The column shifter is becoming an unusual sight in new trucks as automakers move more transmissions to center consoles, rotary controls, and electronic selectors. Yet the traditional stalk behind the steering wheel has not disappeared.
Several current U.S. pickups still offer it, particularly trucks configured with front bench seats or work-oriented interiors. That layout does more than preserve a familiar driving habit.
It can free up valuable space between the front seats for storage, tools, or a fold-down work surface. The trucks below show where buyers can still find this old-school feature without stepping into an older used pickup.
1. 2026 Ford F-150
The Ford F-150 has managed to keep the column shifter alive while giving buyers plenty of freedom to configure the cabin around it. The important detail is that the feature is trim- and seating-dependent, so a buyer cannot assume every 2026 F-150 has the same arrangement.
Ford’s 2026 order information lists steering-column-mounted shifters on several configurations, including the XL, STX, and certain XLT setups.
The available arrangement is paired with a front bench seat or a flow-through console designed around the column-mounted selector. Some XLT Black Appearance configurations instead use a floor shifter, which makes checking the exact equipment list particularly important.
There is a practical reason the arrangement continues to make sense in a full-size pickup. Moving the shifter away from the center console leaves additional room between the seats, particularly when the truck is equipped with a 40/20/40 front seat. That middle position can function as an extra seating position or fold into an armrest and storage area.
The F-150 also demonstrates that a column shifter does not mean an old-fashioned truck. Its 2026 lineup includes a 12-inch center display, modern driver-assistance systems, and a 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford offers several engines as well, ranging from the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 to larger and more powerful options.
For buyers who specifically want a column shifter, the key is configuration rather than simply choosing the F-150 nameplate. Ford still provides the option, but it is not universal across the lineup.
2. 2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty
The Ford F-250 Super Duty takes the column-shifter concept into a much heavier class of pickup. Unlike many modern half-ton trucks that increasingly use console-mounted selectors, the Super Duty can still be ordered with a column-mounted shifter depending on configuration and interior equipment.
Parts and service information for the 2023-2026 Super Duty range specifically distinguishes trucks built with column shifters from those equipped with console-mounted shifters.
That distinction is especially relevant because Super Duty buyers often prioritize function over a uniform interior design. A truck equipped with a front bench seat and column selector provides a more open center area, which can be useful for work equipment, paperwork, or additional storage.
Higher trims with bucket seats can instead use a console-mounted arrangement, so the seating configuration can change the shifter location.
The F-250 also proves that keeping a conventional selector does not mean sacrificing modern capability. The 2026 truck can be equipped with Ford’s 10-speed TorqShift automatic transmission, trailer brake controls, available advanced towing technology, and large information displays.
Ford’s current inventory listings confirm the 10-speed automatic across F-250 configurations. Engine choices give the F-250 a substantial step beyond half-ton pickups.
The standard gasoline engine is a 6.8-liter V8, while a 7.3-liter V8 and 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel are available depending on configuration. The diesel is aimed at buyers who need serious towing and hauling capability.
The column shifter therefore serves a practical purpose here. It preserves open cabin space in work-oriented configurations while allowing the F-250 to remain a thoroughly modern heavy-duty truck.
3. 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is one of the clearest examples of the column shifter surviving in a modern full-size pickup. Chevrolet continues to offer its Electronic Precision Shift as a steering-column-mounted system on applicable Silverado configurations.
Unlike the old mechanical levers many drivers remember, this version is electronic, but the control still sits behind the right side of the steering wheel. Chevrolet describes the stalk as having a dedicated park button at its tip, with forward and backward movements used to select drive and reverse.
That distinction is important because the Silverado’s column shifter is not simply an unchanged piece of old truck hardware. It is a modern electronic selector placed in a familiar location. The arrangement can also leave the center of the cabin free for storage or a more flexible seating layout, depending on how the truck is equipped.
Chevrolet continues to sell the Silverado in work-oriented configurations that prioritize practical cabin space. The 2026 commercial Silverado 1500 is available with multiple powertrains and can tow as much as 13,300 pounds when properly equipped. Its maximum available payload reaches 2,260 pounds.
The available engines range from the turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder to larger V8 and diesel options, giving buyers very different combinations of efficiency, power, and towing capability.
For someone specifically searching for a new truck with a shifter next to the steering wheel, the Silverado deserves attention because the feature is not merely a leftover from previous generations. Chevrolet has adapted the concept to electronic transmission controls while keeping the familiar column location.
4. 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD
Step into the heavy-duty Silverado range, and the column-mounted selector becomes just as relevant. Chevrolet’s parts catalog identifies column-mounted shifter applications for the 2024 through 2026 Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD, confirming that the configuration remains part of the current heavy-duty truck family.
The setup is particularly useful on work-focused trucks because Chevrolet does not have to devote valuable center-console space to a large transmission lever. Depending on the cabin and seating configuration, that space can instead serve as additional storage or accommodate a front center seating position.
The 2500 HD also illustrates why the column shifter continues to make sense in a vehicle designed around serious towing. Chevrolet offers the truck with a 6.6-liter gasoline V8 and an available 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8. The diesel produces 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque, giving the truck the kind of output expected from a heavy-duty pickup.
There is an interesting technological twist here as well. Chevrolet’s current Electronic Precision Shift system is not a traditional mechanical linkage. The stalk sends electronic commands to the transmission, meaning the driver gets the familiar location without the packaging requirements of a conventional mechanical shifter.
Chevrolet’s instructions show Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive being selected through movements of the steering-column stalk.
For commercial users, that can be a worthwhile arrangement. The driver gets a familiar control that can be operated without reaching down toward the center console, while the rest of the cabin remains available for equipment, paperwork, and storage.
5. 2026 GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra 1500 keeps the column shifter alive in a particularly interesting way because GMC combines the familiar location with an electronic transmission system.
Its steering-column-mounted Electronic Precision Shift uses a stalk behind the right side of the steering column, with a dedicated Park button at the end. GMC describes this as an electronic replacement for a traditional gearshift, so the driver gets the familiar placement without a conventional mechanical linkage.
The feature is not universal across every Sierra configuration, which is important when shopping. Current 2026 vehicle documentation shows Sierra configurations with a mechanical shifter as well as electronic-shifter versions, while current vehicle listings identify column-shifter configurations.
That flexibility gives the Sierra an unusual advantage for truck buyers who care about interior packaging. A column-mounted selector leaves the center console available for storage and other controls instead of dedicating the space to a large transmission lever.
The Sierra is also far from basic underneath all that familiar hardware. The 2026 lineup offers multiple engines, including the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 5.3-liter V8, 6.2-liter V8, and available 3.0-liter Duramax diesel. Properly equipped, the Sierra 1500 can tow up to 13,300 pounds.
Something is fitting about this combination. The driver can still reach toward the steering wheel and change gears in the same general location truck drivers have used for decades, yet the vehicle can simultaneously provide advanced towing technology, large displays, and modern driver assistance.
6. 2026 GMC Sierra 2500 HD
The GMC Sierra 2500 HD brings the column-mounted shifter into heavy-duty territory, where practicality often matters more than fashionable interior trends.
GMC’s current parts information identifies column-mounted steering components for the Silverado and Sierra HD family, while the 2026 Sierra owner’s documentation distinguishes trucks equipped with mechanical and electronic shifters.
For a heavy-duty pickup, the arrangement can make particular sense. Work-oriented trucks are frequently ordered with configurations where a large center console is less important than usable cabin space. Moving the transmission control onto the steering column leaves more room for storage, tools, or a center seating position depending on the cab and trim.
The Sierra 2500 HD is also built around serious towing and hauling requirements. Its available 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8 produces 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque, while the 6.6-liter gasoline V8 provides a simpler alternative for buyers who do not need the diesel’s maximum output.
What makes the modern Sierra interesting is that a column shifter no longer necessarily means a mechanical transmission control. GMC’s Electronic Precision Shift system uses electronic commands, while the control itself remains on the steering column. The result looks familiar but operates according to modern electronic architecture.
That combination is one reason the feature has survived in heavy-duty pickups. A truck intended to spend its life towing trailers or carrying equipment does not necessarily benefit from sacrificing useful center-console space simply to relocate the transmission selector.
For buyers who prefer a traditional shifter position, the Sierra 2500 HD provides a modern interpretation of an old truck feature without giving up the technology expected from a current heavy-duty pickup.
7. 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD
The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD keeps the column shifter relevant in the part of the pickup market where function still drives many purchasing decisions. GM’s parts catalog specifically identifies column-mounted automatic shifters for 2024 through 2026 Silverado 3500 HD models, confirming that this arrangement remains available in the current heavy-duty lineup.
What makes the arrangement useful is not nostalgia alone. A steering-column shifter leaves the center portion of the cabin available for other purposes, which can be particularly valuable in a truck ordered for commercial or fleet work.
Depending on the cab, trim, and seating configuration, that space can accommodate additional storage or a center seating position instead of being occupied by a large transmission selector.
The 3500 HD also has the mechanical credentials to match its work-oriented interior. Chevrolet offers a 6.6-liter gasoline V8 and an available 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8. The diesel produces 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque, giving the truck substantial capability for towing and hauling.
There is also a modern twist to the familiar control. GM’s current column-mounted systems can use electronic transmission controls, meaning the driver’s hand still reaches toward the steering wheel to select gears, but the shifter does not need to operate the transmission through an old-fashioned mechanical linkage.
GM’s parts information confirms the column-mounted automatic configuration on the current Silverado HD range.
That combination makes the Silverado 3500 HD one of the more convincing places to find a column shifter in a new truck. The feature is tied directly to useful cabin packaging rather than simply being retained as a styling exercise.
8. 2026 Ram 2500
The Ram 2500 brings a column-mounted transmission selector back into the spotlight for 2026. Mopar’s current parts listings for the 2026 Ram 2500 identify dedicated transmission-shifter components within the steering-column assembly, including applications for both gasoline and diesel configurations.
This is significant because the Ram HD lineup previously used different shifter arrangements depending on the model and powertrain. The newer configuration places the selector in the traditional location behind the steering wheel, freeing the center console for storage, controls, and other cabin functions.
The 2026 Ram 2500 offers a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 as a gasoline choice and a 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel inline-six for buyers who need substantially more torque. The diesel produces 1,075 lb-ft of torque, making the column-mounted control particularly at home in a truck designed for heavy towing.
Ram’s approach also demonstrates that a column shifter can coexist with a sophisticated cabin. The 2500 can be equipped with large infotainment displays, extensive towing technology, available luxury materials, and advanced driver-assistance equipment.
The shifter’s location does not determine how technologically advanced the rest of the truck can be.
There is a practical benefit that is easy to overlook. A console-mounted transmission control consumes a fixed amount of space in the middle of the cabin. Moving that control to the column can make the same area more useful, especially for drivers who spend long days working from their trucks.
Mopar’s current parts catalog lists transmission-shifter components for the 2026 Ram 2500 and identifies the steering-column assembly across multiple configurations, providing evidence that the feature is part of the current truck architecture rather than an outdated component carried over accidentally.
9. 2026 Ram 3500
The Ram 3500 shows that the column shifter is still very much alive in heavy-duty work trucks. Mopar’s parts catalog for the 2026 Ram 3500 lists multiple transmission-shifter assemblies within the steering column and intermediate-shaft section, covering both gasoline and diesel configurations.
That confirms the truck’s current architecture still incorporates a column-mounted transmission control.
What makes the arrangement especially useful in the Ram is the amount of space it can leave available elsewhere in the cabin. Heavy-duty buyers often spend long hours towing, hauling equipment, or using the truck as a mobile workplace.
Keeping the transmission selector on the column means the center area does not have to be dominated by a large floor shifter.
The Ram 3500 is also available with two very different powertrains. The 6.4-liter HEMI V8 produces 405 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque, while the available 6.7-liter High-Output Cummins turbo-diesel produces 430 horsepower and a massive 1,075 lb-ft.
The diesel version can tow more than 32,000 pounds in properly configured 2026 models, putting it firmly into the serious heavy-duty category.
That makes the column shifter more than a nostalgic detail. In a truck this large, interior packaging matters. A driver who needs space for paperwork, tools, storage, or an additional seating position can benefit from having the transmission control out of the center console.
The 2026 Ram 3500 therefore combines an old-school control location with a thoroughly modern heavy-duty powertrain and towing system.
10. 2026 GMC Sierra 3500 HD
The GMC Sierra 3500 HD rounds out the list by carrying the column-mounted shifter into the largest and most demanding version of GMC’s pickup family.
GMC’s U.S. support documentation describes its Electronic Precision Shift as a steering-column-mounted system, with the shifting stalk positioned behind the right side of the steering column and a dedicated Park button at the end.
GM’s parts information also confirms column-mounted steering-column assemblies for the 2024 through 2026 Silverado 3500 HD, which shares its core architecture with the GMC Sierra HD. That makes the feature part of the current GM heavy-duty truck platform rather than a feature limited to older pickups.
The Sierra 3500 HD is available with a 6.6-liter gasoline V8 or the 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8. The diesel produces 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque, giving this truck the muscle required for substantial trailer loads.
The column selector also makes sense from a packaging perspective. GMC can keep the driver’s primary controls close to the steering wheel while preserving valuable space lower in the cabin. That is particularly useful on work-oriented configurations where storage and accessibility may matter more than a large decorative center console.
There is also an important difference between today’s system and the column shifters found in older trucks. GMC’s Electronic Precision Shift sends electronic commands rather than relying on a traditional mechanical linkage. The driver receives the familiar stalk and location, but the underlying technology is thoroughly modern.
That makes the Sierra 3500 HD a fitting final example of how the column shifter has survived. It is no longer simply an old truck feature. In today’s heavy-duty pickups, it can be a deliberate packaging solution that works alongside advanced electronics, powerful engines, and modern towing technology.
