2002 Compact Pickup Trucks

A third door is now standard on extended-cab versions of Chevrolet’s compact pickup truck, which eases loading and access to the cargoA third door is now standard on extended-cab versions of Chevrolet’s compact pickup truck, which eases loading and access to the cargo area on the driver’s side. Air conditioning and a tachometer have also joined the standard-equipment list. The two-wheel-drive, regular-cab, long-bed S-10 has been dropped.

The base, Sport and SLT price classes replace last year’s decor groups for Dodge’s midsize pickup. The Dakota is likely to be redesigned next year, along with the Durango sport utility vehicle. A new “value-priced” SXT model includes graphite bumpers, fascia, grille and fender flares, along with sporty, 16-inch aluminum wheels.

Ford’s compact Ranger pickup earned a freshened front end last year and comes with several new option groups this year. The most notable new offering is the FX-4 offroad package for the four-door SuperCab chassis, which combines off-the-pavement functionality with an appealing Styleside-box appearance. Powered by a 4.0-liter V-6 engine, the FX-4 group includes Bilstein shocks, heavy-duty springs, three skid plates, tow hooks and forged-aluminum wheels.

A third door is now standard on all extended-cab versions of GMC’s compact Sonoma pickup truck, which is the corporate kin to the Chevrolet S-10. All Sonomas for 2002 have air conditioning and a tachometer, and chrome grille trim has been added to the SLS trim package. The SLE trim level has been eliminated. The two-wheel-drive, regular-cab, long-bed truck has also been dropped, so all regular- and extended-cab Sonomas now have a 6-foot bed.

A number of modest changes are evident on Mazda’s line of compact pickups, which are closely related to the Ford Ranger. One change is a new name. Instead of calling them B-Series, as before, Mazda now refers to its compact pickup line simply as “Truck.”

A number of modest changes are evident on Mazda’s line of compact pickups, which are closely related to the Ford Ranger. One change is a new name. Instead of calling them B-Series, as before, Mazda now refers to its compact pickup line simply as “Truck.”

Nissan’s compact pickup truck gets a new body style for 2002. The regular Crew Cab model has a 56.3-inch cargo box, while the Crew Cab Long Bed’s cargo box measures 74.6 inches in length. The Long Bed model also rides a wheelbase that is 15 inches longer than the regular version.

All Tacomas get a new A-pillar assist grip for 2002. A moonroof will not be available on PreRunners, and the S-Runner’s side door badging is color-keyed.