As far as compact pickups go, many of us here at Edmunds.com feel that the Ranger is the creme de la creme. In fact, it gets our nod for best 2000 compact pickup. However, we find ourselves a bit perplexed about the exact purpose of the compact pickup. It looks like a truck, but doesn't have the hauling capacity of a full-size pickup or medium SUV, or for that matter, a Honda Odyssey with its seats removed. So why buy one?

Well, first, we like how our Ranger looks. It's got sporty styling without being over-bulbous like some of its full-size brethren. One staffer said of the Ranger's esthetics, "Its bright red paint, flared fenders, and tall stance give it a serious and imposing presence, not unlike an emergency vehicle." We did take issue, though, with the aftermarket side steps that look dull and scuffed now, and don't provide much functionality for a small pickup truck.

That raised height does have its advantages in terms of visibility. We like to see as much of the picture as we can in car-dense L.A., where everyone seems to have a knack for running into each other. Praised one driver, "I've noticed that its tall height and large mirrors allow me a commanding view of traffic, fore and aft, making it easy to anticipate changes in traffic well in advance of the other Angelenos cruising in their low-slung BMWs."

Inside the Ranger our praise continues. Most of us are happy with the seats and the ergonomics. All controls are within easy reach, and are clearly marked. The stereo has large, easy-to-use buttons, and doesn't require pushing, pulling, twisting, and deciphering small multi-function buttons. As for sound, one driver lavished, "Climbing into the BMW today, with its upmarket Harmon Kardon, proved disappointing; its much more expensive setup didn't match the Ford in sound quality." Climate-control knobs and dials are equally well-marked, and the cupholders are large and useful. Disconcerting, however, is the fact that our center armrest has broken off after only 16,000 miles.

Moving to the bed of the truck, we found hauling capacity to be a bit of a disappointment during a move in West Hollywood. We enlisted the help of three vehicles: our long-term Honda Odyssey sans seats, a full-size U-Haul van, and our Ranger. The Ford contributed the least to the move with its shallow, skinny bed. We noticed that the sides of the aftermarket bedliner have a tendency to pop out from under the top rail. While this does not detract from the liner serving as a scratch protector, its cheap construction disappoints us.

The mating of the five-speed automatic transmission and engine drew praise this month. We noticed that the extra gear helps to keep the Ranger's engine in its sweet spot longer and more readily. However, one driver found that it took some time to get accustomed to the extra shift.

Unfortunately, squeaks now plague our Ranger, the most noticeable of which coming from the rear suspension. We're not carrying any old boxsprings in the bed, but it sure sounds like it. One staffer found more than mice noises to gripe about, "I don't know if it is the heavy-duty suspension or what, but since I've been in the Ranger, the commute down Santa Monica Boulevard, an admittedly bad street, feels like an off-road adventure in the Canadian Yukon."

Our odometer clicked over to 15,000 miles and it was time to service our truck. Beverly Hills Ford was happy enough to schedule an appointment for us, calling out, "Red Ranger, Red Ranger, let Edmund's come over." (Well, not really, but it's sure a fun game.) And that's where the schoolyard antics stopped. When we arrived at the dealership, there was little in the way of signage; so little, in fact, that we actually wound up parking on the street and walking in to find out where we should go. We were curtly instructed to drive in and wait for one of the service advisors.

We pulled in, and were greeted next by a cranky service guy. He had a difficult time spelling our staffer's name (which, by the way, is Andy Chase, a toughie, eh?). At any rate, it took us several minutes to explain that the vehicle was a company vehicle, hence the discrepancy between Andy Chase's name and the name of the last person who brought in the truck. In the midst of the confusion, the service advisor slid in a fuel-injector cleaning, in addition to the standard 15,000-mile service recommended by Ford. By the time we noticed, it was water under the bridge, or a removal of non-existent debris, as the case may be. The service was completed by the afternoon of the same day, and we picked up our Ranger, grumbling about the $164 charge.

Yeah, we like our little red Ranger, but staffers this month expressed a preference to be in a small or midsize SUV instead. The lack of space led one driver to remark, "[The Ranger] presents much the same sort of dilemma that a sports car does for the family owner, but isn't fun to drive."

Current Odometer: 16,681
Best Fuel Economy: 16.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 10 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $164
Problems: Broken center armrest. Squeaky rear suspension.