Best Truck Deals for May 2026 (Memorial Day + Ongoing)

May is historically one of the best months for truck deals, and 2026 is no exception. Memorial Day weekend is the industry's biggest spring event, and manufacturers front-load their best lease rates and cash to capture the traffic. Below is every current truck program I think is worth knowing, by segment. Programs run through May 31, 2026; lease examples are 36 months / 10,000 miles per year unless noted.

Full-size trucks: the headlines

Ford F-150

Ford's Employee Pricing For All — the headline incentive of spring 2026 — runs through May 31 and is the most aggressive full-size program on the market.

Trim	Deal	Notes
XL SuperCrew 4x2	$589/mo lease	$3,299 due at signing
XLT SuperCrew 4x4	$649/mo lease	$3,499 due at signing
F-150 Lightning Standard Range	0% APR / 60 mo	Plus $2,000 conquest cash for non-Ford trade-in
Lariat	class="relative z-10",500 customer cash + 2.49% APR / 60 mo
King Ranch / Platinum	No lease/cash; conquest cash only
Raptor	No current incentives	Expect MSRP

Verdict: the F-150 XLT lease ($649/mo) is the best full-size lease in May, and the Lightning's 0% is the best EV-truck financing anywhere this month.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

GM isn't matching Ford's program volume, but the Silverado has its own Memorial Day cash.

Trim	Deal	Notes
WT Regular Cab	$3,000 customer cash
LT Crew Cab 4x4	$2,500 customer cash + 3.49% APR / 60 mo
LTZ	$2,000 customer cash
Trail Boss	class="relative z-10",500 customer cash	Limited inventory in many regions
High Country	No cash, 3.99% APR / 48 mo
Silverado EV RST	1.9% APR / 60 mo	Production limited

Verdict: the Silverado LT with $2,500 cash is the practical deal. GM's APR is less competitive than Ford's Employee Pricing this month, but cash in hand on an LT is legitimate savings.

Ram 1500

Stellantis has been running aggressive programs since Q1 to clear 2025 carry-over stock.

Trim	Deal	Notes
Tradesman Quad Cab	$4,000 customer cash OR 0% APR / 48 mo	Can't combine cash + 0%
Big Horn / Lone Star	$3,500 customer cash OR 1.9% APR / 60 mo
Rebel	$2,500 customer cash
Laramie	$2,000 customer cash + 2.99% APR / 60 mo
Limited	No cash; 3.49% APR / 60 mo
TRX	No incentives
Ram 1500 REV (EV)	0% APR / 48 mo	Production volumes still limited

Verdict: the Tradesman's choice of $4,000 cash or 0% APR is the best raw deal in the full-size segment for fleet-adjacent buyers. On a $45,000 loan, 0% over 48 months saves ~$3,700 vs a 6.5% rate — for most buyers, take the APR.

GMC Sierra 1500

GMC shares the Silverado's platform but usually carries less incentive.

Trim	Deal	Notes
Pro / SLE	$2,000 customer cash
SLT	class="relative z-10",500 customer cash + 3.49% APR / 60 mo
AT4 / Denali	No customer cash	3.99% APR / 48 mo

Verdict: Sierra buyers get less cash than Silverado buyers this month. Cross-shopping the two on price? The Silverado is the better May deal.

Toyota Tundra

Toyota's programs stay limited as inventory holds tight.

Trim	Deal	Notes
SR5 Crew Max	$500 conquest cash (non-Toyota trade-in only)
TRD Off-Road	No cash; 3.49% APR / 60 mo
Limited / Platinum	No incentives	Expect MSRP
Tundra Hybrid	No cash; 2.99% APR / 60 mo	Better than the gas APR
TRD Pro	No incentives	Above MSRP in some markets

Verdict: Tundra is the weakest program in the segment this month, the Hybrid APR aside. Cross-shopping Tundra vs F-150 on price? Ford's programs win.

Mid-size trucks

Ford Ranger

As I cover in my Ranger vs Tacoma comparison, the Ranger carries Ford's best mid-size deal.

Trim	Deal	Notes
XL SuperCrew	$392/mo lease	Employee Pricing; best mid-size lease in May
XLT	class="relative z-10",500 cash + 3.49% APR / 60 mo
Lariat	$2,500 cash + 4.49% APR / 60 mo
Raptor	No incentives	MSRP

Toyota Tacoma

Trim	Deal	Notes
SR / SR5	~$429/mo lease on Double Cab	Limited cash
TRD Sport	~$499/mo lease on 36/10K
TRD Off-Road	$750 conquest cash
Trailhunter	No incentives	MSRP or above in some markets

Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon

Both GM mid-size trucks have light incentives this month.

Model / Trim	Deal
Colorado LT	class="relative z-10",500 customer cash
Colorado Trail Boss	class="relative z-10",000 cash + 3.49% APR / 60 mo
Canyon Elevation	class="relative z-10",000 cash
Canyon AT4	No cash; 3.99% APR

How to use these numbers at the dealer

Don't lead with the incentive. Negotiate the vehicle price first — dealer cost, market adjustments, add-ons — then apply the manufacturer incentive. The factory cash comes regardless of what the dealer charges; don't let them use it to offset their own margin. I've watched that trick cost people thousands.

Compare cash vs APR. When a brand gives you a choice (Ram is the clearest case), run the math. Putting 10–20% down and financing 60 months at market rate? The 0% usually wins. Putting 40%+ down? The cash may be worth more.

Memorial Day pressure. Programs run through May 31, but some dealers will tell you the deal dies May 26 (the holiday Monday). The factory program continues to month-end — confirm the end date on the brand's official site before accepting urgency.

For specific models, see the F-150 vs Silverado comparison and the full Memorial Day roundup.