Driving in Aurora, Colorado, presents a unique challenge for pickup trucks. Located at roughly 5,400 feet above sea level, with easy access to mountain passes and the Rockies, the area demands vehicles that can handle reduced air density. As elevation rises, engines naturally lose power because thinner air contains less oxygen for combustion.
While turbocharged and diesel engines cope better with altitude, naturally aspirated engines often feel sluggish, especially when towing or climbing steep grades. This guide highlights five trucks that excel in high-altitude driving and five that tend to lose performance.
Trucks That Excel in High-Altitude Conditions
High altitude doesn’t just thin the air, it exposes weak powertrains, lazy transmissions, and cooling systems that were never designed to work uphill for hours at a time.
If you’ve ever tried towing, passing, or even just maintaining highway speed in the mountains, you already know that not all trucks are created equal once elevation climbs. Engines lose power, turbos get stressed, and gearing choices suddenly matter a lot more than brochure numbers…