Small But Rugged Compact and Midsize Trucks You Should Check Out if Shopping Used

When we think about pickup trucks, a lot of us tend to immediately imagine a great big heavy-duty truck with dual rear wheels, but not everyone shopping for used trucks for sale near Colonie really needs or wants a 30,000-pound towing maximum. In fact, many drivers are very happy with a compact or midsize truck. 

Compact and midsize trucks have earned a devoted following due to their capability and comfort. Many have the driving manners and full range of features you would expect from an SUV while providing an open cargo bed for large and oddly shaped necessities. While they may not be able to tow as much as a full-sized or heavy-duty truck, they can still help you get your weekend adventure toys to the nearest lake or campground. For those who are in the market for their first used compact or midsize truck, we’ve put together a quick guide to some of the models drivers around Colonie seem to love best.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz

The Hyundai Santa Cruz made its debut in 2022, which makes it somewhat of a newcomer to the used truck scene. Interestingly enough, many drivers who are also newcomers to the truck scene appreciate the Santa Cruz for its comfortable ride and SUV-like cabin.

Dubbed a “Sport Adventure Vehicle,” the Santa Cruz is Hyundai’s first-ever truck. As such, it very much has the personality of an SUV equipped with a 4-foot open bed. While the Santa Cruz has one of the smallest beds in the compact truck segment, it is one of the most functional beds, as well, offering a variety of tie-downs and cleats, along with underfloor storage and moldings that allow you to use a shelf to create a 2-tier storage system. With three bumper-integrated steps and a retractable locking bed cover, the Santa Cruz might be the ideal vehicle for those wanting a more manageable pickup.

For those who need to stow a little more than a 4-foot bed can provide, the Santa Cruz is capable of towing up to 5,000 lbs. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a weather-worthy vehicle, as well, with an available full-time all-wheel drive system. While it’s not the type of all-wheel drive that will help you climb mountains, it is the kind that makes driving all year in upstate New York significantly less intimidating.

The Ford Maverick

Like the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Ford Maverick also made its debut in 2022. Unlike Hyundai, however, Ford has a lot of experience building trucks. The Ford Maverick is built on the same platform as the Escape and Bronco Sport, with a comfort-tuned drive style that can handle more than a few spring potholes. It features a 4.5-foot FlexBed, which is not only conveniently framed for tie-downs and tiers but is wired for 12-volt power. Properly equipped, a Ford Maverick can tow about 4,000 lbs.

The Maverick stands out in the compact truck segment thanks to its standard hybrid front-wheel drive engine system. Drivers who are looking for an all-wheel drive truck or a gasoline-powered engine, fear not—there is a 250-hp 2.0L turbocharged option that offers both of those things. However, for drivers who are interested in fuel economy, the standard 2.5L Atkinson inline-4 setup offers 191 hp and gets an impressive 42 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway. Drivers who are more inclined to head for the hills may keep an eye out for a Ford Maverick with the FX4 package, which adds an off-road mono-shock suspension system, Mud and Sand driving modes, and underbody protection.

The Nissan Frontier 

The Frontier is the biggest truck on this list, with an option of a 5- or 6-foot bed. Drivers also have the option of a King Cab or spacious Crew Cab. With a 310-hp 3.8L V6 engine under the hood, a properly-equipped Nissan Frontier from the more recent model years can tow over 6,000 lbs, making its size count. 

One of the most appealing things about more recent pre-owned Nissan Frontier models is the vast amount of standard offerings. A 9-inch touchscreen with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity takes center stage in the cabin. Hill-Start Assist and Forward Collision Warning systems are both standard across the lineup, along with truly intelligent features, like the Easy Fill Tire Alert, which beeps the horn to let you know you’ve added enough air to your tires.

The Nissan Frontier is also road trip-friendly, with plenty of in-cabin storage pockets and USB ports for everyone. Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats are on board as well, taking some of the back and lower body stress out of the ride—somewhat of an anomaly in the world of pickup trucks!

The Jeep Gladiator

Smaller trucks are generally more nimble than their larger stablemates, which makes them ideal for off-roading. While many compact and midsize trucks offer off-roading packages and trims, the Jeep Gladiator is a truck specifically designed with off-roading in mind. So, for those who are more interested in the rugged side of Albany County and beyond, the Gladiator might be the perfect ride.

The Gladiator was introduced in 2020, and while Jeep has made a few adjustments and improvements in the years since, the Gladiator continues to rule the rugged trails as a highly capable truck and off-roader. With a towing max of 7,700 lbs on the most recent ones, all used Jeep Gladiator models include 4 doors and a 5-foot bed. However, since they are also Jeep models, those doors can be removed, the windshield folded, and the convertible soft or hard top stowed for a true open-air experience.

Those who are familiar with the Jeep family of vehicles can attest to the truly lengthy list of trims and options offered on these vehicles. As an example, recent trims and edition options include the Sport, Willys Sport, Sport S, Willys, 80th Edition, California Edition, Freedom Edition, Texas Trail Edition, Overland, Rubicon, Mojave, and High Altitude models. Ultimately, the trim and edition simply tell you what features and options are on board, but the sheer number of options makes it pretty likely that most drivers will find a Gladiator that is perfect for their driving dreams. 

Find Your Pre-Owned Compact or Midsize Used Truck With Us Today

This is just a sample of the many compact and midsize trucks on the used market today, of course. Whether you’re looking for more storage, more towing capacity, or the freedom to explore more of the wilderness in our part of New York, a compact or midsize truck can be the perfect ride for those who live in Colonie. 

From efficient models like the Ford Maverick Hybrid to trucks that can help you cross the county in utter comfort, used compact and midsize trucks often provide drivers with all the things they need at a price that makes sense for a variety of budgets. Big trucks are very useful and definitely have their place in Albany County. But if you’re looking for a daily driver that can get a lot accomplished without sacrificing ride quality, perhaps one of these smaller versions is a better fit. Contact us today to set up a test drive so that you can find your perfect used truck.