Compact pickups aren't what they used to be. For one thing, they're no longer compact. They are also more comfortable and more capable than ever before. Most of the major players have been completely re-engineered within the past three years. With so many good trucks available, this is a fine time to be shopping.

If one truck stands out from this generally outstanding pack, it's the Toyota Tacoma. It offers a comfortable cab, a refined ride, responsive handling, proven off-road capability, and quality construction. The Double Cab offers more rear-seat comfort than most of the competition, with enough room to rival a small sedan. Properly equipped V6 models are rated to tow up to 6,500 pounds.

For 2007, Tacoma comes with larger seats for enhanced interior comfort, while chrome-rimmed instruments and all-new audio head units brighten its two-tone instrument panel. Seats on some Access Cab models feature a walk-in memory function. And the optional Vehicle Stability Control now comes with an off switch.

Tacoma offers a wide choice of models, ranging from a $15,000 four-cylinder 2WD work truck to a $30,000 V6 4WD Double Cab Long Bed with all the candy. The base model is among the few regular-cab pickups still available today as the market has moved to extended-cab and crew cab styles. Tacoma PreRunner models may make you feel like Ivan "Ironman" Stewart getting ready to win another Baja 1000, while the sporty X-Runner may make you feel like Rod Millen preparing to blast up Pike's Peak.