This guide is a compiled list of the top-performing 2008-model year midsize pickups in J.D. Power and Associates’ key automotive research studies. The studies include the 2007 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), the 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, and the 2007 Initial Quality Study (IQS). All models are listed alphabetically by manufacturer.
Dodge Dakota: Marketed for more than two decades, the Dodge Dakota took home the IQS award last year, ranking highest in its segment. That honor reflects the Dakota’s design quality, as well as the number of defects and malfunctions experienced by buyers during the first 90 days of ownership. Facelifted for 2008, the Dakota features a restyled hood, grille, fenders, and headlights. A new 4.7-liter V-8 engine delivers 302 hp (up 31 percent compared to its predecessor) and is E85-compatible. Inside are a new instrument panel and console, and heated seats are available. Offered in six trim levels, the Dakota comes with an extended cab or crew cab body.
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Ford Explorer Sport Trac: Based upon Ford’s Explorer SUV, the Sport Trac adds a short cargo box at the rear, thus combining attributes of a passenger carrier and a modest-capacity crew cab pickup. Sport Trac ranked among the top three models in its segment in the 2007 APEAL study, which assesses owner satisfaction with a vehicle’s design and performance. Ford’s Sync voice-control communications/entertainment system is available on 2008 Explorer Sport Tracs, which get a new standard drop-in storage bin. Curtain air bags, fog lamps, and a power rear window now are standard on both trim levels. Sport Tracs may have either V-6 or V-8 power. A new Adrenalin model features special exterior touches.
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Ford Ranger: With a history dating back to 1983, the Ford Ranger ranked among the top three models in its segment in the 2007 VDS, which assesses the number of problems original owners reported after three years of ownership. With a 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission, the 2-wheel-drive (2WD) Ranger earned an EPA fuel-economy estimate of 21 mpg city/26 mpg highway and scored the best in its class for annual fuel cost. Automatic transmission knocked 2 mpg off each of those figures. Except for a slight front-end facelift for 2008, not much has changed. Service intervals have been extended, a limited-edition Ranger gets Grabber Orange paint, and upgrades have been applied to the FX4 Off-Road model. Mazda’s B-Series stems from the same long-lived design.
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Honda Ridgeline: Unibody construction and an independent rear suspension help make the Honda Ridgeline a different breed of pickup from most of the midsize crew cab competition, promising a more car-like experience for passengers. Introduced as a 2006 model, Ridgeline ranked highest in its segment in the 2007 APEAL study. Honda’s pickup also ranked among the top three models in its segment in the 2007 IQS, which considers both design quality and the specific number of defects and malfunctions experienced by buyers during the first 90 days of ownership. All-wheel drive is standard on the Ridgeline, which holds a 247-hp V-6 engine and comes in four trim levels. The 5-foot cargo bed is made of dent-resistant plastic.
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Mazda B-Series: Created from the same basic design as Ford’s Ranger, the Mazda B-Series has earned similar ratings. Like the Ranger, the B-Series ranked among the top three models in its segment in the 2007 VDS. With a 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission, the 2WD B-Series scored an EPA fuel-economy estimate of 21 mpg city/26 mpg highway. An automatic transmission reduced each figure by 2 mpg. Mazda dropped its 3.0-liter V-6 engine choice for 2008, leaving only the 4-cylinder engine and a 4.0-liter V-6 engine. The Dual Sport trim level also is gone.
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Toyota Tacoma: Not many models score near the top in each of J.D. Power and Associates’ key automotive studies, but the Toyota Tacoma earns that distinction. Tacoma ranked highest in segment in the 2007 IQS and ranked among the top three in segment in both the 2007 APEAL study and VDS. The 2WD, 4-cylinder Tacoma with manual shift got an EPA estimate of 20 mpg city/25 mpg highway, and the automatic transmission lost only 1 mpg in city driving. A new Rugged Trail Off-Road package is available for V-6 models in 2008.
