Full-size trucks dominate compact and midsize pickups when it comes to overall U.S. sales, but with a limited budget, bigger might not always be better. After incentives, the question remains: Would you rather have a well-equipped midsize truck or a more basic full-size work truck for similar money?
For about $25,000 or a bit more, there's a wide selection of low-end full-size trucks plus more generously optioned compact and midsize trucks. From the midsize category and probably still available at most dealerships: Chevrolet Colorado, Dodge Dakota by Ram, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, Suzuki Equator, Toyota Tacoma. More expensive wildcard: Honda Ridgeline
For the same price, the major players will be happy to sell you a work truck without some of those options (or engine upgrades) you might want. Here are the full-size options: Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, GMC Sierra, Nissan Titan, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra.
So, with a price range in the mid-$20,000 range, would you go for a comfortably equipped compact or midsize truck, or would you spring for a more basic but full-size entry? Tell us what you'd do in the comments section below and if you're curious about the future of the compact/midsize truck segment in the U.S., don't miss our story here.