As someone who has either been in or driven all of them, here’s every 2024 midsize trucks compared to each other.
2024 midsize trucks compared, what’s new?
Before I get into this comparison, let’s discuss what’s new and what isn’t for this model year. Unlike previous years, there’s a lot new.
For example, the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger are all new, and the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon were new in 2023.
The Nissan Frontier, Jeep Gladiator and Honda Ridgeline are mostly carryovers. For the Frontier, there’s a new hardbody package, the Gladiator gets two new off-road models and the Honda Ridgeline gets a new grille and dash.
[Related content: What’s new for 2024 midsize trucks.]
Toyota Tacoma
Kicking off this comparison is the midsize truck sales king, the Toyota Tacoma. It is completely new for this model year and I could write a few thousand words on all the changes.
Basically, all those words boil down to this: It’s damn good.
There are unique trims for different customers, a powerful turbocharged engine, a new interior and a seating position that doesn’t resemble sitting in a bath tub. Oh and a manual transmission is still available, unlike nearly every other truck on this list — except for the Jeep Gladiator.
It will be a top pick for nearly all automotive press awards in 2024 and should be at the top of your list.
Chevy Colorado
Next on our list is the Chevy Colorado. It also has a turbocharged engine but also gets a badass ZR2 model for fast desert racing.
I’ve spent time in the other trims, like the Colorado Trailboss I took deer hunting, and they are all a big step up from the prior generation. Plus, the powertrain feels much more alive.
My only complaints: the product packaging (cruise control is NOT standard) and the ticking engine noise (it really needs a hood dampener).
It also only comes in one bed and cabin configuration (crew cab, short bed) — unlike the Tacoma and Frontier.
GMC Canyon
The GMC Canyon could literally be a copy and paste of what I wrote for the Colorado with one key distinction: quality of interior materials.
It is just a nicer version of the midsize truck, and you can feel the differences. And yes, it does cost more than the Colorado (starting price $7,500 more). It is what they call more premium.
Finally, the GMC Canyons all come with a 2-inch lift and off-road tires much like the off-road Colorado trims of TrailBoss and ZR2. I point this out since if you are vertically challenged, you’ll want to make sure you check out the entry/exit height before you buy.
Ford Ranger
The last of the new midsize trucks is the Ford Ranger. It has been sold internationally for about a year and is just now making its U.S. debut — although production delays have hampered media driving it.
I saw it back in the summer with a hardtop, and I found a lot to like. The interior looks great, getting in and out is easy, and I really like the Ranger Raptor in the Shelter Green color
Like other trucks on our list, it uses a turbocharged engine mated to an automatic transmission, and it also only has one cab and bed configuration.
I think the Ford Ranger will continue to sell at its current pace meaning it will be No. 3 or No. 4 for the best-selling midsize truck. Ford did improve it, but it didn’t really push the bar.
Honda Ridgeline
Is it a midsize truck or an SUV with a bed? That’s a big question for some. Others see the right sized vehicle with features they love.
The unibody Honda Ridgeline rides better than everything else on this list due to its design. It absorbs pot holes and dirt road washboards without having the jostling feeling of the other trucks due to their traditional body-on-frame construction.
Inside the cabin, it is nearly a carbon copy of Honda SUVs and comes in the one-bed, cabin configuration like the others. It is powered by a naturally aspirated V-6 that provides an OK amount of power.
I feel obligated to mention the in-bed storage before I receive a hundred emails from angry Honda Ridgeline owners. It is pretty handy.
There’s a new grille to make it look stronger this year and a new Trailsport package for more off-road styling. It is better, but it is still too much SUV with a bed for me.
I often call the Honda Ridgeline a thinking man’s choice since the unibody construction challenges traditional thinking, and it doesn’t stand out on our list for looks or performance. However, sales are steady and even go up year-over-year, which tells me more consumers are liking it.
Jeep Gladiator
Next on our list is one of the coolest looking midsize trucks out there. If you want to rock crawl, send it in the dunes or love the mud, the Jeep Gladiator should be high on your list.
Basically, it is a Jeep Wrangler with a bed, and for the 2024 model year, it has the same interior. Plus, there is a Rubicon X and Mojave X versions with even more off-road gear and features.
It is the longest truck on the list at 218 inches and has the most rear legroom at 38.3 inches. This means it won’t fit in traditional 18-foot garage, but your rear seat passengers will like the extra 3 inches of legroom.
Out of all the trucks, the seating position here is more upright. Plus, the Gladiator is louder, doesn’t drive as smoothly and the naturally aspirated V-6 is slow in comparison to the new Tacoma, Colorado, Canyon and Ranger. However, some people have concerns about long-term reliability with turbos and want a naturally aspirated engine instead.
Basically, if you want the Jeep lifestyle, then the Gladiator is awesome. If you don’t, keep looking.
Nissan Frontier
For years, the Nissan Frontier was the budget friendly alternative to the other midsize trucks, but not any longer. It now aims its sights on the Toyota Tacoma.
The Frontier has a naturally aspirated V-6 engine, styling that is Tacomalike, an older looking interior and a real extended cab option with a rear door that opens — unlike the Tacoma XtraCab. You can also get it in varying bed lengths.
I think if you drove all the midsize trucks back to back, you’d find nothing about the Frontier stands out. That’s not a bad thing, and I’ve enjoyed my time behind the wheel. I think it is a good choice for an alternative to the Tacoma, and, shocker to some, it is just as reliable.
The bottom line
I can’t recall a time when the midsize truck market has so many good options with the top sales performers getting redone. For myself, I decided to purchase a Toyota Tacoma for our next long-term review vehicle based on the amount of website and video traffic it gets — in addition to how much of it is new this year. If I didn’t have the traffic as my guide, I’d be really hard pressed to chose one midsize truck over another. They are all really good.
2024 Midsize Trucks Photo Gallery:
