Key Insights into Compact Pickup Trucks
Explore essential facts about compact pickup trucks, including their design, history, features, and top models like Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, and Chevrolet Colorado. Discover their uses, variations, and key specifications in this comprehensive guide. Perfect for industry professionals, enthusiasts, and consumers seeking reliable information on small pickups.
Key Insights into Compact Pickup Trucks
Compact pickup trucks are versatile vehicles featuring a closed cab and an open cargo bed, often with low sides and tailgate for easy loading. Originally designed for utility, these trucks have become popular family vehicles, now making up about 18% of the country's vehicle sales. Most models feature automatic transmissions with low gear ratios for towing heavy loads. Notable models include Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado, and Ford offerings, each with unique features and capabilities.
Standard pickups have one row of seats and doors on each side, while extended versions offer extra rear space, sometimes with smaller seats. Since 1957, the industry has seen crew cabs—also called double cabs—seating five or six passengers with four full doors. The first extended trucks, known as Club Cabs, appeared in 1973. Vehicles with four rear wheels, called "duallys," are designed for heavier loads and are popular for towing campers and trailers.
Small pickups are mainly used in industry, agriculture, and the military, but also serve for personal transportation and emergency services. Top models on the market include:
2018 Toyota Tacoma: Leading in its class, it’s renowned for durability and off-road performance, with high payload capacity but lower towing and fuel efficiency (20-24 mpg highway, 17-20 city). Pricing ranges from $25,400 to $43,720.
2019 Honda Ridgeline: Runner-up for comfort and reliable ride, with a superior interior and better towing capacity. Fuel economy is 25-26 mpg highway and 18-19 city. Price estimates range from $29,990 to $43,420.
2018 Chevrolet Colorado: Known for powerful engines and excellent towing capacity, with fuel economy between 15-30 mpg highway and 15-22 mpg city. It is priced around $20,200 to $42,000, although crash ratings are lower compared to competitors.
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