What happened to small trucks?

[JD15302155870]

The car companies have done a great marketing job convincing people they must have things on a truck they rarely use. Remember the truck commercials showing the man in a storm pulling trees off the road using winches and the 4WD. Most of the trucks you see today haven't been off the road at all. Mostly used for trips to the mall. I have a 93 F150 wiith the 300 CU engine. I take it anywhere I want to go - thru the woods, across the creek, and load whatever I want to carry and pull whatever it will.

 

[newbury]

My Dad bought one of what must have been the first wave of Toyota HiLuxes. I think he paid about $1,600 for it. He sold it to me in 1969.
I can remember us taking it on Boy Scout paper drives and where it was straight and flat he'd just point it down the street and pull out the governor a bit and we would ALL be loading. Nobody driving, truck just chugging along.

I ran that thing ragged and then some. It had no weight, no room, and no conveniences but hauled all we could get in the bed. I think it got better than 25mpg.

I sure could use one today.

 

[savageactor7]

I've been wondering the same thing for years as well. Because all the manufacturers stopped making them I always suspected some sort of undisclosed political pressure from the regulatory agencies.

 

[square1]

Okay, Color me surprised. And as if to prove a point, the 10th standard can pick up I counted on my way to work pulled out in front of me with less than a half a block between us while I was at 60 MPH

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Didnt GM bring back the Colorado or Canyon this year? Not as small as a Ranger or early Taco but still smaller than a full-size

 

[Gem99ultra]

I had a 91 longbed S10 with 4.3 V6 and also a 91 Silverado Styleside with 5.7 V8

The S10 actually road very well empty.

The Silverado road well with load.

The kicker is I got better mileage with the 5.7 port fuel injected Silverado than I did with the 4.3 fuel injected... plus the Silverado could tow a heck of a lot more and carry more.

Kept the Silverado and sold the S10 with 43,000 miles.

Ultrarunner, I did exactly the same thing. My 4.3L S-10 got 15 mpg on the highway and ran like a slug. My 5.7L Silverado styleside gets 20 mpg on the highway and runs great & rides awesome. I too, dumped the S-10 and am still driving the styleside.

Although I'd classify the Colorado a mid-size, it's about the closest thing to a mini as there is out there now. It'll be interesting to learn how they fare.

 

[Bird]

I, too, hated to see the small trucks disappear. I still have my 2001 extended cab Ranger with more than 112k miles on it and it has everything I need; power steering and brakes, 4.0L engine, automatic, heat and air, power windows and door locks, trailer hitch, rear window that opens, tilt wheel, AM/FM 6 CD player. Yes, it's a little rough riding on rough roads, but when I leave the house without my wife, I drive the Ranger. If we go together, she'd rather go in the 2014 Escape, so we do.

But I was getting the oil & filter changed at the local Ford dealership yesterday and a salesman told me the Ranger is coming back. Of course there have been rumors to that effect a long time, and I didn't question him so I don't know whether it's true or not.

 

[300UGUY]

I've been wondering the same thing for years as well. Because all the manufacturers stopped making them I always suspected some sort of undisclosed political pressure from the regulatory agencies.

Nah, just folks want the biggest, baddest thing they can buy. The crew cab trucks have become the replacement for large sedans. Back in 2007 - 2008, when sales of most vehicles were dying, we were working 7 days a week to build 6.5L v8's for Cadillac Escalades. One of my neighbor's had a F650, 4 door, with a customized tonneau cover, and skeleton wheels. The base cost is over $100K, plus the custom stuff. The companies build what folks want to buy. Look at a lot of these things, they seldom have decent sized beds, and a lot are covered, essentially they are large trunks.

 

[jack707]

I have a ranger 4x4 and I thing that is one of the WORST trucks ford made!. Its underpowered, drink gas like a drunken sailor the back is to narrow and its not to easy to work on either now I don't drive it any more.

 

[Jstpssng]

Didnt GM bring back the Colorado or Canyon this year? Not as small as a Ranger or early Taco but still smaller than a full-size

They also are supposed to be coming out with a diesel next year. I think some of the comments about fuel economy nailed it though. I ran several '80-89 Rangers, and had a pre-Tacoma SR5 that were all bringing in 23mpg... But the manufacturers started pushing the big V6s and mileage dropped. If I'm only getting 15mpg I might as well drive a full sized truck.