Cotta, Rick. "The Consumer Guide to 2008 Compact Pickup Trucks." 18 February 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2008-compact-pickup-truck-buying-guide.htm> 15 October 2008.

by Rick Cotta

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The Consumer Guide to 2008 Compact Pickup Trucks

2008 Compact Pickup Truck Lineup

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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.