitors, plus it definitely knows how to do its job and is sturdier than most vehicles double its size.

The mini microvan was produced by Chinese manufacturer Hafei Motors and was marketed at those who prefer a smaller approach. Interestingly, the truck itself was never sold in the United States but was more popular in South America and Asia.

18 1998 Dodge Ram 1500

The Ram pickup, also known as the Dodge Ram, is a full-size beast of a pickup truck and a favorite among truck fans. In fact, the Ram is so well-liked that it was named Motor Trend Magazine's Truck of the Year a whopping five times.

However, it was the 90s where the Ram really came to life with the Ram line undergoing a humungous redesign. At first, people were worried, but thankfully the renovation was a huge success and sales soared from 95,542 units in 1993 to 232,092 in 1994, 410,000 in 1995, and 600,000 by 1998.

17 1999 Toyota Tundra

The Toyota Tundra has been manufactured the in United States by Japanese powerhouse, Toyota since 1999 and is a popular truck for first-time pickup buyers.

The Tundra is often listed in several best truck award lists and was Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year in 2000 and 2008.

The first generation was publicly introduced in 1999 and was immediately hit with success upon its release. Furthermore, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Tundra "Good" in their annual frontal offset crash test, which was the first time a full-size pickup had been awarded the "Good" grade.

16 1999 Ford F-150 

The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty-trucks that have been manufactured by Ford since 1948. The F-Series is a respected fleet and has been the best-selling pickups in the Ford range since 1977. However, the most popular version of the F-Series is the F-150, which is now in its thirteenth generation.

The F-150 sported some extreme adjustments upon its release in the mid-90s with the long-running 4.9L inline-6 engine replaced by a V6 its biggest change. The truck continued to break barriers and in 2001 the F-150 became the first pickup to become available with four full-size doors.

15 1991 GMC Syclone

The General Motors Syclone was produced in 1991 and spawned the similarly powered GMC Typhoon in 1992. The truck is most definitely one of the best to have come out of the nineties and is a high-performance powerhouse with an engine to die for.

In fact, upon its release, the truck's acceleration was so well received that it was compared favorably to numerous sports cars such as the Corvette and at one point a Ferrari.

Yes, the GMC Syclone really is one of the best pickups out there and can now set you back around $30,000 for one of these second-hand bad boys.

14 1995 Toyota Tacoma

The Toyota Tacoma has been manufactured in the United States since 1995 and is one of the most successful pickup trucks to have ever come out of Japan. The first generation Tacoma first arrived in 1995 and immediately caught the eye of truck enthusiasts.

Rather than focus on capacity and ruggedness like other pickups at the time, the Tacoma's aim was to concentrate on ride quality, handling, safety, and comfort. During the first couple of years of production, the Tacoma was extremely successful and sold extremely well, especially to young buyers. The trend has seemingly continued, with the Toyota Tacoma still one of the most popular pickups for young people.

13 1995 Ford Ranger

The name "Ford Ranger" has been used on three major model lines sold by Ford since the late 50s. However, during the mid-eighties, the Ranger name was given its own model line and thus the Ford Ranger as we know it today was born.

The pickup truck was mainly sold in North America and parts of South America, however, the Ranger name was also sold internationally.

The truck was the first compact pickup truck designed by Ford and has been one of its most successful products to date. Plus, it is extremely easy on the eye and aesthetics always help after all.

12 1992 Mazda B2200

The Mazda B-Series first arrived in the early 60s and soon became a firm favorite among serious pickup truck fans and real-life automobile reviewers. In the late 80s, Mazda took it up a notch and introduced the 2.6-liter Mitsubishi-powered B2600. Not long after this, the Mazda inline-four engine was upgraded to 2.2 liters with what is now known as the B2200.

The truck was very well received by car critics as well as car enthusiasts across the globe with the comfortable ride, smooth handling and general everyday car abilities highlighted as exceptional.

11 1991 Nissan Hardbody

The Nissan NP300 Hardbody is one of the best pickups to date and is most famous for tackling the harshest of terrains and wowing its owners worldwide. From African desserts to thick rainforests, the Hardbody is specifically engineered for brutal environments and tricky situations.

But how does it do it so well? The truck is built with a heavy-duty axel which reinforces the frame and suspension to absorb the toughest landscapes. Furthermore, the pickup comes in two choices, a two-door or a four-door, so not only is it suitable for yourself but also for your whole family.

10 1990 Rod Hall Signature Edition Dodge (Avoid)

Everybody loves a rare vehicle, especially when only a select few were made. In 1990, famed racer Rod Hall teamed up with the legendary car designer Carroll Shelby to produce one of the most iconic pickups of the nineties. The outcome was a signature series truck based on the Dodge Ram 150 and was met with huge admiration.

Sadly, production was halted on the truck when Shelby suffered a heart attack, therefore only a mere 33 of these bad boys were made.

The trucks were (and still are if you are lucky enough to have one) powered by a 5.2 liter, 318 c.i.d. v-8 engine and really show what Dodge was all about during the beginning of the 90s. However, although it might sound good, the trucks are actually prone to breaking down with buyers often pointing towards engine failure and gas mileage as major downfalls. It's always the special editions...

9 1997 Ford F-450 Flatbed

The Ford F-Series Super Duty is a range of Ford manufactured trucks and are noted for their heavy-duty pickup trucks. The series of pickup models include the F-250 and F-350 and are distinguished from the F-150 by the separate bodywork amongst a number of other features.

However, as well as dabbling in pickups, Ford also has some heftier and larger trucks, so to bridge the gap between the pickup line and the much larger medium-duty F-650/750, Ford released the F-450 and the F-550. The trucks were not as successful and when compared to the F-150 as well as the other smaller pickups, they sadly just don't compare.

8 1993 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning

The Ford-150 SVT Lightning was first billed as a sporty incarnation of the much loved and respected Ford-150. However, the aerodynamic body styling, updated interior, and powerful engine just didn't quite cut it, leaving fans aching for the previous design.

Although the SVT Lightning sported a 5.8 liter Windsor V8 engine, the pace still fell a little flat, with buyers also complaining about the automatic transmission.

Ford soon released that the F-150 didn't need improving after all and the SVT Lightning was quickly halted and later stopped. You know what they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

7 1997 Nissan Navara

The Nissan Navara is the collective name for the D22, D40, and D23 Nissan pickups which come from the Navarre region of northern Spain. The D22 was first introduced in 1997 and was sold as a compact sized pickup truck with incredible speed. Sadly, the truck didn't live up to standards, with buyers complaining about the size.

In fact, the truck was so small that a four-door version was later designed and produced and released in 1999. Then, that same year a special edition was offered which Nissan named the "Desert Runner." The truck had a king cab base and bigger tires, however, customers still complained of the light body structure and small interior.

6 1998 GMC Sierra 1500

Yes, it might look nice but remember, aesthetics are most certainly not everything. In the beginning, the GMC Sierra 1500 was initially pitched as one of the best, with General Motor's telling all who would listen that their truck was going to be an engineering marvel.

Sadly, the expectations and the actual reality was anything but, and buyers soon began complaining about the performance, handling, gas mileage and comfort to name but a few.

And, if that wasn't enough, several customers also commented on the electrical problems, something which has continued to be a thorn in the side of not just this particular vehicle but GMC as a whole brand.

5 1998 Dodge Dakota

The Dodge Dakota is a mid-sized pickup truck first introduced in 1986 and then as a model in 1987. However, since then the vehicle has undergone a number of design changes, with later products unable to replicate the better and more impressive earlier creations.

Sadly, most complaints point to the dated styling of the interior of the truck as well as the body and framework. However, buyers have also commented on the amount of gas the truck uses, with the truck said to be awful on gas guzzling, especially with regards to its tiny size.

4 1997 Ford F-250

Sadly, whatever Ford produce from this day forward, it will never be quite as good as the F-150. The F-250 is a perfect example, even though it's not actually that bad it just looks insignificant when compared to its younger cousin. However, the although the truck is pretty durable, as well as sturdy and practical when necessary, it just doesn't quite cut the mustard when compared to its peers.

Furthermore, the styling of the truck is outdated and extremely unfashionable with buyers often complaining of its dated interior and boring bodywork. Come on Ford, you've only got yourself to blame with this one.

3 1999 GMC Sierra Single-Cab

General Motors knew they had made a mistake when they released the much anticipated GMC Sierra 1500 only to see it bomb dramatically. So, to try and salvage the situation, GMC quickly produced the Single-Cab Sierra, which was supposed to compete with the other single-cab compact pickup trucks at the time.

Frustratingly, GMC had failed again, with buyers complaining that the pickup was just too small to do anything.

However, that wasn't all, fuel efficiency, quality and engine trouble all noted as negative aspects of the truck. GMC panicked and never truly recovered. Oh well, at least it looks good, right?

2 1998 Isuzu Hombre

The Isuzu Hombre was basically a dressed up Chevrolet S-10 and also became the base model for the GMC Sonoma. However, although it might have started off with good intentions, the truck soon failed spectacularly.

Firstly, the car was exceptionally unattractive and is often voted as the ugliest pickup ever made.

Like the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma, the Isuzu Hombre harbored a 2.2, 4.3 V6 and a 4.3 Vortec engine. However, unlike the Chevrolet S-10 and the GMC Sonoma, the Isuzu Hombre just couldn't quite pull it off, especially when it looked so hideous.

1 1999 Fiat Strada

The Fiat Strada is a supermini coupé utility and has been produced by the Italian car manufacturer Fiat since 1996. The vehicle is known for its "interesting" look and has often been named the ugliest truck on the planet. Thankfully, the Fiat is a rare find, mostly due to its appearance but also several design faults. For instance, electrical issues have haunted the truck since the very beginning with buyers often commenting on the bad wiring and electrical failures. Plus, to make matters worse, it was revealed that Fiat had miswired the ignition, causing it to switch off and break.