The Consumer Guide to 2009 Compact Pickup Trucks
by Rick Cotta
2009 Compact Pickup Truck Lineup
 Base Price Range: $16,705-$26,940 EPA MPG Range: 14 city-24 highway Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab Chevy's Colorado and the similar GMC Canyon add an optional 300-horsepower 5.3-liter V8 for 2009, but still focus on the light-duty noncommercial user--assuming heavy haulers will move up to the larger Silverado and Sierra. Given that mission, these are useful, well-balanced small trucks. Other engine choices include a 2.9-liter 4-cylinder and a 3.7-liter 5-cylinder. Rear-drive versions offer optional traction control. Other options include curtain side airbags, OnStar assistance, and satellite radio. Colorado and Canyon start at just over $16,000 with standard air conditioning and the most powerful 4-cylinder engine in the class. |
 Base Price Range: $22,560-$31,630 EPA MPG Range: 14 city-20 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Dakota impresses for a number of features, including available wide-opening rear doors on extended cabs that are a help in close quarters, and an available V8 that not only offers the most horsepower in this class but is also E85 capable. Less impressive is the forfeiture of its available AWD system for '09, along with the lack of an antiskid system. 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-pound towing capacity. That earns Dakota a Recommended nod. Mitsubishi's Raider is similar, though it lacks some features, including the Dakota's available V8. Mitsubishi's warranty coverage is broader than Dodge's, but the Japanese brand is hampered by a spottier dealer network and uncertain resale value. |
 Base Price Range: $27,460-$35,145 EPA MPG Range: 13 city-21 highway Body Style: Crew cab Sport Trac is based on Ford's Explorer sport-utility vehicle but has a much longer wheelbase and a 5-ft cargo bed instead of an enclosed cargo area. A 4.0-liter V6 and a 4.6-liter V8 are offered, the latter's 292 horsepower providing a class-leading 7,160-pound towing capacity. Fuel economy with the V8 is a big negative, and Sport Trac is also more "trucky" than the Honda Ridgeline. 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, a navigation system, power-adjustable pedals, and under-floor storage bins in the cargo bed. Oddly, DVD entertainment was dropped for '09. If you desire a truck's utility but don't want or need a traditional full-size model, this "Explorer pickup" deserves a look. |
 Base Price Range: $16,395-$25,805 EPA MPG Range: 14 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. |
 Base Price Range: $16,705-$27,075 EPA MPG Range: 14 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. |
 Base Price Range: $28,200-$36,530 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-20 highway Body Style: Crew cab The 2009 Honda Ridgeline gets freshened exterior and interior styling. 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 and 5-foot cargo bed 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. The RT and RTS models are the best values in this line, as the top-line RTL is rather pricey. |
 Base Price Range: $16,060-$22,150 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 in more body style and powertrain combinations, with more popular equipment, and at a greater number of dealerships. |
 Base Price Range: $21,135-$29,425 EPA MPG Range: 14 city-20 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Raider is a near-clone of the Dodge Dakota but forfeits a number of available features, among them a V8 engine and curtain side airbags. It is largely unchanged for 2009, which is likely its final model year. 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. Also, Raider's lack of key safety features such as an antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and even four-wheel ABS makes this truck difficult to recommend. |
 Base Price Range: $17,460-$29,740 EPA MPG Range: 14 city-23 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. Still, Frontier merits Recommended status--and a place on your shopping list. Crew cabs offer an optional 6-ft bed, which is matched only by the Toyota Tacoma crew cab. |
 Base Price Range: $17,220-$28,550 EPA MPG Range: 15 city-22 highway Body Styles: Extended cab, crew cab Like the Nissan Frontier on which it is based, the Suzuki Equator is a credible compact-pickup contender with a powerful V6 engine, middle-of-the-pack size, and options that appeal to off-road enthusiasts. Ride and handling are decent for the class, but interiors disappoint with too much tacky plastic and subpar rear-seat room. |
 Base Price Range: $15,170-$27,075 EPA MPG Range: 14 city-25 highway Body Styles: Regular cab, extended cab, crew cab Tacoma holds its own in refinement and is more than competitive in performance, accommodations, utility, and off-road prowess. But most impressively, this year it comes standard with the important safety quartet of ABS, antiskid system, front side airbags, and curtain airbags. Crew cabs are available with a choice of 5- or 6-ft cargo beds, and the extended cab is offered in a sporty X-Runner version. The X-Runner handles like a sports car while sacrificing little utility. Tacoma also offers some advanced off-road features. Add Toyota's reputation for quality and reliability, and Tacoma is an easy Best Buy choice. |
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