TACOMA vs FRONTIER vs CANYON/COLORADO vs RANGER // EXTERIOR QUALITY COMPARISON OF MID-SIZE TRUCKS

David decided to compare the exterior quality of every mid-sized trucks all at once - kind of like a drive-by-audit! David compares the external quality of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro against the Nissan Frontier, GMC/Chevrolet Canyon/Colorado twins, and Ford Ranger including both the normal version and the Raptor model. Watch the entire video to find out all the key differences in panel gaps, alignment and paint quality.
Automotive Press is owned and managed by David Koichi Chao, a global expert in the field of automotive evaluation, engineering, and strategy. With over 35 years of engineering experience, David is able to review vehicles from unique perspectives utilizing technical and specialized methods. David is a board member and a director at AJAC (Automobile Journalist Association of Canada).
David is known around the world as an authentic specialist of Lean/Agile Thinking, and travels all around the world to review vehicles and teach latest engineering methods. Born and raised in Japan, David has an engineering degree from University of British Columbia and post-graduate education from MIT and Harvard Business School in Boston.

[@rightlanehog3151]

David, Everyone these days is concerned with long term quality. Can you ask each manufacturer to bring the same truck back to you for evaluation in 10 years? 🤔😉

[@TomXCZD]

I know right, panel gaps are not my top concern.

[@moeanthony9308]

@@TomXCZDexactly

[@garetteL]

Testing the panel gaps can be an indication of how good the manufacturing is. Maybe that’s what he’s trying to see here

[@nelsonschroeder2842]

I would think that manufacturers would make sure that the vehicle they bring to an auto show reveal would be near perfect. The true test will be when full production begins.

[@orrinbelcher6593]

Nice video fun and informative

[@elizabethwhite4606]

David, thank you for this great quality comparison with your gap analysis between all of those trucks. Very interesting to see the differences between all of the auto manufacturers.

[@AutomotivePress]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@RicardoLopez-zw1st]

Tacoma and Ranger 😎❤

[@beeslandscaping]

Tacoma need more passenger room in the back I’m surprised they didn’t fix the problem

[@mattb9664]

The cab is still pretty much a Gen-2 sized cab. It can barely bit a kid's car seat without moving then front seats forward.

[@A15689]

David, can we get a video of your intake about Honda/Nissan EV partnership. Do you see risks to both brands as global demand shows signs of shifting away from EVs

[@estevaneskudero]

You forgot ot add the word exterior in your title.

[@dtna]

What about the interiors? Do all Toyotas still come with one piece dashes to eliminate squeaks and rattles?

[@BabakPA]

My 2023 Tacoma is so bad in alignments, I don’t know who assembled it! Thanks tor the video

[@dtna]

Mexicans.

[@christopher9626]

Thank you, David! I have a 2023 Frontier and the build quality is absolutely horrible. I wish we could post pictures on youtube comments. I recently had to repaint both sides of a one year old truck because the paint is so thin, that everything damages it and I had hundreds of rock chips. The sharp edge of the rear quater panels ,on both sides, was sanded down to the bare metal. There are ridiculous panel gaps all over and the gaps between the bed and the car are over an inch off. The bed is on crooked. There are also number ugly welds on the frame of the truck.It looked like they put unfinished metal on the frame and bed. some of the ends are smooth, others are jagged, like it snapped off or something. This complete lack of quality has killed nissan for me. I've owned of them and the only one that held up was my 2000 Xterra, which I had for 11 years. Very disappointed in Nissan.

[@bobbythomas6520]

I have a Colorado or a frontier on the line. Very similar in price, I prefer the Colorado but the frontier is slightly cheaper. What would you choose? Trail boss vs pro X, (not 4X)

[@kkadkhoda]

Great job and thx!, Obviously Nissan is not known for details and quality but their engine has been reliable alrhough old design!, I hope the transmission issues had been fixed!, Sadly not a big fan of American quality at all when it come to reliability! Love the Ridgeline but understand if it does not work for job sites!

[@Bravesdarrell8552]

Would love to know when the Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO will be released also would be great to know about pricing.

[@chrisb9478]

Supposed to be this summer. Car & Driver list it as going to be $65k 😳

[@Bravesdarrell8552]

@@chrisb9478 OUCH 😣!!!

[@sanchezzz1]

The TRD Pro fender flares will have the same look as the Tundra

[@Holden-McGroin]

You’re looking at the exterior quality of hand selected show trucks which have been meticulously looked over and prepared to be put on display. This seems completely pointless.

[@eddiehaskell5578]

Why would anyone want a tent on the top of a truck for$2,000 ? You can buy a tent for $30 bucks. Tents work best set up out of the wind in low spots.😮

[@garybeaty4032]

It's a massive fad. Maybe to keep away from the bears and wolves lol

[@chrisb9478]

New Ford Ranger, engineers are like, ugh, the body panels are aligned together good enough. 😂 Plus they’re like, let’s make all the fluid pans underneath out of plastic 😮

[@theoutdoordad7395]

Yeah judging a model’s quality based on a prototype makes a lot of sense 🙄

[@Tridon64]

​@theoutdoordad7395 he also checked a second Ranger that was a production model, and the fit and finish was worse than the Raptor.

[@theoutdoordad7395]

@@Tridon64 was it production or prototype?

[@theoutdoordad7395]

@@Tridon64that’s not great news…

[@Jay-bw3fl]

The orange peel on new vehicles has gotten really really bad lately.

[@dwang552]

Prototype truck quality is not a good indicator of production truck quality.

[@charlesanderson6986]

Honda Ridgeline is the best mid sized track

[@TJDST4]

​@@skoolynugenator1802 So?

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

It’s the worst by far, ancient engine overhead cam crasher with rubber timing, poor articulation, poor towing, poor real world payload, weak transmission, and poor ground clearance. Who cares about rear legroom. The owner isn’t sitting back there,

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

@@skoolynugenator1802It’s really just a minivan, not an SUV or even a CUV.

[@chrisb9478]

It is a great street truck, but not even light off roading. Too low

[@mattb9664]

WhistlinDiesel proved that the Ridgeline is way more capable than Honda leads the customer to believe.

[@jimmyamico4713]

Hi David, Every time I see when you do the quality control checks with all these other vehicles, I appreciate Lexus so much and the Tara factory and Motomachi factory in Japan🇯🇵🤍❤️