4X4 Truck Guide

About 4X4 Truck Guide

Who we are, how we research, and the editorial standards behind every guide and spec page.

4X4 Truck Guide is an independent reference for people who buy, build and actually use four-wheel-drive pickups. We publish researched spec pages for every 2026 4x4 truck, plain-English guides to the hardware underneath, and free calculators that do the math before you spend money on tires, gears or a trailer.

What you'll find here

  • The 2026 truck database. Prices, towing, payload, ground clearance, off-road angles, lockers and engines for every 4x4 and AWD pickup sold new in the US, with a list of sources on every page.
  • In-depth guides. How 4WD systems, transfer cases and lockers work, how to choose tires and lift kits, how to tow within your ratings, how to drive and recover off-road, and how to keep the drivetrain alive.
  • Tools. A tire size calculator, gear ratio calculator, towing and payload checker, off-road angle calculator, truck comparison tool and a Truck Finder quiz.
  • A glossary. Every term from GCWR to crawl ratio, defined in a sentence or two and linked to the guide that goes deeper.

Editorial standards

We hold ourselves to a few rules, and we'd rather leave something out than get it wrong.

  1. Specs come from primary sources first. Manufacturer spec sheets, press kits, towing guides and owner's manuals come first, followed by EPA data from fueleconomy.gov and then reputable automotive outlets. Every truck page lists its sources and the date we checked them.
  2. Blank beats wrong. If a manufacturer hasn't published a number, such as a low-range ratio or a breakover angle, we leave it blank rather than estimate it.
  3. Safety advice stays conservative. On towing, recovery, water crossings and jacking, we point you to your owner's manual and door-jamb ratings, and we never suggest exceeding a manufacturer rating.
  4. No invented experiences. We explain how things work and why. We don't make up test results, quotes or anecdotes.
  5. Sponsored content is labeled. Partners may sponsor content or placements. When they do, it is clearly marked at the top. Our verdicts, rankings and ratings are not for sale.
  6. We fix mistakes. Spot an error or an outdated spec? Tell us and we'll check it and update the page.

How the ratings work

Truck pages show manufacturer-published maximums, usually for the best-equipped configuration. The Truck Finder also uses our editorial ratings for each truck's off-road hardware, towing strength, daily comfort and value. Those ratings are judgment calls based on published hardware and specs, and they're meant to help you build a shortlist, not replace a test drive.

Your truck's real limits

Brochure numbers describe one specific configuration. The ratings that apply to your truck are printed on its door-jamb labels. Our towing guide shows you how to read them.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections, guide ideas or partnership enquiries all go through our contact page. Want new guides and spec updates in your inbox once a month? Sign up for The Trail Report at the bottom of any page.