Recently, the redesigned Honda Ridgeline debuted with a more aggressive style and a new Honda Performance Development Package. The 2022 Nissan Frontier also revealed itself with a complete design overhaul. Both of these compact pickup trucks look amazing, but which one dominates?

Being in the same class, these two new compact pickup trucks obviously have some things in common. But how do they differ? And is one of them clearly the better option? Let’s do a quick rundown of these trucks and check it out.

The 2022 Nissan Frontier comes onto the scene with serious rugged appeal

As much as the Nissan Frontier needed a new generation, every redesigned pickup truck can bring on feelings of doubt before the debut. That said, I can’t imagine many Frontier fans were disappointed by the new design. In fact, various comments on forums show overwhelmingly positive feedback for the redesigned 2022 Nissan Frontier.

In addition, the new Pro-4X model adds bigger off-road “chops” as they say. Overall, the new Nissan Frontier is a brand new compact pickup truck with a whole new take on life. We also expect the 2022 Nissan Frontier to maintain Nissan’s standard of good reliability. That said, sometimes the first model of a redesign can come with a few problems because the “kinks” haven’t been worked out. But hey, it’s 2021 and new tech gets easier to trust by the model year.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline brings rugged design and a new package

If the contest is won on style alone, this one is a hard choice. The new Honda Performance Development (HPD) package makes the aggressive redesign look even more rugged and ready. This package includes enhanced styling like a unique HPD-enhanced grille.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline is a great all-around pickup truck. It keeps its unibody configuration for the new model. That means this redesigned pickup truck is as smooth as ever with an excellent driving experience compared with other trucks in the segment.

How much are these new compact pickup trucks?

According to Car and Driver, the 2022 Nissan Frontier has four trim levels. The base level starting price is estimated around $28,000. The top Pro-4X trim is speculated to start around $39,000.

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline also has four available trims. The entry-level Sport Ridgeline starts at $37,665. The range-topping black edition starts at $45,095. The difference in price here is stark. For truck buyers that want a new compact pickup truck without spending a boatload of cash, the 2022 Nissan Frontier may prove to be the winner.

Which truck dominates?

When it comes to these two redesigned pickup truck options, there’s going to be one compact truck that does the big jobs better. The 2021 Honda Ridgeline tows up to 5,000 pounds and has a payload of 1,600 pounds––according to Car and Driver. Conversely, Car and Driver reports the 2022 Nissan Frontier can tow up to 6,720.

That means the redesigned Frontier hasn’t improved its pulling power from the previous generation. However, its payload capacity has increased 160 pounds to 1,610. The Pro-4X will also generally prove more capable off-road than the 2021 Ridgeline. That said, the Ridgeline’s smooth ride and high-quality cabin are unrivaled in the class. Which truck dominates will ultimately come down to what buyers think is more important.