Midsize pickups have long been the go-to segment, and they continue to increase in popularity, with over three million full- and midsize trucks sold nationwide in 2020. We tested four of the most popular pickups, including the Tacoma, Ranger, Gladiator, and Frontier to find the best midsize pickups for off-roading.
Key Points
- Auto influencer and GT: Garage Talk podcaster Cory Fourniquet shares with Vehicle History his first-ride reviews after off-road-testing four of the latest midsize pickups. On the list is the 2021 Tacoma TRD Pro, 2021 Ford Ranger, 2021 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail, and 2022 Nissan Frontier. All but the Jeep were in each models’ most capable trim offering.
- Toyota’s popular midsize Tacoma, in TRD Pro trim, delivered a stellar performance when I ran it through the backroad trails of East Texas, many thanks to its multi-terrain system and crawl control feature.
- Sporting the mighty Tremor package, the Ford Ranger put up a solid showing. Ultimately, it didn’t provide the same level of confidence as the Tacoma and felt more at home on paved streets than off-road.
- The Jeep Gladiator I drove wasn’t the model’s most capable off-road trim, so without a true locking rear differential, it can’t handle the same terrain as other entrants. But it still boasts the most aggressive approach angle of the bunch.
- Surprisingly, the updated 2022 Nissan Frontier in Pro-4x trim is not only the best-priced model on this list, but it’s fully prepared for any off-road situation too, thanks to its locking differential, electronically selectable transfer case, Bilstein shocks, and Dana rear axle.
2021 Tacoma TRD Pro: The Long-reigning Midsize King, Solidly Built for Any Challenge
No list of midsize off-road-ready pickups would be complete without testing the sales leader from Toyota. I sampled the 2021 Tacoma TRD Pro, the most capable version, on my home turf in East Texas.
The 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 was up to the task, revving easily and never starving for power, even if it is one of the older engines in this grouping. The fact that this basic platform dates to its 2004 origins, with a major redesign for 2016, means that Toyota has perfected this pickup as much as possible.
Given its age, you would think it would miss out on features, but the TRD Pro comes with Toyota’s Multi-terrain Select for adjusting throttle response and power delivery as well as Crawl Control for maintaining a set speed when negotiating low-speed obstacles such as rocks or ruts. While nice to have in tricky situations, I still found myself taking full control over the electronic systems.
High speed or low speed, venturing off-road, I felt as though the Tacoma was reliable and up to any task without fear that it would fall apart around me.
2021 Ford Ranger Lariat 4×4 with Tremor Off-Road Package: So Good, it Paved the Way for Bronco
The newest name to the game is the Tremor Off-Road Package that can be added to any 4×4 XLT or Lariat-trimmed Ford Ranger. The package adds skid plates, upgraded and lifted suspension, and Ford Trail Control and Terrain Management System. They are like system presets that control traction and engine response for different driving situations.
Since the Ranger serves as the basis for the very popular Bronco, my expectations were high when taking it out to play in the dirt. The engine response from the 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder was nice but somewhat hampered by the traction control in sand and dirt. Turn all the electronic nannies off, and the 2021 Ford Ranger shows that it was clearly made by the same people responsible for the desert-running F-150 Raptor and newly announced Bronco Raptor.
The ride was smooth, the platform was confident and rattle-free, and the Ranger felt right at home climbing hills or bouncing over bumps. The only real complaint I found was the dated interior compared to other Ford products I have sampled. The gauge cluster and infotainment both seemed a couple generations behind other FoMoCo offerings.
The Ranger also felt a little more fragile than the Tacoma off-road, but it was the most comfortable on-road, without the Toyota’s droning TRD-specific exhaust and a smooth highway ride.
2021 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail: A Midsize Truck Built for Texas’ Muddy Terrain and not the Rubicon Trail
Using the Sport S trim as the starting point, the 2021 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail adds 17-inch black wheels wrapped in 32-inch mud-terrain tires, making it comparable to the Willys trim in other markets.
This is the only pickup of the bunch without a true locking rear differential, opting instead for a limited-slip differential, or LSD. This only proved sticky when testing out the articulation, proving there is no replacement for the assurance of a true locker.
The proportions of the Gladiator also meant it was somewhat compromised on tight trails. While having the best approach angle of all the trucks at more than 40 degrees, the long wheelbase and rear overhang meant choosing your line wisely when cresting peaks or coming off major inclines.
Otherwise, the Gladiator proved true to its Jeep lineage, and as the only convertible of the quartet, along with removable doors, this would perhaps be the most fun to own.
2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X: The Freshest Face Amongst Aging Midsize Pickups
The newest entrant into the segment, the 2022 Nissan Frontier, had a lot to prove. With the 2022 model being the first major overhaul of the Frontier in 16 years, there had been many advancements for the engineers at Nissan of which to take advantage.
Easily the most powerful truck in this comparison, the 3.8L direct-injection V6 used its 310 horsepower and nine-speed transmission to make this feel as if it were the lightest pickup of the four, even though it was not. While it seems like every generation of pickup grows 25%, the Frontier’s compact size stays true to the segment, and its driving performance is light and playful.
The off-road controls were tucked out of the way on the left side of the steering wheel, and the electronically selectable low range was difficult to engage/disengage, which are perhaps my only demerits for the truck in my short time behind the wheel.
Midsize Jeep Gladiator Pickup Falls Short Due to High Price and Lack of Features
Coming in second place for me is the Gladiator Texas Trail. With 80 years of off-road experience, the Jeep brand knows what they are doing when making a capable vehicle.
The Texas Trail’s origins as a lightly-modified Sport S meant it was missing the real off-road goodies of the top-trim Rubicon. Plus, I just could not forgive the lack of a true locking rear differential. While cameras are not essential for hitting the trails, the fact that two others in this test had forward-facing cameras while the Gladiator did not, paired with the Jeep having one of the highest price tags of the four rigs, meant I began to question the value of this trim versus what the others brought to the table.
New King of the Hill: Award-winning Nissan Frontier Pickup Proves its Mettle
Of the four trucks in the trims I sampled, the clear winner is the 2022 Frontier Pro-4X. Coming in fully equipped and sporting the lowest price tag meant that not only was this an incredible bargain versus its trio of competitors, but it also had all the amenities and features modern drivers expect.
The locking differential, electronically selectable transfer case, Bilstein shocks, and Dana rear axle made any obstacle I threw its way a breeze. Though, much like the Toyota’s electronic 4WD system, finding the right circumstances to switch in and out of low range meant a lot of trial and error. The Jeep’s manual transfer case wins out in that regard.
I was not the only one to sing the Nissan’s praises, as it took home the Midsize Pickup Truck of Texas Award from the Texas Auto Writers Association event, where I was testing the vehicles (Toyota and Jeep were also at the event for direct comparison).
If you are looking for the best bang for your buck both on-road and off, the 2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X stands as the new King of the Hill.
Photos: GT: Garage Talk & McCauley Creative, LLC
