This month the Ranger impressed staffers who don't consider themselves truck people. All remarked about its maneuverability, with one staffer saying, "The Ranger effortlessly navigates parking lots and darts easily through traffic." The same cannot be said of our long-term Sierra, and drivers made mention of this advantage the Ranger has over the full-size pickup. Shorter drivers appreciated the lower height and side runners of the Ranger, making getting in and out of the truck a snap.

One staffer had to move furniture this month, and she and some friends employed both the Ranger and the Sierra for the task. No one seemed to think that the petite Ranger (Well, just about anything's petite when compared to the Sierra!) would be of much help. To everyone's surprise the Ranger contentedly hauled a bookshelf/file cabinet, a full-size desk chair, and an assortment of goodies.

Inside, one driver was able to utilize the rear jump seats to carry three passengers comfortably for a short trip. The same staffer decided to try a longer drive with rear passengers, but found out quick that the tight quarters results in a "caged animal" feeling. We did the right thing and set the captives free upon arrival at our destination.

Oft-used controls are simple to operate for the most part. All praised the great-sounding stereo again, but made mention that some of the buttons are small and difficult to use. One driver mused, "It's a pleasure to listen to practically any tunes, though this truck doesn't play country when this cowgirl's behind the wheel!" We liked the HVAC controls and the A/C cranked without being cranky even on a couple 100-degree days.

We've noticed a strange sound while shifting into "reverse" and "drive." Could it be the very same exhaust clamp problem we had in our long-term Xterra? (See the October update.) We'll be sure to check that out when we take our truck in shortly to have the still-broken armrest fixed. One driver expressed a preference to leave the armrest be, as it added a bit more rugged machismo to the compact pickup. Majority rules here; no worries, it'll be fixed.

Overall, drivers still felt that a small SUV would serve their needs better than the Ranger, even though they found it more palatable than the Sierra for everyday driving. Staffers cited closed cargo capacity, improved passenger carrying ability, and better fuel economy as some of the justification for jumping in on the SUV craze. A female driver noticed fellow motorists giving her weird looks, as if it's a strange thing to see a woman in a pickup. "One man in his own truck, looked at me and screamed, 'Woo-hoo!' What would his response have been if I were driving the Sierra- 'Woo-hoo, baby!'?" Quite possibly, we reckon'.

Current Odometer: 17,675
Best Fuel Economy: 15.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 9.8 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Broken center armrest. Metallic clank and clunk when shifting into "reverse" and "drive."