I myself own a tacoma and agree that it is a great truck and know why it got first place...ive taken in to the dunes now and then and never had a problem...and even the styling is good on it...
I am kind of mad that they didn't use the Pro-4X for the Nissan, they used the most expensive trims for the other two top cars but didn't use Nissans best line. Re test with the Pro4 and we will see how that handles
@tinleo333 I'd still have the V6 diesel because even though it's got 70 less hp it's got 406 lb-ft (* at a low 1750rpm) of torque compared to 320 lb-ft hire up in the rev range for the Chev. The V6 navara/frontier also gets a 7 speed auto compared to the vintage (old) 4 speed auto in the Chevy...
@tinleo333 Oh, and the V6 Navara only uses 9L of fuel per 100km! I don't know what that is in mpg because we don't use that measurement here in Australia...
@tinleo333 You's get cheap petrol! Our's is $1.30 - $1.45 for 91 octane with 10% ethanol/ 95 octane and 98 premium costs at lease $1.40 - 1.55. Not to much different's but it is noticeable when filling right up...
@2003SCT i agree..the only car in the sonics class i would take is the fiesta..i hate it when people are fans of one brand of course we all have our prefrences but when somone make a good car i have to applaud them and i applaud gm for the sonc and ford for the fiesta..the problem with small jap cars is that they just make em cheap and reliable not nice while ford has navigation and heated leather seats in a yaris the best thing you can get is power windows :O..every maker has its good and bad
@obscuresword Hey mate you are right. Why those pickups won its place is the reason why it sells the best in middle east. Though we don't get Tacoma but get Hilux which has proved its reliability a lot of times. :)
honda nissan and toyota won because they make the best small trucks period. if u want a v8 buy an F-150 or a silverado because they are better than what nissan and toyota offer in the full size market. its not very complicated. japanese have always made better small trucks and americans have always made better big trucks. people need to stop bitching and acting surprised that the japanese trucks won and the american trucks were barely mentioned.
WTF? the japs take the bronze, silver and gold, beating out the americans. America is the land of pickup trucks. i cant believe the foreigners have better offerings.
Ridgeline was the driver favorite because its not a truck. Its a bloated crossover based thing with a super small crappy bed. My money would go to the GM twins for that V8 power. Heck, you can even get it in 2wd.
Why the hate? if you don't like Japs just buy what you want. Honda has reliability, Nissan has power and reliability, more so Toyota has power, reliability and the pedigree of off road, So it is very clear why Japs are better because they build for quality not profit.
I SWEAR before watching number 1 I was like "I bet a billion dollars it's gonna be the Toyota" lo and behold, it was. Cars.com seems to love Toyota a lil too much.
Comparing the Equator and the Frontier is like comparing the Grand Caravan and the VW Routan or the Colorado and the Canyon. Same car. Badge engineering. WTF.
Wheres amarok?? i think thats a good competicion.. fuel economy, off road.. any way fails at price.. and confort.. but i shoud like to see it on this competicion xd
@RedGam3r America (United States) doesn't have the Amarok. It's a tragedy as I would LOVE to own that truck. Right now I own a 2010 Ridgeline RTL and I love it. The Amarok just seems bad ass. Maybe VW will see an opening in the US market since the Ranger, Dakota and (soon) the Canyon/Colorado are gone. Notice the Ranger in this test is a 2011. Production has stopped for the Ranger here and we are not supposed to get the Ranger now being sold in Australia and other parts abroad.
Every person that I personally know who needs to drive their truck off road either uses the full size Tundra or a Nissan Frontier. I do know one person though who has the Suzuki Equator and it acts and responds identical to the Frontier. I think the Nissan and the Suzuki share a lot of parts.
Either way though, would be kinda neat to own one of the Equators if the 2012 is as good as the 2012 Frontier...because honestly, who in the hell has the Equator? I've only seen my friend's and that's it.
I am not surprised at the Tacoma finishing first as it really is the best truck of the group...that being said, trucks like the Colorado and Ranger are 'compacts' compared to something like the larger 'midsize' Tacoma. Not only that, but the Ranger is gone away for good after this year and is BY FAR the old truck of the bunch..back from the OLD Tacoma times... and the Colorado already has its replacement ready to land in the next couple of months. It's like comparing a new Fusion to a Galant. :)
@solarlightning Yeah, we will have to see I guess. What I have gathered from the preliminaries is that the next gen Colorado will be extremely refined for a truck...far beyond that of current offerings. Although it will be body-on-frame, the push is for daily drivability and efficiency almost akin to a car as opposed to a truck while attempting to preserve off-roadiness in specific trim levels. I assume the Tacoma will still be more"trucky" though.
@2003SCT exactly to me it looks like its gonna be a car that looks like a truck the tacoma is a truck..the colorado seams like its gonna be as refined as a car...which means its gonna ake alot of the "truck" away i dont think its gonna be very capable for truck dutys
@solarlightning Well being that the new Colorado is body on frame, it will not be a car that looks like a truck. It will actually BE a truck. If it were a unibody like the Ridgeline, that would be the case..(which is a minivan platform that acts as a truck). The "refinement" will come from a class-leading body with stiff structure and advanced suspension setup, substantial sound deadening materials, very solid new frame/strength, aerodynamics, fuel efficiency etc. Aka an advanced truck.
@2003SCT okay yea your anyway though i dont like the design weve seen so far on it..and this tacoma is probably due for an all new model soon..and gm cannot match toyotas quality control or reliability
@solarlightning Yeah, I will have to see the Colorado in person as well to make a judgement in the aesthetics department. And in the past, Toyota was tops in quality control and reliability when many of the other automakers were "asleep". Now that many of the companies have kicked it into gear, Toyota has already shown that they are NO better than many of the other companies and that they are running on reputation and not reality. Their new 'cost savings strategies' are starting to show.
@2003SCT i accually agree..but for now its mostly showing on their cars..and it hasnt shown soo much to where ther cars arent reliable..soon if they dont stop lowering and lowering quality it will but i havnt seen it affect their big cars like the sequioa tundra tacoma ect..so well have to see gm has stepped up their interiors by looks but their still cheap feeling and the cars them selfs arent built well other then their big trucks
@solarlightning I agree with some of that...then again, almost all new cars are quite "reliable" as where there used to be a major gap from brand to brand. And I find that the fit and finish on many of the newest GM CAR models to be superior to the trucks which are SO due for their all new versions to debut later this year. Cadillac CTS alone has gone from 'mediocre' fit and finish in its first gen (03-07) to 'very reasonable' in 2008 to 'totally impressive' in the new ATS..all in like 5 years.
@2003SCT i agree cadi has outdone it i love that brand and their overall quality is good now a friend of mine accually has a cts-v and its really nice but..then other cars from them even though they have good fit and finish overall build quality is bad in other areas..
@solarlightning Yeah. My main point is that GM (and all car companies really) are making amazing strides and changes. Just this month, Car and Driver did a small car round up and the new Chevy Sonic beat all small cars such as the Yaris and only lost out to the Honda Fit. They spoke about the surprising fit and finish and the Sonic having the most refined powertrain of the bunch. From GM having no decent small cars and junk like the Aveo to having a near class leader shows anything is possible.
@2003SCT You think GM's gonna give the Colorado the beans and make an amazing product to replace the current gen? Up to now GM has been the one's making the least effort, their "new" products are only rebadged models they already made here or when they really think they're creative, rebadged euro models they've had for years..
@WoZIMoo I do actually. GM has invested about $2B in the new light truck/platform and its a very important vehicle globally for them. GM has been making strides in quality and execution though vehicles like the Colorado were a stop-gap and a quick way to get off the REALLY old stuff (S-series). The vehicle life spans/update schedules have become MUCH more inline with a progressive company. It takes YEARS to develop a new platform though we will see lots of pipeline products in the next 5 years.
I like how they don't talk about how the only reason they have a 2011 Ranger is because there's no such thing as a 2012. And by 2011 all the really good trim packs were gone. And yes, it is a COMPACT truck, the best one if I remember correctly. I would've liked to see how it placed against the GMs, oh well.
The frontier has always been my fave simply cuz its in the middle of everything. Wtf is up w the ridgeline?? That... is not a truck. Sorry. It has a cargo bed. So did the el camino... was that a truck?
Being a Honda guy I'll be the first to say that the Ridgeline is a total POS & I can't believe it's in 3rd place. Let me say what they REALLY wanted to say in this review, "The Ridgeline is the perfect truck for someone who doesn't really need a truck" if you don't have 4x4 capability then you have completely missed the point of having a truck.
fuck that tacoma would rather have real truck like the ranger or colorado or even the nissan but not a suv or a cheaply made cant tow bed bouncing terd from the tampon racing development,
I myself own a tacoma and agree that it is a great truck and know why it got first place...ive taken in to the dunes now and then and never had a problem...and even the styling is good on it...
ozzy7221 1 week ago
c'mon, who didn't know the tacoma was gonna win before seeing this! lol
FranksTube86 3 weeks ago
honda isn't a truck...
6SpeedSilverado 3 weeks ago
I am kind of mad that they didn't use the Pro-4X for the Nissan, they used the most expensive trims for the other two top cars but didn't use Nissans best line. Re test with the Pro4 and we will see how that handles
HolyNEBKID66 3 weeks ago
Toyota changes the looks of its cars but its trucks look exactly the same as they did for over 5 years
RollinOnDemDubz 1 month ago
what happend to the ranger?
MrCollinsliam 1 month ago
@MrCollinsliam Ranger is a non factor in this competition dumba**, all american trucks are non factors
xHHSGx 1 week ago
The Honda Ridgeline always needs to come in last. It's not even a truck.
ElectroGhandi 1 month ago 3
The American mid size trucks need some serious updating to be competitive again.
gmman05 1 month ago
The Ranger is no longer made, and is a compact pickup. Just saying. It's ancient too. Reliable, but ancient.
blacuraRL 1 month ago
What with the Ranger ??
ProtegeTuype 1 month ago
honda-independent suspension
nissan-best looking
toyota-strong pickup
colorado-worst
canyon-same as colorado
suzuki-same as nissan
ranger-an old dog that needs to be updated,also strong
tinleo333 1 month ago
@tinleo333 i think 2011 was the last year for the Ranger. :(
markhenderson123 1 month ago
@markhenderson123 it was unless you buy the European version which is only sold in Europe and is more like a full size pickup and ugly
MichaelLarson29 1 month ago
Does America get the Nissan Frontier (Navara in Aus) with the 230hp 6 cylinder diesel engine?
danoconnell427 1 month ago
@danoconnell427 no only 4.0L gas or 2.5L gas thats it
go to nissanusadotcom
tinleo333 1 month ago
@tinleo333 You's are missing out on the best engine!
danoconnell427 1 month ago
@danoconnell427 best engine in terms of power is the chevy 5.3 v8 300HP
in terms of fuel economy vs power honda is the winner
tinleo333 1 month ago
@tinleo333 I'd still have the V6 diesel because even though it's got 70 less hp it's got 406 lb-ft (* at a low 1750rpm) of torque compared to 320 lb-ft hire up in the rev range for the Chev. The V6 navara/frontier also gets a 7 speed auto compared to the vintage (old) 4 speed auto in the Chevy...
danoconnell427 1 month ago
@danoconnell427 there is not a single mid-sized pickup in the us that have a diesel engine
not even big truck
only heavy duty trucks got diesel like ford F-250,350,450or RAM,2500,3500,4500or sliveradeoHD2500,3500,.
tinleo333 1 month ago
@tinleo333 Why not?
P.s in Australia we don't hardly have any big 'trucks' driving around, there is only a few f250's around the place but that's it.
danoconnell427 1 month ago
@tinleo333 Oh, and the V6 Navara only uses 9L of fuel per 100km! I don't know what that is in mpg because we don't use that measurement here in Australia...
danoconnell427 1 month ago
@danoconnell427 in the us the frontier only comes with a I4 2.5L gas 152HP or 4.0L V6 261HP gas no diesel in the us
the fuel economy for the V6 AWD 5 speed auto 4 doors is 12.23liters per 100KM in the highway
in the city is 16.60liters per 100KM.
remenber that the gas in the us cost 1.00to1.10 australian dollars per liter
tinleo333 1 month ago
@tinleo333 You's get cheap petrol! Our's is $1.30 - $1.45 for 91 octane with 10% ethanol/ 95 octane and 98 premium costs at lease $1.40 - 1.55. Not to much different's but it is noticeable when filling right up...
danoconnell427 1 month ago
Love how the top 3 were all from the creators of sushi
MacSaab93 1 month ago
glad shitty dodge wasnt considered
1n9a9n4 1 month ago
love japanese cars they make them the best at good value vs quality.
sphinxofthenewage 1 month ago
I'd have to agree with the results of this test but that 5.3 in a medium sized pickup would be hard to pass over. I
geordo2001 1 month ago
Japanese car still kick ass huh!
imaginaiton4me 1 month ago
@2003SCT i agree..the only car in the sonics class i would take is the fiesta..i hate it when people are fans of one brand of course we all have our prefrences but when somone make a good car i have to applaud them and i applaud gm for the sonc and ford for the fiesta..the problem with small jap cars is that they just make em cheap and reliable not nice while ford has navigation and heated leather seats in a yaris the best thing you can get is power windows :O..every maker has its good and bad
solarlightning 1 month ago
What's the point of this test? to point out the Tacoma is still the best POS small pick up? the segment hasn't been updated since 05......
Mcurleyhair 1 month ago
IN MY OPINION
Compact/midsize truck: Toyota
Full-size truck: Ford
HD truck: Dodge
WoZIMoo 1 month ago
I will just stick with my 1997 Dodge Dakota, best looking and iv proven that it will haul more then most full sized truck
sooners1994 1 month ago
Got it
Full Size Trucks always go with the U.S
Mid Size Trucks always go with the Japanese
obscuresword 1 month ago 16
@obscuresword Hey mate you are right. Why those pickups won its place is the reason why it sells the best in middle east. Though we don't get Tacoma but get Hilux which has proved its reliability a lot of times. :)
richu27 1 month ago
@obscuresword in the new years when gas goes up you goin to see more mid trucks
tinleo333 1 month ago
honda nissan and toyota won because they make the best small trucks period. if u want a v8 buy an F-150 or a silverado because they are better than what nissan and toyota offer in the full size market. its not very complicated. japanese have always made better small trucks and americans have always made better big trucks. people need to stop bitching and acting surprised that the japanese trucks won and the american trucks were barely mentioned.
remustintoi 1 month ago 3
WTF? the japs take the bronze, silver and gold, beating out the americans. America is the land of pickup trucks. i cant believe the foreigners have better offerings.
ottodob 1 month ago
Ridgeline was the driver favorite because its not a truck. Its a bloated crossover based thing with a super small crappy bed. My money would go to the GM twins for that V8 power. Heck, you can even get it in 2wd.
killercan10 1 month ago
@killercan10 That Honda's "super small crappy bed" is larger than either the Toyota or the Nissan and it has a higher payload rating as well.
gtwannabe2 1 month ago
Why the hate? if you don't like Japs just buy what you want. Honda has reliability, Nissan has power and reliability, more so Toyota has power, reliability and the pedigree of off road, So it is very clear why Japs are better because they build for quality not profit.
TheIMF007 1 month ago 3
I SWEAR before watching number 1 I was like "I bet a billion dollars it's gonna be the Toyota" lo and behold, it was. Cars.com seems to love Toyota a lil too much.
datpimpinboy 1 month ago
Toyota Honda Nissan as fucking usual.
TJC450 1 month ago
The Toyota hate makes me laugh.
usama1119 1 month ago 2
OMG IVE BEEN WAITING SO LONG FOR THIS!!!
84467 1 month ago 9
Comparing the Equator and the Frontier is like comparing the Grand Caravan and the VW Routan or the Colorado and the Canyon. Same car. Badge engineering. WTF.
TheSouthernGentMan 1 month ago
You couldn't pay me to take a Tacoma off the showroom floor. Besides, at $34,000, couldn't you buy a reasonably loaded Chevrolet Silverado LT 4X4?
NattDogg01 1 month ago
I had a feeling the frontier or yota taco would win. BTW isn't the equator just a rebadged frontier?
techdude6693 1 month ago
@techdude6693 yes it is lol
ccolivardia 1 month ago
Nissan Frontier- The BMW 3 series of trucks
luxurykid666 1 month ago 4
I could have lived with Nissan winning, but Toyota my ass........ Ram Ford GMC Chevrolet Dodge There are plenty of great American choices.
randyseck 1 month ago
All the contenders are outdated. Bring in the small diesel trucks now please.
GreekFenah 1 month ago
all the jap of course. top 3.. not a suprised
jvrdlc 1 month ago
japan does make good trucks
BlackOpsAFG 1 month ago
Wheres amarok?? i think thats a good competicion.. fuel economy, off road.. any way fails at price.. and confort.. but i shoud like to see it on this competicion xd
RedGam3r 1 month ago
@RedGam3r America (United States) doesn't have the Amarok. It's a tragedy as I would LOVE to own that truck. Right now I own a 2010 Ridgeline RTL and I love it. The Amarok just seems bad ass. Maybe VW will see an opening in the US market since the Ranger, Dakota and (soon) the Canyon/Colorado are gone. Notice the Ranger in this test is a 2011. Production has stopped for the Ranger here and we are not supposed to get the Ranger now being sold in Australia and other parts abroad.
shaggyusm26 1 month ago
Us trucks suck
gregaburo 1 month ago
@gregaburo or rather U.S. midsize trucks suck. the Ram, Silverado and F150 are all better than what Nissan or Toyota offer
keviiinn 1 month ago
It's funny how the Asian manufacturers produce better trucks than the Americans. Nissan ftw.
remelsheikh 1 month ago 3
i didnt even know suzuki was still around !
crammage 1 month ago
Every person that I personally know who needs to drive their truck off road either uses the full size Tundra or a Nissan Frontier. I do know one person though who has the Suzuki Equator and it acts and responds identical to the Frontier. I think the Nissan and the Suzuki share a lot of parts.
Either way though, would be kinda neat to own one of the Equators if the 2012 is as good as the 2012 Frontier...because honestly, who in the hell has the Equator? I've only seen my friend's and that's it.
SubaruHyena 1 month ago
Toyota by far does trucks better then cars
tres311 1 month ago 2
@tres311 they make nice big cars/trucks like the avolon isnt bad and the only suv/truck that is weird is the rav4
solarlightning 1 month ago
Ridgeline is a truck?
frozencanuckreviews 1 month ago
@frozencanuckreviews I know seriously, four wheel independent suspension? That is typically something you see in a car, not a heavy duty vehicle.
onishchuk4 1 month ago
I am not surprised at the Tacoma finishing first as it really is the best truck of the group...that being said, trucks like the Colorado and Ranger are 'compacts' compared to something like the larger 'midsize' Tacoma. Not only that, but the Ranger is gone away for good after this year and is BY FAR the old truck of the bunch..back from the OLD Tacoma times... and the Colorado already has its replacement ready to land in the next couple of months. It's like comparing a new Fusion to a Galant. :)
2003SCT 1 month ago
@2003SCT even after the new canyon comes i think the tacoma will still best it.. it really is a beast of a truck for its class and price
solarlightning 1 month ago
@solarlightning Yeah, we will have to see I guess. What I have gathered from the preliminaries is that the next gen Colorado will be extremely refined for a truck...far beyond that of current offerings. Although it will be body-on-frame, the push is for daily drivability and efficiency almost akin to a car as opposed to a truck while attempting to preserve off-roadiness in specific trim levels. I assume the Tacoma will still be more"trucky" though.
2003SCT 1 month ago
@2003SCT exactly to me it looks like its gonna be a car that looks like a truck the tacoma is a truck..the colorado seams like its gonna be as refined as a car...which means its gonna ake alot of the "truck" away i dont think its gonna be very capable for truck dutys
solarlightning 1 month ago
@solarlightning Well being that the new Colorado is body on frame, it will not be a car that looks like a truck. It will actually BE a truck. If it were a unibody like the Ridgeline, that would be the case..(which is a minivan platform that acts as a truck). The "refinement" will come from a class-leading body with stiff structure and advanced suspension setup, substantial sound deadening materials, very solid new frame/strength, aerodynamics, fuel efficiency etc. Aka an advanced truck.
2003SCT 1 month ago
@2003SCT okay yea your anyway though i dont like the design weve seen so far on it..and this tacoma is probably due for an all new model soon..and gm cannot match toyotas quality control or reliability
solarlightning 1 month ago
@solarlightning Yeah, I will have to see the Colorado in person as well to make a judgement in the aesthetics department. And in the past, Toyota was tops in quality control and reliability when many of the other automakers were "asleep". Now that many of the companies have kicked it into gear, Toyota has already shown that they are NO better than many of the other companies and that they are running on reputation and not reality. Their new 'cost savings strategies' are starting to show.
2003SCT 1 month ago
@2003SCT i accually agree..but for now its mostly showing on their cars..and it hasnt shown soo much to where ther cars arent reliable..soon if they dont stop lowering and lowering quality it will but i havnt seen it affect their big cars like the sequioa tundra tacoma ect..so well have to see gm has stepped up their interiors by looks but their still cheap feeling and the cars them selfs arent built well other then their big trucks
solarlightning 1 month ago
@solarlightning I agree with some of that...then again, almost all new cars are quite "reliable" as where there used to be a major gap from brand to brand. And I find that the fit and finish on many of the newest GM CAR models to be superior to the trucks which are SO due for their all new versions to debut later this year. Cadillac CTS alone has gone from 'mediocre' fit and finish in its first gen (03-07) to 'very reasonable' in 2008 to 'totally impressive' in the new ATS..all in like 5 years.
2003SCT 1 month ago
@2003SCT i agree cadi has outdone it i love that brand and their overall quality is good now a friend of mine accually has a cts-v and its really nice but..then other cars from them even though they have good fit and finish overall build quality is bad in other areas..
solarlightning 1 month ago
@solarlightning Yeah. My main point is that GM (and all car companies really) are making amazing strides and changes. Just this month, Car and Driver did a small car round up and the new Chevy Sonic beat all small cars such as the Yaris and only lost out to the Honda Fit. They spoke about the surprising fit and finish and the Sonic having the most refined powertrain of the bunch. From GM having no decent small cars and junk like the Aveo to having a near class leader shows anything is possible.
2003SCT 1 month ago
@2003SCT You think GM's gonna give the Colorado the beans and make an amazing product to replace the current gen? Up to now GM has been the one's making the least effort, their "new" products are only rebadged models they already made here or when they really think they're creative, rebadged euro models they've had for years..
WoZIMoo 1 month ago
@WoZIMoo I do actually. GM has invested about $2B in the new light truck/platform and its a very important vehicle globally for them. GM has been making strides in quality and execution though vehicles like the Colorado were a stop-gap and a quick way to get off the REALLY old stuff (S-series). The vehicle life spans/update schedules have become MUCH more inline with a progressive company. It takes YEARS to develop a new platform though we will see lots of pipeline products in the next 5 years.
2003SCT 1 month ago
I like how they don't talk about how the only reason they have a 2011 Ranger is because there's no such thing as a 2012. And by 2011 all the really good trim packs were gone. And yes, it is a COMPACT truck, the best one if I remember correctly. I would've liked to see how it placed against the GMs, oh well.
CarManCam 1 month ago
AMERICA, FU.... oh wait... Japan.
zebbycat 1 month ago
The frontier has always been my fave simply cuz its in the middle of everything. Wtf is up w the ridgeline?? That... is not a truck. Sorry. It has a cargo bed. So did the el camino... was that a truck?
tbok75 1 month ago
problem american competition?
Ji99i3 1 month ago
Aww chevy and ford back seat again
stephen4177 1 month ago
if the ford ranger is a mid-sized truck, what is a small trucK?
InsurgenceRX 1 month ago
Saw that coming...
moaski 1 month ago
Being a Honda guy I'll be the first to say that the Ridgeline is a total POS & I can't believe it's in 3rd place. Let me say what they REALLY wanted to say in this review, "The Ridgeline is the perfect truck for someone who doesn't really need a truck" if you don't have 4x4 capability then you have completely missed the point of having a truck.
Hondaminican 1 month ago
i think you mean pussy bitch truck shootout.
DevPack 1 month ago
fuck that tacoma would rather have real truck like the ranger or colorado or even the nissan but not a suv or a cheaply made cant tow bed bouncing terd from the tampon racing development,
sasserdave 1 month ago
why the hell do you buy a truck if it doesnt have "4x4 capability"
SuperchargedSean 1 month ago 2
2nd
89Carfreak 1 month ago
1st :P
sskoul 1 month ago