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Best Compact or Midsize Pickup in 2023: We Hand Out Our Auto123 awards!

Best Compact or Midsize Pickup in 2023
Photo: V.Aubé
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Khatir Soltani
The Toyota Tacoma has long stood alone in this niche. Now it has to fight to stay on top

•    Auto123 presents its annual awards in 22 categories.

•    For the Best Compact or Midsize Pickup in 2023, here are our finalists and winner!

•    In the running are the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Maverick and Toyota Tacoma.

•    The three finalists are all purchases that are recommended by the Auto123 team.

Every year, you our readers are kind enough to await with interest Auto123's verdicts in declaring the winners across various vehicle categories. This year, the battles were once again ferocious, with many of the votes very close. There were arguments and maybe a couple of tears.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, 22 vehicles were declared winners in their category. If you want to know what are recommended buys in the compact or midsize pickup segment, here’s what happened this year in this category.

The compact/midsize pickup segment has always been hotly contested by the vehicles in this niche. There have been times when the players were few and far between, the category having gone through lean times about a decade ago. Since 2015, it has risen from the ashes and now includes more combatants than ever. Our finalists this year are the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Maverick and Toyota Tacoma.

Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Colorado
Photo: Chevrolet

This year, the Chevrolet Colorado comes in a new look, which often gives a product an edge because of the novelty aspect. The question here is, did our jury members have enough time to try out the new model? 

Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT
Ford Maverick Hybrid XLT
Photo: Ford

The Ford Maverick has no such problem; it’s in its second full year on the market, and it’s now a known entity even as it still benefits from the novelty effect. In its case, it's not so much the capabilities that matter as the base price and this hybrid configuration that comes with it. It's really a hard offer to resist. 

2023 Toyota Tacoma
2023 Toyota Tacoma
Photo: D.Heyman

Finally, the Toyota Tacoma is an established pickup on the market, a model both robust and very reliable. Its age is starting to show pretty seriously, however - its last redesign dates to the middle of the last decade. 

All of this made the Ford Maverick the one to choose among our specialists. It’s still new and exciting, but its biggest selling points are pricing and versatility. As mentioned, Ford showed foresight and smarts with the design of this vehicle, which arrived on the market at the right time.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada