A bit too much pressure on the gas pedal and my vehicle?s rear tires overpowered the pavement with a resounding squeal of burned rubber.

Heads turned to identify the source of the display of bad street manners. A Chevrolet Corvette? Ford Mustang GT? Dodge Viper?

The answer is none of the above. But would you believe a pickup truck?

Yes, and a compact pickup truck at that. In particular, a CMC Sonoma pickup, the all-but-identical twin of Chevrolet?s S-Series truck.

And as we said it, it could have happened to anyone. Aided and abetted by an optional 4.3-liter V6 engine, the Sonoma is just about the most robust compact pickup on the market. The only tuck in this size class with more punch is the Dodge Dakota, which has a V8 option.

But the Dakota lacks the refinement of the Sonoma and S-Series line. That?s what makes these trucks so appealing. They offer a blend of style, sophistication, performance and model variety that rate up at the top of this very competitive class.