Truck Rankings: Compact Pickup Trucks
Ranking of compact pickup trucks, generally priced $15,000 to $25,000. Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Ford Ranger and more. Rankings based on an in-depth analysis by U.S. News editors of all published auto ratings, reviews and test drives.
#1
2009 Toyota Tacoma
The 2009 Toyota Tacoma is the U.S. News Best Car for the Money in the compack pickup class, thanks to its car-like interior and practical capabilities.
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 9.1 |
| Performance: | 8.4 |
| Exterior: | 8.1 |
| Interior: | 8.0 |
| Safety: | 9.9 |
| Reliability: | 9.0 |
#2
2009 Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier is a great choice for buyers looking for truck that's fast on-road and capable off-road.
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 8.5 |
| Performance: | 8.8 |
| Exterior: | 8.5 |
| Interior: | 8.0 |
| Safety: | 7.0 |
| Reliability: | 6.0 |
#3
2009 Dodge Dakota
Despite low-grade cabin materials and poor interior comfort, the Dodge Dakota remains a good choice in its class for its towing capabilities and six person seating capacity.
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 8.2 |
| Performance: | 8.0 |
| Exterior: | 7.9 |
| Interior: | 7.3 |
| Safety: | 6.9 |
| Reliability: | 8.0 |
#4
2009 Suzuki Equator
The Suzuki Equator is Suzuki's first entry into the world of pickup trucks. Based on the Nissan Titan, the Equator is meant to be a capable hauler ...
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 7.5 |
| Performance: | 7.2 |
| Exterior: | 8.0 |
| Interior: | 6.2 |
| Safety: | NA |
| Reliability: | NA |
#5
2009 HUMMER H3T
The Hummer H3T is an incredible off-road pickup truck, but some reviewers say it can be hard to live with on a daily basis.
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 7.1 |
| Performance: | 7.6 |
| Exterior: | 6.9 |
| Interior: | 8.0 |
| Safety: | NA |
| Reliability: | 4.0 |
#6
2009 Ford Ranger
When it comes to compact truck capability on a budget, it's hard to find a better choice than the 2009 Ford Ranger. However, competitors are more refined ...
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 6.4 |
| Performance: | 6.3 |
| Exterior: | 7.2 |
| Interior: | 6.0 |
| Safety: | 6.6 |
| Reliability: | 8.0 |
#7
2009 Mazda B-Series
The B-Series is a basic hauler with good off-road abilities and low ownership costs, but can't match the interior room, standard features, and style of others in ...
| U.S.News Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall: | 6.3 |
| Performance: | 6.5 |
| Exterior: | NA |
| Interior: | 5.7 |
| Safety: | 6.6 |
| Reliability: | 8.0 |
Unranked: Compact Pickup Trucks
Our rankings are based on analysis of third party reviews. Sometimes, we are unable to find enough reviews to publish a definitive ranking. Please check back later, as we are constantly updating our reviews.







