Although significant changes are rare from year to year, Toyota is playing a strong hand in the world of small pickups. Toyota puts its chips on quality rather than frequent face-lifts, and it?s clearly a strategy that pays off. Over the years, Toyota trucks have earned an exceptional reputation for reliability. In 1992 and ?93, Toyota?s truck was at the top of the list in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Light Truck Quality Study. In 1994, it was the leader in customer satisfaction. In addition, continuing refinements have improved the Toyota Compact Truck in the area of comfort and mechanical sophistication.

Toyota offers three versions of its truck. The basic model is the 2-wheel-drive Standard Bed. A more elaborate version is called the DX, with the SR5 V6 at the top of the line. The Xtracab extended-cab option is available on the DX and SR5. The DX is the most popular version, and that?s what we?ll concentrate on here.

About the only major point of styling distinction from one pickup to the next is at the front of the vehicle, and this one has a very familiar face. In DX trim, it?s a straightforward, no-nonsense pickup with no pretensions of being anything other than a truck. And that?s OK. If you want your pickup to make a little more in the way of a lifestyle statement, you can always opt up to the sportier SR5.

Power comes from a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 116 hp. That gives it a noticeable power advantage over the Ford Ranger (112 hp) and Mazda B-Series (98 hp). The Chevy S-Series just edges it out with 118 hp, and Nissan?s truck shades them all with 134 hp.

A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on the DX, with a 4-speed automatic optional, and there are two 4WD options. The basic 4WD system is rather old-fashioned, with front hubs that require manual locking. Toyota?s 4Wdemand system is much more sophisticated and easier to operate than the basic 4WD system, allowing engagement while the vehicle is moving. But it?s also more expensive.

Be that as it may, powered by the 4-cylinder engine, the Toyota Truck isn?t what you?d call peppy, but it has sufficient power for most tasks.

You can have more power, and more room, by ordering the Xtracab option, which also allows you to specify a 150-hp V6 engine. Why the V6 isn?t available without the Xtracab option is a mystery understood only by those who make the marketing decisions.

Then again, maybe it?s not so mysterious. After all, extended cabs are generating more and more orders among all pickup buyers because they increase legroom and also add some covered storage inside the cab. They also add additional seating - for very small, very flexible people. In any case, the Xtracab option adds extra bucks to the bottom line - $1570, to be precise.

That?s a good-size chunk. However, an extended cab will certainly add to the comfort and usefulness of this or any other truck. And it?ll probably just about pay for itself when you?re ready to sell.

Although many owners use their compact pickups as everyday transportation, most of them are called upon from time to time to haul some cargo, which is, after all, the basic pickup truck?s mission. In that area, the Toyota is a bit up on basic trucks from its competitors. Its payload capacity ranges from 1710 lb. to 2055 lb., depending on the engine and transmission combination.

Basic versions of the Chevy S-Series and GMC Sonoma are generally in the 1400-lb. range and the Ford Ranger hovers around 1250 lb. The Nissan Pickup?s capacity is 1400 lb., and the Mazda?s is from 1240 lb. to 1650 lb.

As for wrestling cargo into the DX, the height of the bed is average for trucks in this class.

Pickups typically are noisier inside than sedans because more vibration gets through to the cab. To counter that, Toyota reduced noise, vibration and harshness by putting reinforcements in the floor, back panel, roof and roof pillars. Fluid-filled mounts under the back of the cab provide a vibration-damping cushion to help isolate the cab from noise and harshness.

Noise was further reduced by using single-piece pressed doors, dual-layer weather stripping and reinforced door frames. The result is a compact truck cab that?s as tight and quiet as anything you can find on the market.

However, even with these improvements, a basic Toyota Compact Truck isn?t a particularly pleasant place in which to be. The bench seat is upholstered in vinyl and the flooring is plain black rubber. Beyond its cupholder, the amenities are limited.

The message is clear. Toyota wants you to spend an extra $900 or so and get a DX model such as the one we tested. The DX adds dual outside mirrors, full wheel covers, fabric covered seats, cut-pile carpeting, a tinted windshield and a passenger assist grip. That may not sound like much, but it makes for a much more comfortable truck.

Order a DX Xtracab and you?ll get tilt-out rear quarter windows, front bucket seats, rear mudguards and all-season radial tires. And if you go so far as to add the V6 engine, you get power steering to boot.

All the other goodies, such as air conditioning, stereo, power windows and so forth are extra-cost options.

With the exception of its bench seat, we found the interior of our DX tester to be very carlike. The instruments and controls are few and clearly marked.

However, the bench seat does intrude on this overall impression. You?d have to look long and hard to find a seat like this in a passenger car, and if you did happen to find one you?d probably avoid it.

Thanks to its excellent sound isolation and smooth engine, carlike becomes a more appropriate word to describe how this pickup behaves when it?s moving.

True, it?s a truck, and the rear springs of a pickup are designed to be stiff enough to keep it level when there?s a load in the cargo box. As a result, ride quality does become a bit trucklike when the box is empty. We also noticed a tendency for the rear wheels to hop around a little over rough bumps. Even so, compared to the rest of the compact pickup universe, the Toyota?s ride quality and all-around handling is distinctly better than average.

We found the 4-cylinder engine?s performance to be generally adequate, although our preference would be for the V6. To be fair, though, the 4-cylinder was devoid of the buzzy vibration that plagues some small pickup engines.

Our test vehicle was equipped with the optional power steering, which we recommend. Toyota has done a good job of engineering a nice blend of steering feel without excessive steering effort.

As the various J.D. Power survey results indicate, Toyota has developed a reliable and well-built pickup. It has no one outstanding feature, but it does combine several aspects to create a very good overall package.

Like most of the Japanese manufacturers, Toyota is feeling the effects of an unfavorable yen-dollar relationship. That, in turn, shows up in rising prices, and the Toyota Compact Truck is no exception. As this issue headed for the printer, Toyota was contemplating a significant price increase for the early ?95 model year, with others perhaps not far behind.

All things considered, it?s hard to think of the Toyota Compact Truck as a good buy. But with Toyota quality factored in, it?ll always be a good value.