What happened to small trucks?

   / What happened to small trucks? #61  
Mini-trucks seem to be doing fine, outside of the US market...

.

Hit the nail on the head right there. I suspect that nowhere else in the world is the 'bigger is better' attitude more prevalent than the US. And Canada gets wrapped up in the US market.

If I was just looking for a personal vehicle (and not a work truck) and got to pick the components, I'd take a 95-05 Tacoma crew cab diesel with a 5 1/2' box. To me that would be just about perfect.
 
   / What happened to small trucks? #63  
I think Dodge is still making their Dakota

Nope, Dakota's been out of production for several years. Too bad, I've had 2 of 'em & thought they were great trucks. Don't know what I'm gonna do when my current one's used up.
 
   / What happened to small trucks? #64  
I had a GMC Highrider(same as ZR2) and that little truck with Vortec V6 would get it,wish had another like it. I totaled it,into a tree in my younger days.

Another truck wish they would sell the Toyota Tacoma with the diesel like they do in other countries,be nice have one around the farm with 4wd a and flat bed
 
   / What happened to small trucks? #66  
Small trucks are popular in 3rd world and old world countries because the roads are the width of donkey carts.
 
   / What happened to small trucks? #67  
I like the small pickups, I can get around the yard with them. I don't haul or tow massive loads, so they work fine for me. I had a '73 Datsun for over twenty years, bought it for $100 as a fixer. Replaced it with an '84 Toyota extra cab for the extra room inside and the EFI. Granted, you can't get new ones in that size anymore so you've got to sourced used ones. I do like the looks of the cabover mini trucks that you can't get over here, if they had a small diesel engine and a transmission that let you split gears they'd be a real niche filler.
 
   / What happened to small trucks? #68  
My first truck was a 1986 Chev S-10 with the 2.5L 4 cylinder, 4 on the floor. I loved that truck. Paid $4000 for it used, and then drove it for another 230,000 kms. The only reason it stopped was because the body rusted away. It had gears instead of a timing belt and manual everything, so very little to break. The appeal of these trucks was that they were economical and simple, great for zipping around and doing small to mid size jobs. I could put a 45gal drum of diesel (abt 450 lbs) and 500 lbs of bait in it no problem, tow a utility trailer loaded with crap, haul the kayaks, load it with scuba gear, whatever. Problem was that everyone wanted to put in a bigger engine so they could "do more" but like everyone else has said, that just made it cost and mileage of a full size without the capacity.

I think there would still be a lot of appeal for an economical get-around truck, but as soon as someone designs something like that, the next person comes along and wants to "improve" it.
 
   / What happened to small trucks? #69  
I still have my first small Ford Pickup... 4 cyl and 1/4 ton rated... although I have has 12 90# bags of concrete mix in the bed without issue...

Get the oddest looks when I pull up to Home Depot and start loading up... of course I have an old carpet upside down to protect the bed...

Also pulled a car off the Bay Bridge once... got a lot of thumbs up for that... a 1930 Pickup pulling a modern truck about 3 miles!
 

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   / What happened to small trucks? #70  
I had a Ford pickup that had cost the owner $1,995 new back in the day! (1963). Same price as a VW bug.

At that price it was definitely the stripped-down model. No cigarette lighter. No ashtray. No radio. Single-piece rubber floor mat. Single speed wipers. Sheet metal for the interior door panels. No armrests! 6 cylinders and a 3-speed (column shift) that was geared too tall in 1st gear for truck use, probably the same transmission as a Ford Galaxy, then not really geared for freeway use either (3.78) because the engine noise in the cab was tiring.

They sell trucks like this today in the 3rd world, why not here?
 

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