Compact/Midsize trucks

[adam_c_eckhardt]

I'm in a similar boat; own a 3/4 ton GMC now, and my use for it is coming to an end. I'm kinda torn about what to get. Test drove a Tacoma double cab with a stick and hated it. Nothing like the 2001 I used to own. Then I drove an auto and liked it, but like I told the salesman, "I just can't get excited about spending $32,000 on a Tacoma." He said, "Well we can work on the price." and I said, "Not enough to get my excited enough to buy." I found the regular seats too uncomfortable, but the seats the come with the TRD package are much better. I wish you could get them with the base model.

I had a lot of good experiences with Ridgelines- had a few as "company vehicles" back in the day. Best riding truck on the market. No, it's not going to town a million pounds and haul 7 tons of bricks, but it'll do everything I need it to do. Haven't priced one in a while, I imagine that would scare me too.

Tundra is same cost as the Tacoma (after haggling) but uses more gas, and it much bigger than I'll need.

Might just stick with the POS GMC. No payments is nice even with 9-12 mpg.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Armchair

Isn't the Chevy Colorado being discontinued after this model year?

2013 Chevy Colorado...maybe.



Eric

[HardCase]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

I'm in a similar boat; own a 3/4 ton GMC now, and my use for it is coming to an end. I'm kinda torn about what to get. Test drove a Tacoma double cab with a stick and hated it. Nothing like the 2001 I used to own. Then I drove an auto and liked it, but like I told the salesman, "I just can't get excited about spending $32,000 on a Tacoma." He said, "Well we can work on the price." and I said, "Not enough to get my excited enough to buy." I found the regular seats too uncomfortable, but the seats the come with the TRD package are much better. I wish you could get them with the base model.

I had a lot of good experiences with Ridgelines- had a few as "company vehicles" back in the day. Best riding truck on the market. No, it's not going to town a million pounds and haul 7 tons of bricks, but it'll do everything I need it to do. Haven't priced one in a while, I imagine that would scare me too.

Tundra is same cost as the Tacoma (after haggling) but uses more gas, and it much bigger than I'll need.

Might just stick with the POS GMC. No payments is nice even with 9-12 mpg.

You can buy a hell of a lot of gas for $30K+.

My experience a year ago was that the Tundra didn't cost any more than a loaded/fancy Taco. And the Taco is a little sluggish with the 4 for sure, and while a little better with the 6, not a drag racer by any means. The Tundra with the 5.7 is amazingly quick and powerful. But it is a big beast. I'm happy with mine, have had need of a larger truck this past year.....although that need will soon come to an end. I plan to keep it, however, simply because I couldn't replace it with anything remotely approaching economical good sense.

[Switchblade315]

That Colorado is Fugly. I have a 97 GMC 1500 ext cab 2 wheel drive. 350 and a auto. She's got 175k on her clock and doesn't use a drop of oil. I've had to replace the normal things like water pump, radator tanks, intake gaskets twice. One fuel pump when my oldest girl ran the tank dry. With the new crap we have for gas it gets 13 to 15 mpg town driveing. I want a new truck because I want a new truck but I can buy a few parts here and there and a lot of gas for the price of payments on a new truck and the gas millage will be no better. So I bought a 87 GMC S-15 with a 2.8 I'm doing a cheap restor on it and I'm going to run it for gas millage. Ill have areound 1500 in the little thing and get in the 22mpg range. Hell of a lot cheaper then a new truck.

[DriveShaft]

another vote for the ridgeline...makes tons & tons of sense.

And if you can find one...the Ford Explorer Sport Trac (2010) might still be on some dealers' lots.

I opted for the Avalanche...which falls outside of the small/mid-size category, albeit just by a bit. Mostly only for a handful of pretty tiny reasons, like standard memory seats, & some nice-to-haves that my SO kind of drew a hard line on.

[Heyload]

Gotta '08 Dakota Crew Cab I would consider parting with...white, V-6, auto, air, cruise, 'bout 56K on the odo...

Kidding, you could pick up a nice one for less that what I still owe.

[soldierguy]

I've bounced around with a few different vehicles lately...my mother swears I change cars more frequently than some people change their underwear. If that's true (and I don't think it is), I don't want to hang out with those people.

Just recently sold the Touareg I had bought. Very, very nice vehicle. But I had a pretty significant issue with it early on requiring a week in the shop, and the computer absolutely refused to light up the brake lights on my trailer...another trip to the dealer. Combine that with a significant change of plans for next spring and beyond, and the T-Reg didn't make sense anymore. A simpler, more rugged vehicle made more sense...one that could be temporarily repaired by the side of the road with duct tape and baling wire, rather than requiring a trip to someone wearing a lab coat and speaking with a German accent.

Anyway...

The latest vehicle, and the one that I'm going to hang on to for quite a while, is a Tacoma Access Cab V6 4X4, 6-speed manual, SR5 package. I missed having a truck, missed having a manual transmission, and with some significant changes in plans going into effect next spring, the Taco makes sense. I need something that can handle a bit of rough stuff, extended camping, dirt roads, etc. If time permits (and I think it will) I'll definitely be traveling around the US next spring, possibly followed by a run through Canada to Alaska. Just for the heck of it.

Going back and forth to work I'm getting 17.5-17.9 mpg. Suburban type driving...30-50 mph speeds, rolling hills, stoplights every 1/2-3/4 mile or so. I'm not a speedy driver though, and in normal driving I'm upshifting around 2500 rpm, but the Taco has good torque and tight gear spacing that allows me to shift early and not lug it. On the highway I'm getting a little over 21 mpg...70-75 mph speeds.

It's a simple vehicle, and I wanted it that way. No satellite radio, no bluetooth, no automatic locks or wipers, although I think the satellite radio and bluetooth are options. I initially wanted the 4-cylinder, but then I drove it. Not a bad engine at all, but it's lacking a few beans compared with the V6. And since my intent is that it'll be driven loaded with stuff quite a bit of the time, the V6 emerged as a better choice.

I like the Taco, and hope to keep it around for a long time.

But I'd also say that the new Colorado supposedly coming within the next several months looks good. I've read that the plant is tooling up for it & prepping for production here in the US. Don't know what engines will be offered though. Nissan trucks are good, although the rear seat area with both cabs is cramped in comparison to the Tacoma. The Nissan's engine is nice...more power and more torque than the Taco, but the Taco feels stronger at low RPMs...need to rev the Nissan more to get the most out of it.

Here's mine:

[blackfriar]

I have a 2010 Tacoma Access Cab that I bought new. It is the 4x4 TRD Sport V6 with SR5 package and auto transmission. I've got 25,000 miles on it and get about 21 mpg. The only trouble has been the noisy heat/AC fan motor which has been replaced twice under warranty. That issue may be fixed in the newer models. Even though I don't do a lot of hauling with it, I will not be without a truck from now on. I just like having the four wheel drive and the capabilities of the Tacoma when I need it. I can't compare it to the others you are considering, but it has been great for me.

[Lobby]

I've often wondered whether the automakers just don't care about the small, efficient truck market segment, or whether the market has decided Americans just won't buy them.

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by Lobby

I've often wondered whether the automakers just don't care about the small, efficient truck market segment, or whether the market has decided Americans just won't buy them.

I think as long as Tacomas are flying off the lots (and they appear to be just about everywhere I've lived in the past 10 years) manufacturers have very little incentive to make changes. I believe it's the best selling "small" truck on the market in the US. Drive a GM lot and you might see 100 Sierras and 5 Colorados (or whatever they call them). Ford seemed the same way when they offered the Ranger.

So maybe it's both the manufacturers, and the consumers that are responsible for the small truck market...

[troidus]

Someone around here explained that the death of small trucks and station wagons was a result of our complicated CAFE rules. Apparently the fuel economy targets are based on square footage calculated from the tire contact patches and the class of vehicle. Spread the square footage out and call it a truck and the targets are much lower than they are for a similarly-sized car.

[levain]

Originally Posted by blackfriar

I have a 2010 Tacoma Access Cab that I bought new. It is the 4x4 TRD Sport V6 with SR5 package and auto transmission. I've got 25,000 miles on it and get about 21 mpg. The only trouble has been the noisy heat/AC fan motor which has been replaced twice under warranty. That issue may be fixed in the newer models. Even though I don't do a lot of hauling with it, I will not be without a truck from now on. I just like having the four wheel drive and the capabilities of the Tacoma when I need it. I can't compare it to the others you are considering, but it has been great for me.

Yeah. this is what I'm leaning towards.. I had a Tacoma 10 years ago. I loved the truck but wanted a 4x4. I went to a Toyota dealer today, and there were zero on the lot. Not sure what that means since a salesperson couldn't be bothered to acknowledge me. That's actually good since I don't play the games. I'll pay invoice or go to the next guy

[JeffS77]

I wish they sold the Chevy Tornado in the states
1600lb load capacity 23mpg city 30 highway... I would be all over one of these. It would be perfect for my little trail bikes and the light loads I carry which is not very often.

[troidus]

It looks a little different these days:

[JeffS77]

and it will hold a bike (a little ttr )