Pickup trucks are one of the most popular vehicle segments on the American market, with an increasing number of prospective car buyers choosing a pickup as a daily driver and family hauler. While in past decades pickup trucks used to be rugged workhorses with few creature comforts, now automakers have embraced the comfort and luxury aspect, packing their trucks with all the features you would expect of a passenger car.
Mid-size pickup trucks are an excellent choice for buyers whose transport needs exceed the capabilities of a compact truck, but still require something smaller than a full-size truck for practicality and ease of maneuverability. Here are the mid-size pickup trucks you can currently find on the market, ranked from the least to the most reliable according to their J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Score, number of recalls for the model’s current generation, and rate of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold.
The data on this list has been compiled from a variety of reputable sources, including J.D. Power’s Quality & Reliability rating, NHTSA recalls and complaints, and manufacturer-supplied sales figures. New vehicles may be ranked lower on this list by virtue of not having a Quality & Reliability score. Recall, complaint, and sales figure data are accurate as of the date of publication but are subject to change.
8 Rivian R1T
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: N/A No. of Recalls: 10 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 1.64
The futuristic, all-electric Rivian R1T is a relative newcomer in the pickup truck market, having first been launched for the 2022 model year. None of the R1T’s model years have a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating, which lands it at the bottom of the list, compounded by the rate of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 R1Ts sold being fairly high. Most complaints are about the forward collision avoidance system, the airbags, or steering issues, but with the R1T updated recently, Rivian is hoping to claw back some points for the 2025 model year.
The R1T has also accumulated 10 recalls since its launch, three of which affect the current model year. One is about a missing airbag warning label on the dashboard, meaning owners may be unaware of the risk to babies and children occupying the front seat. Another concerns improperly aimed headlights affecting visibility, and the third is about improper deployment of side curtain airbags due to damaged pillar trim panel clips. None of the recalls are classified as urgent.
Despite not having a Quality and Reliability rating from J.D. Power, Rivian as a brand scored highly in J.D. Power’s latest APEAL survey, indicating a high rate of customer satisfaction for the brand.
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7 GMC Canyon
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: N/A No. of Recalls: 3 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 0.87
Like its Chevrolet-badged counterpart, the Colorado, the GMC Canyon has been on the market for two years in its third generation. The 2024 Canyon does not have a J.D. Power score, but by virtue of fewer complaints per 1,000 vehicles, it places higher than the Rivian above.
Of those 0.87 complaints per 1,000 trucks, most focus on issues with the exterior lighting and the electrical system. While the Canyon’s current generation has accumulated three recalls over the years, only one of them affects the 2024 model: an improperly installed fuel pump increases the risk of a fire, an issue shared by the Canyon’s Chevrolet twin. However, this recall is not classified as urgent, and neither are the other recalls affecting older models.
Typically, new generations are prone to a few teething issues early on in their time, with reliability improving after the first few model years.
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6 Chevrolet Colorado
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: N/A No. of Recalls: 4 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 0.58
The GMC Canyon’s Chevrolet twin, the Colorado, is also on its third generation since 2022. The 2024 Colorado does not have a J.D. Power score, but the previous generation (pre-2022) interestingly had a much higher rating than its Canyon counterpart. The rate of NHTSA complaints per 1,000 vehicles is fairly low, and slightly lower than that of the Canyon, earning it a higher spot on this list. Most complaints focus on electrical issues and problems with the forward collision avoidance system.
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The 2024 Colorado has two active recalls to its name: the first for an improperly installed fuel pump causing a potential fire risk (an issue shared with the Colorado’s GMC cousin), while the second is about some vehicles being fitted with incorrect tires. Neither recall is classified as urgent.
5 Honda Ridgeline
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 80 No. of Recalls: 18 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 2.77
The Honda Ridgeline is the oldest model on the list, with the current generation having been on the market since 2017. The current model enjoys a fairly high J.D. Power score, and previous model years from this generation are also generally reliable with scores in the high seventies and low eighties. However, the Ridgeline has also accumulated a large number of NHTSA complaints over the years, resulting in a high rate of complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold.
The most frequent sources of complaints are issues with the electrical system, lighting, forward collision avoidance system, and rear-view camera. The latter is also the subject of one recall affecting the current model year, with some vehicles experiencing a loss of image output from the rear-view camera. Some vehicles in last year’s model are also affected by this recall; the 2023 Ridgeline has two more recalls to its name, concerning a potential loss of steering control and loss of brake function.
Importantly, the Ridgeline faced the bulk of its recalls and complaints in the earlier model years, so buying a 2024 model will likely be a safe buy, as recall numbers have dropped since 2021.
4 Toyota Tacoma
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 83 No. of Recalls: 0 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 0.15
You might expect the Toyota Tacoma to top any reliability list, but the 2024 model is the first of an all-new generation of America’s best-selling midsize pickup truck. Despite this, it already scores highly with a J.D. Power rating of 83/100 for Quality and Reliability and a very low rate of NHTSA complaints filed per 1,000 vehicles sold. The 2024 Tacoma is an all-new truck, and deliveries are ramping up rapidly, meaning we may yet see the number of complaints and recalls fluctuate. For now, though, it lives up to Toyota’s legendary reliability, despite a new platform and new turbocharged (and optionally hybrid) powertrains.
The current model has no recalls yet and the complaints filed so far are mostly related to transmission failure on low-mileage vehicles, with some customers reporting being unable to access gears. If you have bought or are planning on buying a new Tacoma, the transmission is therefore the biggest potential pain point to keep an eye out for, but otherwise, the Tacoma is highly likely to give you a safe and problem-free ownership experience.
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3 Nissan Frontier
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 84* (2023 rating) No. of Recalls: 9 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 0.63
The current generation of the Nissan Frontier has been on the market since 2022, and is the first standalone model to carry the Frontier nameplate on the American market; previous generations of the Frontier had been a rebadged version of the truck known in other markets as the Nissan Navara. While the 2024 Frontier does not have a J.D. Power score, the 2023 version enjoys a high rating, and the generation as a whole has a fairly low rate of NHTSA complaints. Most of the complaints filed relate to issues with the electrical system, driver assistance features (forward collision avoidance and cruise control), powertrain issues, and problems with the braking system.
While the Frontier has nine recalls to its name for this generation, only two of them affect the 2024 model: the first is related to improperly deploying airbags, while the second concerns potential loss of steering due to ball joint separation. None of the recalls are classified as urgent.
2 Jeep Gladiator
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 87* (2023 rating) No. of Recalls: 13 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 1.70
While the 2024 Jeep Gladiator does not have a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score, last year’s model has a very high rating and belongs to the same generation, serving as a strong indicator of the 2024 model’s reliability. There has only been one generation of the modern Gladiator so far, which hit the market in 2020; the previous pickup to wear the Gladiator nameplate was discontinued in 1988. When the new version arrived, it was the first pickup truck built by Jeep since the demise of the Comanche in 1992.
While the current model-year Gladiator has no recalls and no complaints to its name, there are 13 active recalls for the previous model years; these are mainly related to airbag issues, malfunctioning rearview camera and reverse lights, fuel pump issues, and clutch components overheating. None of the recalls are classified as urgent. The rate of NHTSA complaints is fairly high; the most frequent issues cropping up in the complaints are related to the transmission, steering, engine problems, and electrical gremlins.
1 Ford Ranger
J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Rating: 87 No. of Recalls: 0 NHTSA Complaints/1,000 vehicles: 0
The 2024 Ford Ranger marks the start of the model’s sixth generation and has already achieved a J.D. Power Quality and Reliability rating of 87, matching the previous generation’s final model year. The 2024 Ranger is also the only vehicle on the list that doesn’t have any active recalls or NHTSA complaints to its name. While some engine options on offer for the last generation have been carried over to the new Ranger, most components are new, and as a result, it will take a while to get a complete picture of this generation’s reliability. Worth noting, however, is that this generation of Ranger was launched overseas two years prior to its American market launch, meaning many kinks were ironed out before it landed in the US.
Sources:
J.D. Power
,
NHTSA
, Manufacturers
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Publish date : 2024-08-11 03:40:00
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