We completed our battery of real-world tests with every new 2024 midsize pickup truck! We also tallied your votes for the best new midsize truck. 23,000 of you voted for your favorite pickup truck. Here are the results!
Contestants:
- New Chevy Colorado 4×4 Trail Boss (2.7L H.O. turbo I4)
- 2024 Ford Ranger 4×4 FX4 (2.3L turbo I4)
- 2024 Honda Ridgeline AWD Trailsport (3.5L V6)
- 2024 Jeep Gladiator 4×4 Mojave (3.6L V6)
- 2024 Nissan Frontier 4×4 Hardbody (3.8L V6)
- 2024 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 TRD Off-Road (2.4L turbo I4)
Tests:
- Drag Race (bracket race)
- Ike GauntletTM world’s toughest towing test
- Denver 100 mpg loop
- Technology Review
- TFL Slip Test (Andre’s Off-road Pit)
Here is a quick overview of what happened and how you voted.
The newly redesigned Ford Ranger won our drag race (even though its 2.3L turbocharged I4 engine is basically unchanged from before). This engine is still rated at 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic and a 3.73-to-1 rear axle. The new Ford Ranger has the performance.
The new Chevy Colorado (GMC Canyon) won our Ike Gauntlet towing test. It was a close contest, but when we considered all the data – the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss came out on top.
The new Honda Ridgeline Transport won our Denver 100 highway MPG loop. It returned a very impressive 26.4 MPG on a ring road around Denver, Colorado. The new Toyota Tacoma was a close second with 26.3 MPG.
The refreshed Jeep Gladiator won our technology review. It’s new interior and landscape-orientation infotainment screen pulled ahead with ease of use and accessibility.
The new Toyota Tacoma won our TFL slip test (Andre’s off-road pit) comparison by the narrowest of margins. The Jeep Gladiator Mojave X was a very close second. Both the Tacoma and the Gladiator have a very capable 4WD system, good articulation, and traction.
While the new Nissan Frontier has a very attractive starting price for a 2WD King Cab of $32,020. The optioned Frontier crew cab 4×4 Hardbody edition had a sticker price of over $46,000. It makes it the same price as the Ranger FX4 we tested, and more expensive than our new Tacoma TRD Off-Road. The Frontier is a very capable pickup truck, but it did not reach best marks in our categories this time.
Your Vote!
Since there is not a clear winner, we asked for your help and your vote. 23,000 of you responded to it on our Youtube community pages. Here is how you voted.
You picked the new Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road as your favorite! The new Ford Ranger pulled ahead slightly in our TFLtalk podcast poll. However, more people voted for the Tacoma overall. The Chevy Colorado is holding in third place.
If I was given around $45,000 and a choice to purchase any of these trucks, I would go with the new Ford Ranger FX4. I like the Ranger’s powertrain, its great payload capacity, and its updated interior.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
