Mid-Size Pickup Truck

AKSkeeter

Well-known member
I like a truck as a bird hunter. 2 dog boxes in the bed.
If a dog get sprayed by a skunk...much better than having a skunked dog in an SUV!

I'm looking to downsize from my Silverado as I no longer will be towing.
But I'm 6' 4".
The GMC twins, the Chevy Colorado and the GMC Canyon, have the most legroom
...45 inches of leg room, the most of any midsize trucks.
I hear Toyota Tacoma would be cramped for a tall person.

Bed width is another consideration as all mid-size trucks have bed width less than 48",
but I don't know if there is much difference among mid-size trucks in terms of bed width.

Any suggestions for a bird-hunting mid-size truck? Mostly long highway, then gravel roads.
But definitely getting 4-wheel drive. Thanks.
 
What is your main reason for downsizing? If it's gas mileage there is only about 2 mpg difference between the Colorado and a full size pickup.
 
I downsized from a Suburban to a Chevy Colorado with a Diesel engine. I elk, deer, bear and bird hunt in multiple states and the smaller size is much easier to get around on Jeep trails and easier to turn around when I need too. I have to do a lot of highway to get to where I'm hunting so I got the diesel...not so much for the better mileage but rather for longevity. I try to keep my trucks for years and the miles add up. I figured the diesel would last longer than the gas . I like it a lot.
 
I went from a GMC Sierra to a new Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4x4 crew cab in 2020. I put a new topper on it and use 2 large Ruff Tough Kennels in the bed. I drove the GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, and the Toyota Tacoma. No contest in my book. My neighbor, who is a taller person, liked it so much he bought one. On the hwy in the right conditions, I get 22-23 mpg.
 
I went from a GMC Sierra to a new Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road 4x4 crew cab in 2020. I put a new topper on it and use 2 large Ruff Tough Kennels in the bed. I drove the GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, and the Toyota Tacoma. No contest in my book. My neighbor, who is a taller person, liked it so much he bought one. On the hwy in the right conditions, I get 22-23 mpg.
Can you fit the Kennels between the wheel wells? That is excellent gas mileage!
 
Can you fit the Kennels between the wheel wells? That is excellent gas mileage!
Yep they fit perfect. And they are the large size kennels. I have the 5 ft bed which is nice since you can put the kennels against the back of the cab and still reach in easily to open the doors on the kennels. Mid size trucks also set a bit lower than a full size making it easier for the dogs to load.
 
FWIW, I can get 26 hwy on my Colorado diesel ZR2 and I found it to ba bit roomier than the Tacoma when I bought mine in 2018 but the current models could be different. I get my kennels side by side in the truck bed and can put a Ruffland Intermediate in my back seat if I'm traveling with just 1 dog and it's hot outside. There both good trucks.
 
Right now I'm leaning to the Honda Ridgeline with excellent gas mileage, standard all-wheel drive and 50 inches between wheel wells.
Legroom for 6'4" driver.
Ranked #1 by Car & Driver for Midsize Pickups (Car & Driver Editor Choice)
Basically a Honda Pilot with a bed.
 
I'd go sit in a Tacoma...extended cab or crew. Two intermediate kennel will fit easily in the bed. At 150,000, I gained a mile mpg, now at 203,000, my last tank got me 22.9 mpg hwy.
At 6'4" I found driving the Tacoma pretty cramped. Max legroom is 42.9", compared to 45" for the Chevy Colorado,
 
Right now I'm leaning to the Honda Ridgeline with excellent gas mileage, standard all-wheel drive and 50 inches between wheel wells.
Legroom for 6'4" driver.
Ranked #1 by Car & Driver for Midsize Pickups (Car & Driver Editor Choice)
Basically a Honda Pilot with a bed.
My neighbor has one and likes it. Does well on highways and gravel roads.
 
At 6'4" I found driving the Tacoma pretty cramped. Max legroom is 42.9", compared to 45" for the Chevy Colorado,
So you did sit in a Tacoma? The Toyota comes with Toyota Care. In addition with the Toyota, you can buy the 10 year 100,000 extended warranty before your factory warranty is up for under $1500. It is a zero deductible bumper to bumper warranty. I don't think you can touch that with any of the other manufacturers. The GM extended warranty for our GMC Terrain was $2900 bumper to bumper with a $200 deductible. We passed on it. That said, I would look at the Nissan Frontier if you are against the Toyota.
 
I bought a used 2019 Ford Ranger Supercab last August because I needed to downgrade from an F-150. The F-150 was a tank and would not fit in my recessed third stall garage. My wife hated driving that thing and parking everywhere sucked. She will drive the Ranger now fairly often.

The Ranger has a towing package and can fit in my garage. It can fit 4 full size adults and two dog kennels in the bed. 95% of the time its just me and one dog kennel though. I get 21-24 mpg.

Right now there is a 4 month waiting list for a Ford Ranger. The salesman told me that last month while I was getting an oil change there. Half their lot is F-150's that they can't sell.

The one thing that I did like about the full size trucks was that they had a much bigger fuel tank. I could go 600+ miles on one tank in that F-150. The increase in mileage has made up for the smaller tank in the Ranger, but I still wish it had more fuel capacity.
 
I looked hard at the Tacoma TRD Off-Road, but decided against it after spending time in one. I am 6'3" and the driver legroom was fine, but you are not getting anything in the back seats even with the crew cab. I am sticking with my F-150 SCREW. I can put my Gunner kennel in the back seat area and still have room for a passenger to sit on the passenger side in back.
 
I bought a used 2019 Ford Ranger Supercab last August because I needed to downgrade from an F-150. The F-150 was a tank and would not fit in my recessed third stall garage. My wife hated driving that thing and parking everywhere sucked. She will drive the Ranger now fairly often.

The Ranger has a towing package and can fit in my garage. It can fit 4 full size adults and two dog kennels in the bed. 95% of the time its just me and one dog kennel though. I get 21-24 mpg.

Right now there is a 4 month waiting list for a Ford Ranger. The salesman told me that last month while I was getting an oil change there. Half their lot is F-150's that they can't sell.

The one thing that I did like about the full size trucks was that they had a much bigger fuel tank. I could go 600+ miles on one tank in that F-150. The increase in mileage has made up for the smaller tank in the Ranger, but I still wish it had more fuel capacity.
I love the 36gal tank in my F-150.
 
I love the 36gal tank in my F-150.
That's what mine had too. It was painful when I filled up, but it sure was nice being able to drive for weeks without going back.

I would have kept it for a while longer if it had fit in my garage. Parking in my insulated garage in the winter is more important to me than having a big fuel tank though. The most ideal solution would have been to build a bigger garage lol. But ripping up concrete and tearing out walls did not really appeal to me at the time.
 
I haven't researched any leg room but my buddy is 6'2 or so and he doesn't have any problems in his Nissan. I think the newer ones are better looking than the older models.
 
Yeah, the new XPRO SUPER PRO OFFROAD or whatever they call it is the best looking one since the hardbody. And as bad as I hate to say it probably # 2 in resell and dependability.
 
Yeah, the new XPRO SUPER PRO OFFROAD or whatever they call it is the best looking one since the hardbody. And as bad as I hate to say it probably # 2 in resell and dependability.
I’ve had 3 tacomas and they were all bulletproof and dependable. If they had 50 more horsepower it would be unbeatable… 2024 might have a turbo option 🤞. I agree dude I have the 2015 Trd pro and it’s been the best yet
 
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