Compact truck sales have languished during the past couple of years. The only all-new designs to arrive in the marketplace between 1994 and 1998 were the Toyota Tacoma and Dodge Dakota, and the fellas at Dodge would be among the first to point out that their truck is really a midsize truck, buster, not a compact. The Isuzu Hombre also came along during this time period, but this mildly revised Chevrolet S-10 isn't really a new truck in the traditional sense of the word. Besides, it's barely made a dent in the market, despite its basic goodness.

For 1998, small truck buyers have several new or updated choices. General Motors revised the S-10 and the GMC Sonoma, while Ford reengineered parts of the Ranger and gave its best-selling truck some new styling. Isuzu continues to expand the Hombre lineup, Mazda's B-Series received the same updates as its Ford Ranger twin, and Nissan launched a completely revised Frontier pickup. Not to be left out, Toyota restyled the Tacoma and added a new PreRunner model that looks like a four-by but is really a two-wheeler.

We snagged a couple of these updated platforms for a head-to-head comparison. Ford donated a snazzy two-tone Ranger while GMC provided a relatively tame Sonoma. By coincidence, the two vehicles priced out within $25 of each other, but were equipped in different ways. Our Ranger had tough-looking wheel flares, power windows and locks, and a CD player attached to a very good sound system. The Sonoma came with a heavy-duty suspension, a third door for easy access to the back of the cab, and a more powerful engine.

Both trucks are good looking, but neither completely pleases. This writer hates the new Ranger XLT's grille treatment, especially the one on the 4WD. Rangers with 2WD have chromed horizontal bars that look infinitely better than the clunky chromed vertical bars on the 4WD. Otherwise, the Ranger is one sharp truck, and the wheel flares do wonders for its profile. The Sonoma's 1998 restyle works better than the one Chevy selected for the S-10, but parked next to the Ranger our test model looked pathetically weak. No flares, no white-lettered tires, no chrome, a lower stance, and dull beige paint made the Sonoma appear to be a dud. Appearances can sometimes be deceiving, but not during this test.