Car and Driver: Every New Mid-Size Pickup Truck Ranked from Worst to Best

[FLEngineer]

Best truck? :cwl::cwl::cwl::cwl::cwl:

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[gfitzge2]

If you want a car with a box on the back the Honda Ridgeline might be OK. If you went a Truck, get a vehicle built on a frame. I put my money on the Ranger. Ordered it on Tuesday. Attended the NAIAS yesterday. Ford had their whole Sema setup there. The Rangers look great.

 

[rangerdanger]

A quick meme

 

[jsphlynch]

Offering a roomy cabin

No surprise here, many cars have roomy cabins

a 5000-pound maximum towing capacity

Or, to put it another way "worst in class towing capacity", at least if you want to consider it the same class as the other vehicles in the list.

and a five-star NHTSA safety rating

Just what people are looking for in their weekend off-road capable toy, a top rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...

Wait, did we just say "front-wheel drive?"

Yes, you did.

With no frame rails getting in the way

Seriously, let this sink in a little: "no frame rails."

So far as I know, the Honda is a fine vehicle for people who want that sort of vehicle. But let's be honest, it's not the same sort of vehicle as the other 5 on the list.

 

[Rinn69]

Third, the words "Honda" and "truck" should never be used together in the same sentence.

Nailed it !!!!!!

 

[Administrator]

The Honda Ridgeline is not a truck.

I think we're all in agreement here on this. Which really makes the Ranger #1 on this list

 

[DHMag]

One of these is not like the others.

 

[FLEngineer]

A quick meme

The force the binds the galaxy! In all honesty I would have been fine with the Taco at #1 but seems like they are just trolling here.

 

[Floyd]

First of all, you have to define "best". Best means different things to different people. If it's reliability you're after, the Nissan actually goes to the top of the list. It's been out for 14 years now and there are hardly any problems remaining with them. I had a 2013 model and other than a small axle leak, it was flawless.

Secondly, how can you put the Ranger ahead of the Colorado/Canyon when A) it's just now showing up to market and B) it's got fewer engine options, packages, and models to choose from?

Third, the words "Honda" and "truck" should never be used together in the same sentence.

A couple of counterpoints...
A look at the specs , and consider that FORD has built the best trucks available consistently since before I was born, and I'm officially an old man.
It only offers one engine... Why offer less? I'm Very happy that I didn't have buy the 2.3L as an option in a higher trim level.
Image if they offered two normally aspirated engines like 2.5L, and the 3.5L in the XL and the XLT.

I like the 2.7L Ecoboost A LOT, But the 2.3L was the perfect choice and my first choice as well.
I might have liked a 6spd manual but... the "one choice" 10Spd automatic is realistically the best choice.

I'm a very frugal man,and Ford convinced me to cough up more 5 times the cost of my first house for the new Ranger.
No question the Ranger is the "best" available mid sized truck right out of the box, and comes ready to prove it every day.
I'm reluctantly selling my 18YO Ranger in great shape simply because I have two other antiques

 

[RodSlinger]

I know the Frontier is always last but I've always liked it. The size of them are nice and they aren't stupid high like most of the others. To me the Frontier is still an ACTUAL mid-size truck. I hope when they come out with a new one they keep it the same size.

But the Ridgeline being #1. I'd still put the Ranger there but it could be called either way depending on the criteria. The Ridgeline IS a truck. It just isn't a truck to anyone that doesn't understand what a truck is. It does what literally 98% of truck buyers actually use a truck for. Like going to the store, getting groceries, taking the kids to music class, etc... I'm not saying any of this because I'm partial to them or think they deserve that #1 spot. But I think C&D understands what most people use them for and appreciate the advantages it has for those people. I'll be getting a Ranger myself but have driven a Ridgeline and understand the purpose. And there are things it can do better than any other truck on the market right now also.

Whether the frame is bolted to the body or welded to the body doesn't mean there isn't a frame. It also doesn't change the classification or capability of the vehicle. If Honda wanted to provide a 7000lb tow capacity they could have designed it to do so. Many times the tow capacity is limited by engine cooling, trans cooling, tire load ratings, brake cooling capacity, etc. It isn't JUST the frame. They know their buyers and they didn't need it. They also know the single minded "real frame truck bros" and have no care trying to convince them otherwise. The new Ford Transit is uni-body also and all you hear is crickets at the car shows when they diss on uni-body vehicles from competitors and you bring up the their posted benefits at the Transit display.

 

[Floyd]

I know the Frontier is always last but I've always liked it. The size of them are nice and they aren't stupid high like most of the others. To me the Frontier is still an ACTUAL mid-size truck. I hope when they come out with a new one they keep it the same size.

But the Ridgeline being #1. I'd still put the Ranger there but it could be called either way depending on the criteria. The Ridgeline IS a truck. It just isn't a truck to anyone that doesn't understand what a truck is. It does what literally 98% of truck buyers actually use a truck for. Like going to the store, getting groceries, taking the kids to music class, etc... I'm not saying any of this because I'm partial to them or think they deserve that #1 spot. But I think C&D understands what most people use them for and appreciate the advantages it has for those people. I'll be getting a Ranger myself but have driven a Ridgeline and understand the purpose. And there are things it can do better than any other truck on the market right now also.

Whether the frame is bolted to the body or welded to the body doesn't mean there isn't a frame. It also doesn't change the classification or capability of the vehicle. If Honda wanted to provide a 7000lb tow capacity they could have designed it to do so. Many times the tow capacity is limited by engine cooling, trans cooling, tire load ratings, brake cooling capacity, etc. It isn't JUST the frame. They know their buyers and they didn't need it. They also know the single minded "real frame truck bros" and have no care trying to convince them otherwise. The new Ford Transit is uni-body also and all you hear is crickets at the car shows when they diss on uni-body vehicles from competitors and you bring up the their posted benefits at the Transit display.

You make some good points ,but the Ridgeline is not "body on frame" construction. Still there are several real trucks on the market which are not. The Ridgeline is a nice car.

 

[jsphlynch]

And there are things it can do better than any other truck on the market right now also.

There are things that my wife's Kia does better than any truck on the market as well. Should we add it to the list, then go ahead and rank it first because there's things it does well that no pickup does? These are, after all, things (getting groceries, taking kids to music class) that most people will be using their pickups for.

 

[RodSlinger]

There are things that my wife's Kia does better than any truck on the market as well. Should we add it to the list..

If you want to remove the trunk lid or hatch to create an open platform to carry something then you could. Body on frame doesn't define a truck. What the vehicle is designed to do is what defines it.

If it's designed to haul heavy loads or pull trailer loads then it fits the definition of a truck.

 

[Droid_Junky]

I didn't even know the Honda existed. I've never seen one until now.

 

[rangerdanger]

I didn't even know the Honda existed. I've never seen one until now.

I find that hard to believe: Alabama-made Honda Ridgeline is North American Truck of the Year

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