Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted car reviewers right now, but it has stiff competition, especially from sites like MotorTrend. When it comes to the compact pickup segment, Consumer Reports and MotorTrend disagree on which compact pickup is the best. Here’s a look at what Consumer Reports and MotorTrend had to say about the best compact pickup on the market today.
A look at how Consumer Reports and MotorTrend disagree
At the heart of this disagreement between the two car critics is a discussion of pickup truck segments. There is no disagreement between the two reviewers about full-size pickup trucks, but there is disagreement about the smaller segments of pickup trucks. Consumer Reports does not have a category for medium-sized pickup trucks, and it only has two categories of pickup trucks, compact and full-size.
MotorTrend, on the other hand, divides the pickup segment into three sizes. There are the compact pickups, the medium and the full-size. Because of this oversized disagreement, the two car critics have different views on the best compact pickup on the market.
Because of this disagreement, there is also another pool of trucks to look at. MotorTrend says there are only two compact pickup trucks on the market. However, Consumer Reports says there are nine.
What they say is the best compact pickup right now
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Consumer Reports gave the top prize to the Honda Ridgeline. The Ridgeline has an overall score of 82 out of 100, thanks to its strong road test performance and the fact that it is a reliable and satisfying truck to own. It won’t be cheap as the Ridgeline starts at around $37,000.
The Ridgeline comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, which gets 280 horsepower. This engine gives the Honda good payload, but the 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity isn’t that impressive. The Ridgeline also gets around 20 mpg, which isn’t remarkable. MotorTrend didn’t even think of the Ridgeline as a compact pickup.
Instead, the Ford Maverick took the top prize in the segment. MotorTrend rated the Maverick 8.6 out of 10, and MotorTrend liked it for several reasons. Since the Maverick starts at around $20,000, it’s a very affordable pickup. One of the most impressive features of the Ford, however, is its fuel economy. This is because the Maverick comes standard with a 2.5 liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. This engine gets 42 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, for 38 mpg combined.
This is their second compact pickup truck
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While the two critics disagreed on the best compact pickup, Consumer Reports really liked the Maverick. The Maverick is the second best compact pickup truck, according to Consumer Reports.
This Ford pickup has an overall score of 74 out of 100, and Consumer Reports enjoyed it for many of the same reasons MotorTrend did. In addition to the Maverick’s affordable price tag and excellent fuel economy, Consumer Reports also liked the way it drove.
On the other hand, MotorTrend’s second choice is the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The Hyundai pick-up was standard in second place, as there are only two trucks in the segment according to MotorTrend. But it’s still a good option as it has an overall score of 8 out of 10. The $24,000 price tag is still cheap compared to other trucks. However, it will come with a standard petrol engine, so the fuel economy is not remarkable.
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