Top Picks for Hard Workers

Construction workers, electricians, plumbers and other on-the-go sorts need reliable transportation that can double as a staging area for the job. Our picks include SUVs, pickups, minivans and full-size vans. We looked at cargo capacity, reliability and overall durability.

Best New Car for Hard Workers 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Starting MSRP $21,270 Construction workers and contractors alike will find plenty of utility in the redesigned Ram. The cabin pulls a few moves from Chrysler minivans' Stow n' Go playbook, with available storage areas under the rear seats and passenger footwells. The two standard bed rails with cargo tie-downs are typical pickup truck fare, but Dodge's optional RamBox compartments aren't. The compartments sit atop the rear fenders and offer plenty of room to put extra tools within easy reach. They're also lockable to deter theft. The Ram's 1,850-pound payload and 9,100-pound towing capacities are unremarkable, but ride and cabin quality stand out. If you want a hard-hitting truck that feels downright carlike on the way home, look no further.

Best Deal for Hard Workers 2009 Toyota Tacoma Starting MSRP $15,170 The Tacoma clinches the hard-worker value award two years in a row. It has all the right ingredients for an inexpensive work truck: A range of cab and bed configurations, a four-cylinder or stout 4.0-liter V-6, and a competitive maximum payload of 1,570 pounds. A heavy-duty composite bed is standard, as are bed rails and a removable tailgate. Also standard for 2009 are a host of previously optional safety features, among them side curtain airbags and an electronic stability system — the latter of which is especially important for a pickup. Those buying for the long haul will be happy to know the Tacoma's reliability ratings are very good.

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Ford E-150 (2009) Starting MSRP $25,060 Full-size cargo vans do the hard work for tradesmen who can't use an open pickup truck bed. The E-150 bumped the Chevrolet Express this year due to the Express' below-average reliability. The E-150 got some needed upgrades for 2009, including rear doors that open more than 170 degrees and an optional backup camera. A stability system is optional. Research this car      Build this car

Ford Escape Hybrid (2009) Starting MSRP $29,305 No SUV works harder than the Ford Escape Hybrid when it comes to saving you money at the pump. With an EPA-estimated 34/31 mpg city/highway in the front-wheel-drive version, the Escape Hybrid and its sibling models (the Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute hybrids) rank as the most-efficient SUVs available for 2009. That's a noteworthy accomplishment, but what's equally impressive is that the Escape Hybrid is as easy to drive as a regular compact SUV. Research this car      Build this car

Ford Expedition (2009) Starting MSRP $36,345 Ford's biggest SUV is one of the best at its job: Hauling up to 15,000 pounds — which it can do only when equipped with an optional towing package — and eight people in relative comfort, for a truck-based vehicle. An extended version of the Expedition, called EL, can fit even more stuff, with 42.6 cubic feet of storage behind the third row of seats. There simply aren't a lot of vehicles out there that can pack that much capability. Research this car      Build this car

GMC Sierra 1500 (2009) Starting MSRP $18,575 Pickup trucks are great for hard work, whether hauling a load in the cargo bed or pulling a trailer to a job site, but it's nice when they also make life easier for the driver. That's what the Sierra does, as its good fuel economy lets you go farther on a tank of gas and its comfortable cabin won't tax you on the way to the job. Research this car      Build this car

Honda Element (2009) Starting MSRP $20,175 Not every job involves towing massive loads to a job site, and if yours doesn't, the Element is a worthy co-worker. The cargo area is enormous and easy to clean, thanks to its rubbery surface. The Element is small, so it handles narrow urban streets and alleys well, and parallel parking is easy. Finally, if you're the sort to use your car as a mobile billboard, the slab-sided Element practically screams "paint me!" Research this car      Build this car

Nissan Frontier (2009) Starting MSRP $17,460 Nearly 1,600 pounds of payload capacity and an available factory spray-in bedliner mean the Frontier should be up to whatever task is at hand. Five bed rails — most pickups have two or three — with sturdy lock-in cleats should help you tie down objects small or large. Reliability for the current generation is above average, and the optional 4.0-liter V-6 is one of the gutsier engines in this class. Research this car      Build this car

	Scion xB (2009) Starting MSRP $15,750 As what we term a "florist vehicle," the xB's funky looks and sizable storage area make it the perfect vehicle for small businesses that need to transport small cargo. Slap some company graphics on this rather-efficient hatchback, and this is one slick-looking billboard that can help pay the bills. Research this car      Build this car

Toyota Tundra (2008) Starting MSRP $22,390 After years of attempts that came up short — literally — Toyota built its current-generation Tundra to go toe-to-tow with the class leaders in size and capabilities. While V-8-powered four-wheel-drive models showed subpar reliability initially, all versions are now clear, with regular cab rear-wheel-drive models offering the highest towing capacity, 10,800 pounds. Research this car      Build this car