2016 Mid-Size Truck Shootout Cont.

The Decision

Olympic torch flaming, we burn so sweet
The thrill of victory, the agony, defeat

Triumph, Wu-Tang Clan (U-God)

If you watched the video for our 2016 Mid-Size Shootout first, then you likely know which way the wind is blowing. And if you’ve read this far, well, we simply applaud your level of patience in the Internet Age. Patience should be rewarded, so… without further ado, third place goes to the Nissan Frontier. Shocker, right? If you’ve skipped ahead, the recap is simple: the Frontier is the elder statesman, and although its PRO-4X suspension make it a fun, capable truck in the dirt, it simply is due for an interior and exterior overhaul. Its value-minded features (heated, adjustable leather front seats; moonroof; dual climate controls; roof rack; Utili-Track Channel System) and low price tag make it appealing for the right buyers, but it offers the least modern electronics, is the most costly at the pump, and its creature comforts are just not up to par. Nissan didn’t walk away from the mid-size market in the lean years, and we don’t expect them to sit still with the same old Frontier design for much longer.

Much like the literal geological descriptions, GMC’s Canyon figuratively had highs and lows during our test. The clean, classy interior of the Canyon is refined and yet not too fancy for a truck. Its smooth handling and stout stance on the highway and while towing earned much praise. Its 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine is impressively efficient and yet powerful enough to blow the other trucks – thanks to 369 lb.-ft. – out of the water in terms of power-to-ground torque.

The Canyon’s high-brow package doesn’t check all the boxes though. With a sticker price of $43,790, our test truck is $7,980 more than the Frontier and $6,180 more than the Tacoma. The GMC also received the lowest marks in off-road testing. Yep, we don’t like the side step and we hate the air dam, but those pieces are removable and aren’t our biggest gripe, as the Canyon offers too little ground clearance and not enough suspension travel. More simply put: It couldn’t keep up with the other two trucks in the dirt.

The Canyon, like the Chevy Colorado, can be had with a N/A 3.6L V6 that’s roughly $3,700 cheaper than the diesel, and subtract a few options and it is competitively priced with the others. But it still lags in the off-road environment compared to the other two trucks, and that makes this truck a tricky proposition for some. Last year, we hailed the Colorado as our 2015 Mid-Size Truck Shootout winner because it was a great all-around package - but remember, it was competing against two dated trucks. Although we love the diesel engine in the Canyon/Colorado for 2016, with a much higher price tag and significantly stiffer competition from Toyota, this platform gets knocked off the top podium spot for the reasons we already listed.

So please don’t be surprised when they announce that I won

“The Winner” - Drake

And that leaves the Toyota. If you were to look solely at the Tacoma's sales for 2015, you might wonder why they needed to build a new truck. But if you drive the 2016 Tacoma, you’ll realize it’s a sea change. Although Toyota went to a smaller engine, it doesn’t feel any less powerful than before. Toyota added a six-speed transmission and reduced aerodynamic drag significantly, and it improved its highway fuel economy rating to 23 mpg (or 24 on 2WDs). It doubled-down on its dirt savvy by beefing up the rear axle on the TRD Off-Road model and adding more off-road features. Most of all, it significantly updated the exterior and interior of the truck without losing the Tacoma’s soul.

Do we love everything about the new Tacoma? Nope. But there’s no doubt this truck is better than the last, especially the TRD Off-Road version. The scoring is closer than we expected overall, but the Toyota is the clear winner in our minds. Its good on-road manners and great off-road capability make it a solid platform, and it earns our vote for the best all-around mid-size truck for 2016.

It’s hard to say what comes next for the mid-size market. Honda is coming back with its Ridgeline which, although it’s not a body-on-frame design, will compete in the mid-size arena. We also recently posted a story where it appears Chevrolet is testing a version of the ZR2 concept. There’s plenty of other speculation regarding the class as well – will the Ford Ranger return, what does Nissan have planned (a small diesel?), and will we truly see another Jeep pickup? Guess we’ll find out soon enough.

For more detailed specs, check out our At a Glance pages for each truck:

2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road

2016 Duramax Diesel GMC Canyon

2016 Nissan Frontier PROX-4X