Consumer Reports Most Reliable Midsize Pickups

The Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline have been ranked by Consumer Reports as the most reliable pickup trucks for 2022. Both mid-sized trucks managed to beat even big favorites like the Toyota Tacoma and Jeep Gladiator.

Consumer Reports judges the reliability of compact and medium trucks in two ways. First, they survey truck owners in the last three years of production to identify problem areas and give low-mileage trucks a 100 point.

Second, they use make and model history to give each new truck a predicted reliability score of 5. By 2022, midsize and compact pickups will be the most reliable midsize pickups.

Which mid-size truck is more reliable?

Surprisingly, the quintessential reliability favorite lost out to two other small trucks. The most reliable mid-size trucks for 2022 are the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline, according to Consumer Reports.

First, Consumer Reports interviewed Ridgeline and Ranger owners over the past three years. The owners identified very few problem areas; CR gave the current generation the Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline 68/100.

Toyota and Jeep were pushed out

By comparison, CR gave the current Toyota Tacoma only 59/100. No other small truck has received more than 30/100 points. The relatively new Jeep Gladiator finished last with a score of 23/100.

Based on the history of each make and model, CR has also assigned each new 2022 truck a predicted reliability score. Ranger and Ridgeline scored 4/5 or "above average". Even the Tacoma only got a 3/5 or "average score".

Is the Ford Ranger a Good Buy?

If Ford set out to build a better Tacoma, it looks like the Blue Oval did. The Ranger is a great all-rounder, earning one of the highest Consumer Reports ratings for 2022.

In 2019, the first year of the new Ranger, Consumer Reports had concerns about the truck's transmission, drive system and suspension. But for the 2021 model year, Ford has addressed those issues, and the truck's reliability rating has skyrocketed.

CR reviewers also like that the Ranger is economical for its class and nimble for its size. High scores include its comfort, driving experience and acceleration.

Why is the Ridgeline not a truck?

Critics like Consumer Reports love the Honda Ridgeline. But some truck enthusiasts say it's not a real truck. This is due to the Ridgeline's unibody construction, which looks more like a crossover than a truck or SUV.

Early cars had a body-on-frame design: automakers connected the transmission and axles to a ladder-shaped frame and then placed the body on top of that frame. In the 1950s, engineers discovered that connecting the axles and transmission to a reinforced body reduced the weight of the car. But since this "one-piece" design reduced overall strength, trucks and SUVs remained frame-based.

Improved unibody design has led to increasingly powerful crossovers and crossover SUVs. Today, unibody pickups include the Honda and Ridgeline.

Consumer Reports loves the Ridgeline's powertrain, ride, and comfort. But the organization is also wary of the integrity of the Ridgeline body and equipment.

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