11 Forgotten Mid-sized Trucks: Oh Yeah, That Happened | RealTruck (2024)

Too big to be small and too small to be big, mid-sized trucks have always been the ultimate tweener of the pickup truck world. On the upside, this makes them jacks-of-all-trades, able to fill multiple roles. On the downside, this makes them masters-of-none, unable to really excel in any of those particular roles. They’re the ultimate forgotten middle child, truly loved but always the kids with the traumatic left-behind story.

Despite their hefty prices and aforementioned problematic places in the truck hierarchy, half a dozen options persist in the mid-sized segment. There’s the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon, GM’s smallest trucks that ousted the Chevy S-10/GMC Sonoma mini trucks some 20 years ago. There’s the Ford Ranger, reinvented as a mid-size option in 2019 after the compact Ranger’s demise after 2011. There’s the Nissan Frontier, another compact mini truck that jumped into the mid-size category some 20 years ago and recently grew again in its 2022 third-gen iteration. And of course there’s the ever-popular Toyota Tacoma, yet another truck that upsized around the same time as its competition and now enters its fourth-generation for 2024. Lastly, the Jeep Gladiator, a truck version of the venerable Jeep Wrangler JL SUV, hit the mid-size truck market in 2020.

As we can see, the mid-size truck market consists mostly of grown-up mini trucks pandering to a growing demand (among other factors) for larger trucks. But once upon a time, in the late 2000s, the mid-size category had even more entrants, including rebadged beauties from the likes of Isuzu, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki. Unfortunately, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any of these oddball mid-size nameplates on the road today, a testament to their rarity and short lifespan.

It brings us great joy to highlight these forgotten mid-sized trucks. Making the list is offensively honorable for some of these pickups. For others, it is a compliment, as forgotten implies they were remembered by the general public to begin with.

When you think of factory V-8 mid-size trucks, there’s obviously the Dodge Dakota. But from 2009-2012, there was also a small-block V-8 Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon, distinguished by a small V-8 badge on the front fender. The 5.3-liter Vortec V-8–LH8 (2009) and LH9 (2010-2012)–produced 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque and was mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. It’s too bad there was no manual option. Between the first-gen Colorado’s inline-5 and V-8, we know which one we’d choose. With a lower price, more marketing, and a catchy name, maybe the V-8 Colorado mid-size muscle truck wouldn’t have made this list.

Dodge Dakota: 25 Years of Mid-size Glory

When we say mid-size truck, everyone thinks of the Dodge Dakota (1987-2011). It’s forgotten in the sense that the last Dakota rolled off its assembly line in Warren, Michigan, 13 years ago, not in the sense that it was an obscure piece of truck history. At its height in 2000, sales reached 175,000, reiterating that the Dakota was king of the mid-size class. The Dakota survived three generations. The boxy, least recognizable first generation Dakota (1987-1996) was the first mid-size truck with an optional V-8 (5.2-liter V-8). The second-gen Dakota (1997-2004) constitutes the bulk of the Dakotas you see on the road today, capped by the high performance 5.9 R/T. The third-generation Dakota (2005-2011) dropped the regular cab and got bonus points for its manual-backed 4.7-liter V-8 in 2005 and 2006.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac: An SUV Grows a Bed

The Ford Explorer Sport Trac (2001-2010, minus 2006) was Ford’s OG mid-size. It was basically a Ford Explorer SUV with a pickup bed (and longer wheelbase), advantageous because of that roomy crew cab, something the compact Ranger lacked until its return in 2019. The second-gen Sport Trac (2007-2010) got four-wheel independent suspension and an optional 4.6-liter V-8 (to supplement the standard 4.0-liter V-6). There could have been a Sport Trac Adrenalin with a supercharged 4.6-liter V-8, but unfortunately, this Ford SVT project was canceled and the Adrenaline was neutered down to an optional package with some cool design features. There was no Mercury version of the Sport Trac.

Current GMC Canyon: Your #5 Mid-size Pickup

The GMC Canyon is a great truck, but people seem to gravitate toward the Chevy Colorado instead. There may be some reasons: lack of awareness, poor availability, and high price, for example. If the Canyon and Colorado are mechanically the same, why does Colorado get 70 percent of GM’s mid-size share and the Canyon 30 percent (second quarter 2024)? The Tacoma, Colorado, Frontier, and Ranger outsell the Canyon, leaving only the Gladiator slightly behind. Here’s our PSA for the day: Remember the Canyon!

Hummer H3T Alpha: The Rare V-8 Hummer Truck

The GMC Hummer EV is all the current rage, but once upon a time, Hummer shrunk its H2 into a smaller H3 SUV (2006-2010) and H3T truck (2009-2010) that basically shared underpinnings with the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon. The H3T had some impressive optional off-road talking points: 33-inch tires, locking differentials 4:1 low range, 4:10:1 axle ratios, and respectable approach and departure angles. Although the H3T’s 3.7-liter inline-five cylinder engine could be had with a manual transmission, there was another tantalizing underhood option–the 5.3-liter V-8 found in the Hummer H3T Alpha. Yup, the Alpha had the same V-8 as the aforementioned Colorado. The Hummer H3T was ahead of its time, and if you happen to see one on the road, consider yourself lucky.

Isuzu i-Series: Definitely Not a Colorado/Canyon?

As there was an Isuzu Hombre that looked like a Chevy S-10, so there was a 2006-2008 Isuzu i-Series based on the Chevy Colorado. Yup, it was a strange time–but not so strange as to have seen a V-8 i-Series. The GM/Isuzu relationship dated back to the 1970s; the Chevrolet LUV was a rebadged Isuzu. Isuzu was involved in designing the Colorado/Canyon. At launch in 2006, there was an extended cab i-280 (powered by the 2.8-liter I-4 engine) and an extended cab/crew cab i-350 (3.5-liter I-5 engine). For 2007, there was an i-290 (2.9-liter I-4) and i-370 (3.7-liter I-5). See what happened there? The models corresponded with the engines, an art long-lost in modern naming. The i-Series was discontinued when Isuzu left the United States market. If you do some hunting, you can probably pick one up for $5,000 and really confuse your truck-loving neighbors.

Jeep Comanche: Legendary Attempt, Lasting Memories

A truck version of the Jeep Cherokee XJ once roamed the streets. The XJ-based MJ Comanche (1986-1992), marketed as a mid-size truck, was unique in its uniframe construction–unibody cab mated to a conventional rear ladder frame. It was offered in a single cab with a six-foot short bed (Comanche Sport Truck) or seven-foot long bed (Comanche Chief). Among its engine offerings was a 2.1-liter inline-four diesel engine for 1986-1987. About 200,000 Comanches were made. If you’re looking for a fun and unique truck project, Comanches can be found for nearly nothing (or a pretty penny), depending on condition. The Comanche name was dropped for good, and the Jeep Gladiator (next on our list) became its replacement some 27 years later.

EcoDiesel Jeep Gladiator: How Quickly We Forget the Diesel One

A truck version of the Jeep Cherokee XJ once roamed the streets. The XJ-based MJ Comanche (1986-1992), marketed as a mid-size truck, was unique in its uniframe construction–unibody cab mated to a conventional rear ladder frame. It was offered in a single cab with a six-foot short bed (Comanche Sport Truck) or seven-foot long bed (Comanche Chief). Among its engine offerings was a 2.1-liter inline-four diesel engine for 1986-1987. About 200,000 Comanches were made. If you’re looking for a fun and unique truck project, Comanches can be found for nearly nothing (or a pretty penny), depending on condition. The Comanche name was dropped for good, and the Jeep Gladiator (next on our list) became its replacement some 27 years later.

Mitsubishi Raider: Definitely Not a Dodge Dakota?

Since American-built pickups were not subject to the 25-percent “chicken tax” tariff on light-duty trucks, partnering with American-based manufacturers (Chrysler, in this case) made sense for several manufacturers on this list, including Mitsubishi. The 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider was made alongside the third-gen Dodge Dakota mid-size truck at the Warren Truck Assembly plant in Warren, Michigan. The Raiders were then sent to Normal, Illinois, for some Mitsubishi treatment; Some think the Raider looked sportier than that of the Dakota. There was a special Raider DuroCross with lowered suspension and a body kit. Like the Dakota, the Raider was powered by a 3.7-liter V-6 with 210 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque or a 4.7-liter V-8 with 235 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. Mitsubishi claims its 2007 Raider was the only import-brand mid-size pickup with a V-8. Sales eventually fizzled, and that was the end of the Raider–and the end of Mitsubishi trucks in America.

Subaru Baja: The Car-Truck That’s All About Fun

Does the Subaru Baja (2003-2006) belong on this list of forgotten mid-size trucks? Like everyone else, we’re not sure what to do with the Baja–but we’ll talk about it every chance we get because it was rad. Car-in-the-front, open-bed truck-in-the-back, this funky four-door utility ute car-truck broke all the rules and received a cult-like following. Aside from its rebellious nature, the Baja was known for its “Switchback” passthrough between the cabin and the bed.

Suzuki Equator: Definitely Not a Nissan Frontier?

Debuting at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, the 2009-2012 Suzuki Equator was Peterson’s 4Wheel & Off-Road’s 2009 4x4 of the Year winner–probably its biggest claim to fame. Someone described it as a Frontier with a different label–a label that plops a big S on the mug. It’s believed that Suzuki sold less than 6,000 of this Frontier clone that was assembled by Nissan, equating to just a couple hundred a month. They were powered by Nissan’s 2.5-liter inline-four that made 152 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque backed by a five-speed manual or automatic transmission, or a 4.0-liter V-6 that made 261 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque, backed by a five-speed automatic.

Forgotten Mid-sized Truck Conclusion

Now that we’ve unearthed some forgotten mid-sized pickups, it’s time to get to work on your own (maybe forgotten) truck. Luckily, RealTruck has you covered! Check out great accessories for these popular mid-size trucks: Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Frontier, and Ford Ranger. And as always, contact our knowledgeable sales team for product inquiries and order assistance.

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