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I'd be willing to bet about 80% of the big truck owners rarely use all that bed space and towing power. It's become a status thing in America, and current prices reflect that.
It's really a damn shame that defense couldn't be used in court...
"What's that? Yes, I was in fact driving the aforementioned S10 that collided with Mr. Smith's mini van, subsequently killing the family of five".
"Yes, the truck is only rated to pull 5K pounds.."
"Why was I pulling a 10K pound trailer with an S10? Well, you see, I only have to move that particular trailer 2 or 3 times a year, and it seemed awfully silly to buy a full size truck for such a rare occasion...I certainly didn't want complete strangers to view me as one of THOSE guys..."
I've been a compact truck fan for many years. My first compact was a 1974 Datsun 620, which was a tough little truck, an honest half ton pickup in a small body. I finally sold it in 1990, and bought a Dodge Dakota, which was more comfortable to drive but pretty pathetic as a working truck, and mechanically unreliable. I sold it in 2003 and bought a Mazda B3000, which was essentially a Ford Ranger with a different body style. In the Mazda I'm back to an honest half ton pickup in a compact body. I can load the bed with bricks or roofing and just drive away. I also drove a 1993 Ford Ranger for 19 years at work. That little truck took a lot of abuse with very little down time.
I guess all those years I was a niche. I'm "retired" now, with just 93 acres to take care of. The Mazda and I will just get old together, I guess. Maybe by the time I'm ready to sell the Mazda, some car manufacturer will be selling compact trucks in the USA again.
When I went from the 4x4 Ranger ext cab to 4x4 Silverado my gas mileage went up (yes, better with the crew cab full size short bed) and I could actually legally put the kid in the back seat (couldn't legally use child or booster seats on the jump seats in Ranger). Don't care much for driving it in town in cramped PA, but we have 2 compact cars we drive most of the time.
Most V6 mid-size SUVs are only getting 25-26mpg highway, so I don't think you can expect those 3 trucks to get 25+ mpg. Keep in mind these mid-size SUVs and full-size trucks have all been redesigned within the last few years. Those 3 mid-size trucks were introduced in 2005-06. I am guessing the next generation mid-size truck from these 3 brands should get 23-25 mpg. The truck is going to be slightly less efficient than a comparable mid-size SUV because of the higher ground clearance.
Half of the US population resides in the city. I'm sure there are SOME people living in the city who need/want a small truck. I live in the outer suburbs of Boston and over half the houses I looked at (with a $500k+ budget) didn't even have a garage that was big enough to fit my Ridgeline.
Yes - you're right about V6 SUVs. But my Ridgeline has never achieved 22 MPG in 113K miles. It is a fine vehicle for me, but the fuel economy is comical compared to a F150 Ecoboost, which tows 10,000 lbs and will run away from my Ridgeline.
My father's relatively new Tacoma 4 cylinder gets at most 25 MPG on the highway. That is ridiculous.
Yes - you're right about V6 SUVs. But my Ridgeline has never achieved 22 MPG in 113K miles. It is a fine vehicle for me, but the fuel economy is comical compared to a F150 Ecoboost, which tows 10,000 lbs and will run away from my Ridgeline.
My father's relatively new Tacoma 4 cylinder gets at most 25 MPG on the highway. That is ridiculous.
It's because the Ridgeline came out in late 2005 and hasn't seen a major redesign since then. Hopefully the Ridgeline will come in around 25 mpg hwy when it's redesigned in 2016. I get 12-15 mpg with mine in suburban driving. My best tank ever was 19 mpg all highway.
PS - Your name sounds somewhat familiar. Do you hang out in the mobile electronics section on the ROC?
Apparently CAFE standards are built so that smaller trucks, especially the ones that have less emissions and more MPG, are unable to meet standards due to some ****ed up logic that the President supports. The solution to this is:
Extended truck beds
Or
Extended cabs
Which is essentially making the car longer, and less efficient! There is also a third solution: a weaker engine, but from what I've read, we can't have that since this is America, not to mention that it sacrifices the towing utility of the truck!
Once again, thanks Obama for making this country so socialist that even ****ing Europe has a free car market that is more free than our free car market (purchase required)
I just want a short, small pick up to haul my bikes and other stuff around with good MPG and easy parking. But we can't have that since this is America, and EVERYTHING must be bigger except my savings and city parking.
heard that same ole stories since mid 70's-the large pickup seeing its last days.LOL
What is the purpose of a compact truck? I don't understand when they would be a better option than a half ton full size. I guess that they are easier to park.
It's because the Ridgeline came out in late 2005 and hasn't seen a major redesign since then. Hopefully the Ridgeline will come in around 25 mpg hwy when it's redesigned in 2016. I get 12-15 mpg with mine in suburban driving. My best tank ever was 19 mpg all highway.
Seriously? My "monster" 2005 quad cab Ram with the "gas guzzling" Hemi V8 easily puts down those MPG numbers with the low towing gears in the axles. I've seen over 20 on the freeway several times in the past. If it wasn't geared for towing, it likely would do even better.
Not saying that as "Haha! I'm better than you!" way, but rather that it makes me laugh at the people that claim it's just a status thing, or that I'm compensating, or whatever...when I really don't see the advantage to the smaller trucks other than potentially making it easier to park in some lots.
What is the purpose of a compact truck? I don't understand when they would be a better option than a half ton full size. I guess that they are easier to park.
Quote:
Originally Posted by urbex
Seriously? My "monster" 2005 quad cab Ram with the "gas guzzling" Hemi V8 easily puts down those MPG numbers with the low towing gears in the axles. I've seen over 20 on the freeway several times in the past. If it wasn't geared for towing, it likely would do even better.
Not saying that as "Haha! I'm better than you!" way, but rather that it makes me laugh at the people that claim it's just a status thing, or that I'm compensating, or whatever...when I really don't see the advantage to the smaller trucks other than potentially making it easier to park in some lots.
Exactly, the compacts are easier to park when you need to spend 30 min circling your city neighborhood looking for a parking spot every day after work. The other advantage is the 4-cylinder option. If you don't need the V-6 (or V-8) then a compact with a 4 cylinder engine gets like 25+ mpg which is a significant improvement over the V6 and V8 engines.
For me personally I liked the Ridgeline because it was easier to park (a full-size would take up more than 1 parking spot in my commuter train parking lot), is more comfortable due to 4-wheel independent suspension and it has a trunk. If I lived anywhere outside of the Northeast I would get a full-size, no brainer!
I don't know if this has been touched on, I think it was, but when the price of the compact truck approaches, or even is greater than, the full size price and it delivers comparable mileage many people will buy the full size.
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