Dodge's Dakota was refreshed for 2008.

­There are no new compact pickup class entries for 2008. Most models carried over with little or no changes. For 2008, the Dodge Dakota got more available power and freshened interior and exterior styling. Also, the 2008 Ford Ranger got slightly revised front styling and Mitsubishi's Raider got a new dashboard.

Port of Entry

All extended cabs are available with narrow, rear-hinged back doors. While these "half doors" may work fine in the showroom, they tend to be cumbersome in tight spaces because most only open about 90 degrees. In all extended cabs, the front doors have to be opened first, and then the rear doors. If you have a shopping cart and there's a vehicle parked next to you, opening the doors "boxes in" the entry to your truck's interior, with you and/or your cart on the outside of the "box."

This is one reason crew cabs with four conventional doors are increasingly popular. However, the Dodge Dakota Club Cab (extended cab) offers rear-hinged rear doors that open wider, lying nearly flat against the sides of the bed. But even then, there might not be enough space between the door and an adjacent vehicle to roll a shopping cart.

Seating Surprise

Nearly all extended cabs offer seating for up to five people, but not all achieve that capacity the same way. Most do it with a three-passenger front bench seat and two rear "jump" seats, which each hold one person and fold out of the way for cargo. Since the center position on a front bench offers only enough room for a child--who should be riding in back--these realistically should be considered four-passenger trucks. Among compact extended cabs, only the Toyota Tacoma Access Cab offers a three-passenger rear seat, but those passengers should be small and very friendly.

Ditto for crew cabs that claim to hold six. One of those would have to sit front and center, and that's both uncomfortable and unsafe, so they should really be considered five-passenger vehicles. One more thing about seating: No compact extended cab offers enough rear legroom for adults, and none of their rear seats--whether jump or bench--are very comfortable, as padding is sparse and the backrest usually upright. In crew cabs, rear legroom is marginal at best, so these really aren't the vehicles for tall drivers who want to carry adults in back.

The Payback for Payload

Payload capacity--the maximum number of pounds of people and cargo the vehicle can safely carry--varies greatly among the trucks in this class. For some it's as little as 900 pounds, but most either are or can be optioned into the 1200- to 1700-lb range. Option packages that increase payload capacity include stiffer rear springs that can adversely affect ride and handling--particularly in bumpy corners--when the bed is empty. Think about how much weight you're likely to carry at any one time and buy accordingly.

2008 Compact Pickup Truck Lineup

Chevrolet Colorado Base Price Range: $14,510-$24,415 EPA MPG Range: 16 city-24 highway 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. Engine choices include a 2.9-liter four-cylinder and a 3.7-liter five-cylinder. Rear-drive versions offer optional traction control. Other options include curtain side airbags, OnStar assistance, and satellite radio. Colorado and Canyon start at less than $15,000 with standard air conditioning and the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the class. The similar Isuzu i-290/i-370 shares most of these features, but a sparse dealer network and questions about Isuzu's long-term viability blunt their value.

Dodge Dakota Base Price Range: $19,435-$31,100 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-22 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Dakota impresses for a number of features, including all-surface all-wheel drive; an extended cab that has wide-opening rear doors, a help in close quarters; and an available V8 that's not only the most powerful engine in this class, but is also E85 capable. Dakota is 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, as it allows a 7050-lb towing capacity. That earns Dakota a Recommended nod. Mitsubishi's Raider is similar, though it lacks the Dakota's available V8 and all-wheel drive. Mitsubishi's warranty coverage is broader than Dodge's, but the Japanese brand is hampered by a spottier dealer network and uncertain resale value.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac Base Price Range: $24,715-$30,570 EPA MPG Range: 13 city-20 highway Body Style: Crew cab Sport Trac is based on Ford's Explorer sport-utility vehicle but has a much longer wheelbase and a 4-ft cargo bed instead of an enclosed cargo area. A 4.0-liter V6 and 4.6-liter V8 are offered; the latter's 292 hp providing a class-leading 7160-lb towing capacity. Sport Trac offers features not typically found in compact pickups, such as all-surface all-wheel drive, antiskid system with rollover sensors, curtain side airbags, DVD entertainment, a navigation system, and under-floor storage bins in the cargo bed.

Ford Ranger Base Price Range: $13,995-$23,740 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-26 highway Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab Ranger's basic design is more than a decade old and is showing its age. 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. Ranger offers a wider array of features than the B-Series does--including a class-leading 7-ft bed--plus the convenience of more dealers.

GMC Canyon Base Price Range: $14,510-$24,330 EPA MPG Range: 16 city-24 highway Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab Canyon and cousin Chevrolet Colorado are near clones except for some styling elements, so everything mentioned about the Colorado applies here as well.

Honda Ridgeline Base Price Range: $28,000-$35,090 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-20 highway Body Style: Crew cab Ridgeline blends pickup utility with car-like civility in a solid, sensible, Honda-style package. It comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6, automatic transmission, and all-surface all-wheel drive. 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-290/i-370 Base Price Range: $17,399-$27,929 EPA MPG Range: 16 city-24 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Like their Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon cousins, the i-290 and i-370 are useful, well-balanced small trucks. But Isuzu doesn't offer a regular cab, and the extended cab comes only in 2WD form. Other choices are also much more limited than in its Chevrolet and GMC counterparts. Furthermore, Isuzu has a sparse dealer network and questions about the company's long-term viability hurt resale values. Sales have been slow, so deep discounts should be available.

Mazda B-Series Base Price Range: $15,535-$26,590 EPA MPG Range: 14 city-26 highway 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 Base Price Range: $19,990-$28,280 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-20 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Raider is a near-clone of the Dodge Dakota but offers far fewer available features, forfeiting a V8 engine, all-surface all-wheel drive, and curtain side airbags. That leaves the Raider with just a V6 engine and rear- or 4-wheel drive. Like Dakota, 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 spottier dealer network and uncertain resale value.

Nissan Frontier Base Price Range: $16,150-$27,950 EPA MPG Range: 16 city-25 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Frontier carves out a nice niche for itself in the compact-pickup market with a powerful available 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. Crew cabs offer an optional 6-ft bed, which is matched only by the Toyota Tacoma crew cab.

Toyota Tacoma Base Price Range: $14,280-$26,115 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-25 highway Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab Tacoma holds its own in refinement and is more than competitive in performance and accommodations. An antiskid system is optional; so are front side airbags and curtain side airbags, though only on crew cabs, which are available with a choice of 5- or 6-ft cargo beds. Tacoma also offers some advanced off-road features. Add Toyota's reputation for quality and reliability, and Tacoma is an easy Best Buy choice.