US Pickup Trucks (Ford F-150, RAM, Chevy Silverado) in Spain: Is It Worth Importing One

Import cost: duty, VAT and IEDMT together

All three trucks come from the USA, so all three face the same customs treatment: 10% duty on the customs value, then 21% VAT on value plus duty, with no origin exemption equivalent to the UK's. On a well-optioned F-150 valued at 48,000 EUR landed, that is roughly 4,800 EUR duty and 11,088 EUR VAT, before IEDMT. IEDMT then depends heavily on the engine: a V6 EcoBoost F-150 with moderate CO2 figures might land in the 9.75% band (161-200 g/km), adding a further meaningful chunk, while a large-displacement V8 RAM or Silverado often lands in the top 14.75% band above 200 g/km, which on a high declared value can add 6,000-9,000 EUR on its own.

• Ford F-150 (V6 EcoBoost, moderate spec): duty + VAT typically 8,000-11,000 EUR; IEDMT often in the 9.75% band, adding 3,000-5,000 EUR depending on valuation.
• RAM 1500 (5.7L HEMI V8): duty + VAT typically 9,000-12,000 EUR; IEDMT usually in the top 14.75% band, adding 6,000-9,000 EUR.
• Chevrolet Silverado (5.3L or 6.2L V8): similar profile to the RAM, with total tax often reaching 18,000-24,000 EUR combined on a well-specced truck.
• Add homologation (individual technical report, amber indicator conversion if applicable, headlight adjustment) at 800-1,800 EUR, and shipping at 1,500-3,500 EUR depending on route and container versus RoRo.

The width and length problem nobody mentions in the brochure

A crew-cab F-150 or Silverado is typically around 2.0-2.1 metres wide excluding mirrors and over 5.8 metres long. Spanish underground parking spaces, especially in buildings from the 1970s-90s that make up most urban housing stock, are commonly built to a 2.2-2.4 metre width standard that assumes a compact European car, not a truck with wide mirrors folded. Many owners simply cannot fit the truck into their own building's garage and end up renting a separate space or parking on the street, which in old-town centres with narrow one-way streets, tight corners and low stone archways can be genuinely difficult on a daily basis, not just an inconvenience.

This matters more in Spain than it would in, say, a US suburb, because so much of Spanish urban housing predates the car entirely and street layouts were never widened. It is worth physically measuring your garage space and typical daily route before ordering a truck, not after it arrives.

Running costs: fuel, tolls and insurance

Fuel economy on a V8 pickup in real-world Spanish driving, mostly motorway and urban mixed use, typically runs 14-18 L/100km, roughly double what a comparable European diesel SUV would use, and at Spanish pump prices that adds up quickly for anyone doing meaningful annual mileage. Motorway tolls in Spain are charged by vehicle category, and a heavy, wide pickup is often billed at a higher toll category than a passenger car, sometimes double. Insurance is generally available without major issues from insurers used to imported vehicles, though premiums for a high-value, high-power imported truck run higher than for an equivalent-value European model due to smaller claims history data.

Where a US pickup genuinely makes sense in Spain

• Rural properties, fincas and agricultural or equestrian use, where towing capacity and ground clearance matter more than urban manoeuvrability.
• Owners with off-street parking and wide access roads, typically outside major cities or in newer developments built with more generous garage dimensions.
• Genuine enthusiasts who want the specific vehicle and have already factored the total tax bill into the purchase decision rather than being surprised by it.

For most everyday city or suburban use, a European pickup like the Volkswagen Amarok, Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux costs a fraction to import (often already EU type-approved with far lower or no duty depending on origin), is narrower, easier to park, and considerably cheaper to run, while still offering real towing and load capacity. The decision genuinely comes down to whether the size and character of the American truck is the point, not just the utility.

The truck is not too big for Spanish roads. It is too big for Spanish garages built before anyone imagined one.

Frequently asked questions

Which of the three is cheapest to import?

A moderately specced V6 EcoBoost F-150 is usually cheaper to import than a V8 RAM 1500 or Silverado, mainly because its lower CO2 figures place it in a lower IEDMT band, not because of any difference in customs treatment, which is identical across all three.

Do these trucks pass Spanish ITV without major changes?

Mechanically yes for the most part; the main homologation items are lighting-related (indicator colour and headlight beam pattern) plus the individual technical report needed because these are not EU type-approved vehicles. Structural or engine changes are not typically required.

Can I tow a caravan or trailer with a US pickup on Spanish plates?

Yes, subject to the same towing licence categories (B, B96 or BE) and weight limits that apply to any vehicle in Spain, based on the truck's registered towing capacity on its Spanish technical sheet (ficha tecnica) after homologation.