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Reliable pickup trucks have to do it all, from everyday driving to towing your weekend adventure equipment across town. For reliable and popular compact trucks from 2016, the options are slim. You have trucks from Chevrolet, Toyota, and GMC to choose from, but there’s one pickup truck option to skip from a brand you usually trust.

U.S. News only picked four trucks from 2016 that fit the criteria, and the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado had the most to offer buyers. It offers 7,700 pounds of towing and a smooth ride inside the cabin. The Colorado can fit between two and five passengers depending on the configuration. A four-cylinder engine is standard, but a V6 and diesel are available.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2016 Colorado a four-star rating in the crash tests. J.D. Power and U.S. News gave it a reliability rating of four stars, making it a good option for those who need a reliable and popular compact truck.

Average Price Paid: $18,782 – $32,369

Reliable and popular compact trucks from 2016 like the Toyota Tacoma
A 2016 Toyota Tacoma | Toyota

People and experts think the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is one of the most well-rounded trucks. The Tacoma checks many boxes for reliable and popular compact trucks from 2016. Equipped with the V6 engine, the Toyota Tacoma can tow 6,800 pounds.

J.D. Power and U.S. News gave the Tacoma a reliability score of 4.5 out of five, above average for the segment. The NHTSA gave the truck a four-star safety rating, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also gave it high scores on its crash testing.

Average Price Paid: $25,376 – 36,598

Don’t overlook the 2016 GMC Canyon

There is plenty to like about the 2016 GMC Canyon. GMC offered the Canyon with a few different engine types, all of which offer good power and enough acceleration. These get between 181 and 305 horsepower. Depending on the setup, the Canyon gets between 15-22 mpg in the city and 17-31 mpg on the highway.

Both the NHTSA and IIHS gave the truck good scores on its safety ratings. The NHTSA gave the Canyon five stars on the side crash test and four stars on the frontal crash test. For the reliability score, the 2016 Canyon received a reliability score of three out of five. GMC knows a thing or two about reliable and popular compact trucks, and the 2016 Canyon is no exception.

Average Price Paid: $19,616 – $33,534

You can skip the 2016 Nissan Frontier pickup truck

Last on the list is the 2016 Nissan Frontier. While the Frontier is usually a solid contender in its segment, the 2016 truck wasn’t the best example. It only gets between 15 and 19 mpg in the city or 21 and 23 mpg on the highway. The materials in the cabin don’t live up to expectations, and the rear seats are uncomfortable.

The IIHS gave the Frontier some good scores, and the NHTSA gave it some high scores on tests. It was mainly mixed reviews and average ratings from the safety groups. Nissan’s 2016 Frontier did get a reliability rating of 4.5 out of five.

Average Price Paid: $17,001 – $28,713

There isn’t anything particularly wrong with the Frontier, and it might fit into more budgets, but be sure it has all of the features you want before signing it into your name. All of these reliable and popular compact trucks have plenty to offer buyers.

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