Compact Truck Reviews

As people moves to more urban centers, and off the rural setting of the farm and small towns, one thing had to go: the pickup truck. There just wasn't room anymore for the full sized farm and ranch vehicle that served us so well by working so hard. The problems, people didn't want to give up their favorite vehicle, even in the middle of the city. A new vehicle was born, based closely on the old one, but smaller: the compact truck. Smaller, lighter, able to park on the street, but could still haul more than it;'s fair share, the compact truck soon became the truck to have.

Today, the compact truck isn't as compact as it once was. Like almost every car in America, it started small and just grew! From a two seater (or three, in a squeeze and a pinch) it now has an extended cab, more seating and hauling capacity, and is nearly as large as the full size in some cases.

What is the Best Compact Truck for You?

The best compact for you is one that will fits your needs and price. Figure out the things you need in a compact pickup truck and then match that list against the reviews and starts we've listed here. The ones that match are the ones you might want to take a look at.

Chevrolet Colorado

Base Price Range: $14,730-$23,830
EPA MPG Range: 16-27
Body Styles: Regular Cab, extended cab, crew cab

Chevy's Colorado and GMC's Canyon focus on the light-duty noncommercial user--assuming heavy haulers will move up to the large Silverado and Sierra. Given that mission, these are useful, well-balanced small trucks. Similar Isuzu i-280/i-350 share these attributes, but a sparse dealer network and questions about Isuzu's long-term viability blunt their value.

Dodge Dakota

Dodge Dakota Base Price Range: $20,090-$29,590
EPA MPG Range: 14-22
Body Styles: Extended Cab, crew Cab

Dakota and its Mitsubishi Raider cousin impress for their refinement, available all-wheel drive, and curtain side airbags. They're a bit too big for easy daily commuting, but a V8 model is a terrific choice if you tow or do heavy hauling and don't want the bulk of a true large pickup truck. That earns Dakota a Recommended nod. Mitsubishi's warranty coverage is broader than Dodge's, but the Japanese brand is hampered by a spotty dealer network and uncertain resale value.

Ford Ranger

Ford Ranger Base Price Range: $14,450-$26,670
EPA MPG Range: 15-29
Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab

This basic design is more than a decade old and acts like it. Rivals, all much newer, offer better power, refinement, room, and comfort. Still, Ranger and the similar Mazda B-series are proven workhorses that are attractively priced and often heavily discounted. Ford offers a wider array of features than the B-Series does, plus the convenience of more dealers.

GMC Canyon

GMC Canyon Base Price Range: $14,730-$23,200
EPA MPG Range: 16-27
Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab

Canyon and cousin Colorado focus on the light-duty non-commercial user--assuming heavy haulers will move up to a full-size GMC Sierra or Chevy Silverado. Given that mission, these are useful, well-balanced small trucks. List prices are fairly steep, however, so don't buy without a substantial discount.

Honda Ridgeline

Honda Ridgeline Base Price Range: $27,700-$36,640
EPA MPG Range: 16-21
Body Styles: Crew cab

Ridgeline blends pickup utility with carlike civility in a solid, sensible, Honda-style package. The light-duty design won't suit hardcore truckers, but should meet the needs of families and recreational users, as Honda intends. Innovative pickup features and Honda's typically strong resale value enhance its Recommended status.

Isuzu i-280/i-350

Isuzu i-280/i-350 Base Price Range: $14,730-$23,830
EPA MPG Range: 18-27
Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab

Like their Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon cousins, the i-280 and i-350 are useful, well-balanced small trucks. But a sparse dealer network and questions about Isuzu's long-term viability blunt their value. Sales have been slow, so deep discounts should be available.

Mazda B-Series

Mazda B-Series Base Price Range: $15,340-$26,440
EPA MPG Range: 16-29
Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab

These Mazdas share an aged but still-viable design with their Ford Ranger siblings. Rangers, however, are available with more popular equipment and at a greater number of dealerships.

Mitsubishi Raider

Mitsubishi Raider Base Price: $19,180-$33,920
EPA MPG Range: 15-22
Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab

Raider impresses for its combination of quietness, refinement, available dry-surface 4WD, and curtain-side-airbag security. We recommend a V8 model as a terrific choice if you need power for towing or heavy hauling but don't want the bulk of a true large pickup. Six-cylinder versions are best suited to light-duty chores, but Raider's large dimensions render it too big for easy daily commuting. Mitsubishi offers more generous warranty coverage than Dodge, but is hampered by a spotty dealer network and uncertain resale value.

Nissan Frontier

Nissan FrontierBase Price: $15,900-$27,200
EPA MPG Range: 15-25
Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab

Frontier carves out a nice niche for itself in the compact-pickup market with a powerful V6, middle-of-the-pack size, and options that appeal to off-road enthusiasts. Ride and handling are also good for the class, but interiors disappoint with too much tacky plastic and subpar rear-seat room.

Toyota Tacoma

Toyota TacomaBase Price Range: $13,980-$25,815
EPA MPG Range: 16-27
Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab

Despite its off-road prowess, Tacoma holds its own in refinement, and is more than competitive in performance and accommodations. Available curtain side airbags are an important safety plus, though they're available only on Double Cabs. Add Toyota's reputation for quality and reliability, and Tacoma is an easy Best Buy choice.

Some trucks in this group are sold in similar form under more than one nameplate. Differences are mainly in appearance and feature availability. Chevrolet Colorado is the basis for the GMC Canyon and Isuzu i-280/i-350. Dodge Dakota spawned the Mitsubishi Raider. Ford Ranger is retrimmed as the Mazda B-Series.

If you need a pick up, but don't need to pull a lot of tree stumps or haul mountains of earth, and still want to make it through traffic and find a place to park, then the compact truck is the one you should be looking at.