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Road Test: Comparison Test
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2005 Midsize Truck Comparison Test
Introduction
By
Dan Kahn
Date posted: 02-24-2005
Some decisions in life are simple; others are a bit more complicated. Picking out a new T-shirt at the mall? Easy. Deciding to get married? Hard. Choosing to plunk down $30 grand for a new truck isn't as profound as getting hitched, but it can be an involved and life-altering experience.
We're not suggesting that buying a truck is akin to finding a spouse, only that taking a close look at your specific needs and which pickup can satisfy them is an arduous process.
As full-size trucks continue to swell in size and cost, the so-called "small truck" segment has grown to midsize proportions. Designed to suit people who need to haul around a lot of gear but don't want a 20-foot land barge, these pickups offer spacious interiors, carlike handling and fuel-efficient engines.
A trio of redesigned trucks entered the fray for 2005, all claiming to be bigger, better and badder than ever before. We decided to pit the three freshmen against two established pickups in a fight for your hard-earned cash. Were any of these middleweight contenders worthy of a long-term commitment? Read on to find out.
The Trucks
The 2004 Chevrolet Colorado is the cheap date at this party. With prices starting around $15K and the prospect of better mileage from its five-cylinder engine, it promises the least damage to your wallet.
Based on a platform designed in the Carter administration, the 2005 Ford Ranger is certainly the most "experienced" truck of the group. As the lone throwback to the days when small trucks were actually small, the Ranger actually benefits from years of refinement and experience.
Taut lines and bulging fenders make the 2005 Dodge Dakota look like a muscle-bound athlete. With two V8 engine options and an available six-speed transmission, it packs the highest towing and hauling capacity in this class.
The Frontier is the "fun" truck of the group. Snappy throttle response, razor-sharp handling and big honkin' tires make driving the Nissan a grin-inducing experience. A rugged new chassis means the party doesn't have to end just because pavement does.
The Tacoma is exactly what you'd expect from Toyota: comfortable, quiet and solidly built. That doesn't mean the Toy is boring, however. It's significantly larger than last year's model, and a pumped-up V6 makes it one of the fastest pickups in the class.
All the trucks were four-wheel-drive crew cabs except for the Ford, which is only available as an extended cab. They all wound up costing around $30K, with a $5,000 spread between the $28,500 Colorado and the $33,600 Dakota.
The trucks were gauged on everything from off-road ability to acceleration with 1,000 pounds of sand in the bed. They were driven on the open highway, twisty mountain roads and in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The overall winner might surprise you, because it certainly surprised us.
How They Stacked Up
Going into this test, we put even money on the Dakota and the Toyota. Dodge practically invented this segment and is packing the only V8 in the class, while the Tacoma has been a strong contender despite its age. Both were redesigned for 2005, and each one offers a unique combination of carlike comfort and pickup utility. Either truck is a solid choice, but the Toyota is so much smoother and more refined it walked away the victor.
Nobody knew what to expect from the Frontier. As it turns out, Nissan designers and engineers spent a lot of time finding out what potential buyers want in a midsize pickup. Big power, a rugged chassis, tons of storage space and a load of safety gear make the new Frontier an incredibly practical pickup. Factor in tight handling and "mini-Titan" looks, and it managed a tight second-place finish.
If the Dodge had a nicer cabin and a few more ponies under the hood, it could have won this test. The big Dodge isn't cheap, either. With a price tag thousands of dollars higher than the next most-expensive pickup, the Dakota simply couldn't compete with the Nissan and Toyota.
The Colorado was introduced in 2004 as a totally new design, which makes its poor performance that much more embarrassing. The five-cylinder engine simply can't keep up with the V6s from Dodge, Nissan and Toyota. A spartan interior shrouded in hard plastic makes a bad situation worse.
Bringing up the rear is the Ford Ranger, arguably the most capable off-road machine of the group. Its old-school platform, small size and cramped cabin dropped the Ranger into fifth place, but the Ranger displayed solid fit and finish. The FX4 package adds a capable suspension that works with the truck's small size to make it a confidence-inspiring performer off the beaten path.
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