You've got your first paycheck saved up. Now comes the hardest decision: which rig to drive for the next hundred hours.
The difference between a starter truck and a starter truck mistake can feel like the difference between enjoying your journey and resenting it. Your first vehicle sets the tone for everything that follows. Will you spend your miles loving the roar of your engine, or will you be constantly thinking about how you should have picked something else?
The good news is that American Truck Simulator doesn't force you into a single "correct" purchase. Instead, you have genuine choices, and understanding your own priorities is the first step to finding the right match.
The Play Style Question
Before you walk into any dealership, ask yourself honestly: What kind of driver do you want to be?
Are you the type who wants to cover distance quickly and keep trucking until exhaustion? Do you prefer slower, methodical routes, where you can absorb the scenery? Will you be hauling heavy freight across the Midwest, or taking lighter loads on regional runs? Will you spend hours customizing your cab, or do you just want to hit the road immediately?
Your answer determines which category of truck suits you best.
Built for the Long Haul
If your vision of trucking involves endless highways and the freedom to customize your rig over time, the Freightliner Cascadia is a masterclass in starting humble and scaling upward. The day cab version will run you around $122,775, and you can build from there with budget-conscious engine choices.
What makes the Cascadia special for long-term players isn't raw stats, it's versatility. Start with a Detroit or Cummins engine in the 370-400 horsepower range, and you'll handle every starting job without embarrassment. More importantly, as you progress, Cascadia's upgrade path is generous. You can eventually unlock configurations pushing 605 horsepower, making it a truck you won't outgrow for dozens of playthroughs.
The interior is clean and modern, the visibility is excellent for learning American roads, and the digital gauges feel responsive. It's the truck you'll still want to drive at level 50 because you've invested time into making it yours.
The Heritage Pick
Some drivers want to feel American the moment they start the game. They want the rumble, the visual impact, the sense that they're piloting something with weight and personality.
The Kenworth W900 delivers that immediately. The base configuration sits at $121,925, varying depending on your exact spec. Upgraded versions can be a substantial initial investment, but you're buying presence and power right out of the gate. A base W900 starts at 370 horsepower, but increases to 400-450 with mid-tier Cummins engines, giving you the muscular feel and vibe that newer trucks simply can't replicate.
Visibility is solid, the interior has character, and the iconic roof-mounted exhaust vents are unmistakable on the road. If you enjoy driving slowly and deliberately (and appreciating the view), the W900 rewards that playstyle. It's not about minimizing cost, it's about choosing a truck you genuinely want to spend time in, because classic aesthetics can matter more than players often admit.
The W900 can eventually reach 625 horsepower, making it a genuinely powerful truck that never stops being satisfying to drive.
The Economic Solution
You want to start immediately and buy extra cargo space for your first hauls. You're willing to accept a no-frills cabin if it means more money in your pocket right now.
The Peterbilt 579 in day cab configuration is genuinely one of the cheapest starting options in the game. A stripped-down 4x2 base chassis keeps your initial cost low at just $112,906, and you can pair it with a solid mid-range engine (upon leveling) to cover early-game jobs. The visibility is excellent, arguably the best in its class, and the truck's modern aesthetic doesn't feel dated even at endgame.
This isn't a truck you'll customize extensively. It's a truck you'll drive hard, run into the ground, and eventually replace. But for players who view their first truck as temporary and want to maximize earnings over aesthetics, the 579 is ruthlessly efficient. You can afford to break it, upgrade it, or simply move on to something nicer once you're established.
The Balanced Bet
You want something that looks distinctly American, handles reasonably well, comes equipped with quality-of-life features, and won't empty your wallet.
The International LT is the overlooked middle ground. At around $118,855 for a complete day cab setup, it's not cheap, but it's not outrageous either. The standard configuration includes a built-in GPS and digital speedometer, features that make gameplay noticeably easier for new drivers who are still learning the map.
The LT has a distinctive character that’s very customizable without requiring endgame customization to look good. Engine options range from 400 at base configuration up to 565 horsepower, so you can grow with your truck or stay lean and efficient.
It's the truck for players who want a balanced package: decent starting power, good features, solid aesthetics, and room to grow.
Making Your Decision
Your first truck isn't a permanent choice. None of these decisions will ruin your playthrough. The Cascadia will serve you longer if you plan to stick with one truck for hundreds of hours. The W900 will satisfy you if driving experience matters as much as performance. The stripped 579 will keep your wallet full. The LT will give you the best of everything without excelling at any one thing.
The real question is: which one will make you want to get back into the driver's seat tomorrow?
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