Comparison Test: Ertl American Compact Trucks of the 1990's

Ertl is known for their creative replica's of farm machinery, animals, and some great diecast models.  Another area that they were well-known in until the turn of the century was plastic promo models.  These models were made entirely of plastic and unlike the skill level 2 kits that they sell these were molded-as-one components that held up to abuse better than the model kits at the expense of details.  Even though these promo's were only sold at dealership parts deparments (or catalogs), some of them eventually migrated to the skill level 1 snap fast model kits.  Ertl 1:25 promo models are the only place where you can find some nifty models in various factory colors, like the most popular U.S. compact trucks of the 1990's:  The Ford Ranger STX, the Chevrolet S-10 ZR2, and the GMC Sonoma SLS Highrider.  All three were introduced in 1983 and after a decade on the market the second-generation models go for a more smoother look and improved interior comfort.  With all three here it's time to size them up and see which one is the best.

All three pickups are regular cab models with the Ranger offering the sole long bed option.  All three offer sporty packages, with the GM twins going for the rugged 4x4 options of ZR2 and Highrider.  The Ranger is the only one here offering 4-cylinder power and a 5-speed manual transmission.  The Ranger was redesigned for 1993 and thus is the first here with this 1994 STX model in a teal blue color.  The front has smooth chrome headlights with a larger grille opening that has the 4x4 logo molded in and a lower gray bumper.  The sides have swoopy graphics (the only one with graphics) and gray flared fenders though not as pronounced as the GM twins.  The rear has tri-taillights, decal on the tailgate, and an opening tailgate to the largest cargo area of the bunch.  Too bad the rear axle has that familiar sag common of the Ranger and Explorer's of this time period.  Wheels are chrome 5-spok wheels with rugged off-road tires.

The GM twins are about two years apart and aside from a few unique touches both share the same look.  The S-10 is a 1994 model that looks the plainest of the group.  The front has a chrome grille with split bar and bowtie, halogen headlights, and black lower bumper with signal lights.  The sides show more aggressive flared fenders in black, black A-pillar trim with large, round mirrors (all mirrors are flexible on these trucks), and chrome 5-spoke wheels on some aggressive tires.  Oh, and the stance of the trucks are tall and even (no rear axle sag).  The rear has square taillights, CHEVROLET on the tailgate, and a black bumper that smoothly integrates into the bed sides.  The cargo area is shorter than the Ranger, yet offers plenty of room and an opening tailgate.  I also noticed the GM twins are wider than the Ranger.  The Sonoma is the GMC version of the S-10 and thus has a more premium look than the S-10 and it shows.  This 1996 model gains the Radar Blue Metallic color, more like purple, that is rich in color and better offsets the lighter interior and the exterior details.  The front has flush headlights on a chrome grille with a large central opening with GMC letters in red in the center.  The bumpers and flared fenders are body-colored and are adorned by a wrap-around white stripe that has SONOMA on the doors.  Notice here it is the only truck that has detailed signal lights and door handles in black.  The rear goes for simple GMC and Sonoma badges on the lower edge of the tailgate.  The chrome wheels are unique to the GMC and yet still wears those aggressive tires found on the Chevy.

The Ranger is powered by a 2.3L SOHC I-4 that produces 98 hp. and 113 Ib-ft. of torque through a 5-speed manual transmission.  The GM twins go for the 4.3L V6 that produces 165 hp. and 235 Ib-ft of torque in the 1994 Chevy and 190 hp. and 260 Ib-ft in the 1996 GMC.  Both backed by a 4-speed automatic transmission.  Both trucks use shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive systems with buttons (GM twins) or a knob (Ford) on the dashboard.  Even with the one-piece chassis mold the details underneath are still excellent.  The Ford has twin I-beam front suspension with some rather flat rear leaf springs supporting the rear axle.  The engine, transmission, and transfer case are detailed without any undercarriage protection, while the rear spare tire is cradled by a drop-down frame.  The GM twins have a much sturdier frame with lower control arms and torsion bar for the front and beefier rear leaf springs for the rear suspension.  The drivetrain is detailed and there is plenty of undercarriage protection.  The spare tire floats free.  As usual the Ranger would seem underpowered, but the extra gear does make up for lack of power and also fuel economy as well.  The GM twins have a more powerful motor, good transmission, and even with the wider stance they are as manuverable as the Ford.

Off-road the Ranger suffers from the rather two-wheel drive look and sagging rear axle even though it does quite fine on the light stuff.  The GM twins with the top notch off-road trim packages with tall ground clearance, aggressive tires, and plenty of undercarriage protection can go anywhere off-road including those that the Ranger cannot tackle.  The trade off for that rugged look is a rough ride off-road, but then again there's not much difference between the Ranger and GM twins as all pickups can be rough on the road (it's their nature).  Interior's are nicely done for all three even though they offer seating for two and the small cabs can be cramped for anyone over six foot tall.  The Ranger has a gray cabin with supportive bucket seats, a center console with armrest and cupholders, and the 5-speed manual shifter.  door panel details are rather flat, while the dashboard has a dated look with no airbags, 2-spoke steering wheels, small radio and HVAC controls, and even the detailed gauges with the 85 mph max speedometer.  The GM twins have a much refined and modern look even if they suffer from the cheap plastic trim of those bad GM days.  Both trucks have supportive front seats, detailed door panels, and a center console that stretches to the dashboard.  The dashboard has detailed gauges and well-marked controls.  For the Chevy the interior is black and has a two-spoke steering wheel, while the GMC has a lighter gray with the driver's side airbag added in 1995.

So in the end all three trucks look cool and are very unique in the diecast...er...replica model world.  The Ranger ranked third because while it has the fun manual transmission and vast cargo area it does not appear as rugged with 4x4 trim, plus the interior is dated and the rear axle sags.  Second place went to the Chevrolet S-10: it's a nicer, modern, and powerful truck with excellent off-road skills, but seems a bit bland when compared to the 1996 GMC Sonoma, which is the winner.  The Sonoma has the same good stuff as the Chevy with better details, more power, and a sharper color.