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I still see compact pickups from time to time, but it's true that prevailing consumer behavior is towards larger vehicles.
Even if a full-size truck offers comparable mileage to that of a compact, and sells at comparable price, there is still an advantage for compacts: maneuverability and better handling. But this presumably is of secondary interest to American consumers.
I notice in general that vehicles are getting bigger. Maybe technology allows them to be more efficient that smaller cars or trucks in the recent past, but even so, there is a consumer fascination with size. Manufacturers are catering to the consumer. The reverse is also possible, where manufacturers intentionally influence and mold consumer tastes to steer buyers towards more profitable vehicles. This might explain the popularity of higher-trim full sized pickups, for example. But I think that there's a symbiosis. If consumers didn't already have proclivity towards the large, the brash and the fancy, advertising would have an uphill battle in making its pitch.
So the short answer is that compact pickups suffer from poor sales owing to cultural reasons.
So the short answer is that compact pickups suffer from poor sales owing to cultural reasons.
I agree. Particularly the base-model and 4-cyl. trucks; no one was buying them except contractors, the gas and phone company, utility locators, etc. For personal use, Americans have moved up from fully-loaded compacts to fully-loaded full-size pickups and big SUVs.
There are essentially two compact trucks that I consider half-decent--the Toyota Tacoma and (to a lesser extent) the Nissan Frontier. The problem that both have is that their V6 fuel economy is no better than a half-ton full size pickup and they can cost nearly as much to buy. The 4-cylinder models get better fuel economy, but are only offered in limited option combinations. What both need is a decent economical diesel engine option, and it looks like the Frontier may get it in the next year or so. Nissan showed a Cummins 4-cylinder equipped Frontier concept truck at the Chicago Auto Show. It was a 2WD and Nissan said nothing about putting the diesel in a 4WD version--odd, because the 4WD version of a compact diesel pickup would be the big seller. As for Toyota, they have a very good 3.0 V6 diesel that they sell overseas that they could put in the Tacoma, but they don't.
As for Chevrolet, they are coming out with a diesel version of the new Colorado pickup that is intriguing, but the old Colorado was a pretty dismal pickup. The new US Colorado is based on the Colorado that GM sells overseas and it is considered a far step better than the junker that they sold here for years. Time will tell if the new Colorado is a better pickup. All of the compact pickups still have the problem, though, of being overpriced compared to their full-size brethren. The compacts should be somewhat less expensive, but they usually aren't.
The biggest advantage of a compact pickup is that it is, well, compact. They will park easier in smaller spaces and, when used in the backcountry, will fit on trails that won't easily accommodate a full-size pickup. Aside from those attributes, though, for now at least, the full-size trucks are more versatile without suffering an acquisition cost and fuel economy penalty that is huge compared to the current crop of compacts.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Iwould not consider the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier or Colorado to be compact.They are mid-sized, and quite a bit larger than a real compact truck. Chrysler already stopped making the midsized Dakota, thought there are rumors of a Fiat-based truck or one based on the 2014 Cherokee for Ram in 2016. Before my Ranger, I had a 1973 Courier, and later a 1997 Mazda B2000. Working in a city and using a truck to commute as well as weekend hauling the smaller size Ranger is great, and the bed is just as big as on many larger trucks where much of the space is used for the back seat on the club cab versions.
The LUV and Courier were discontinued in North America around 1982. Good luck finding 32+ year old truck in decent shape.
Wait a minute --- do you expect us to believe that you have found something that is not Obama's fault? There is no point in even having discussion forums about cars or pets or weather or sports if there are things that are not Obama's fault. That throws off the whole point of discussion participation.
Let's see -- who was president in 1982. Holy crap. Reagan'sfault for the demise of the compact pickup.
Not everybody wants to work with a truck. I had an S10 because I would occasionally have to haul a sofa, or an appliance. I liked having a small truck because it pretty much handled like a car and wasn't all big and bulky and obnoxious. 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.
There are essentially two compact trucks that I consider half-decent--the Toyota Tacoma and (to a lesser extent) the Nissan Frontier. The problem that both have is that their V6 fuel economy is no better than a half-ton full size pickup and they can cost nearly as much to buy. The 4-cylinder models get better fuel economy, but are only offered in limited option combinations. What both need is a decent economical diesel engine option, and it looks like the Frontier may get it in the next year or so. Nissan showed a Cummins 4-cylinder equipped Frontier concept truck at the Chicago Auto Show. It was a 2WD and Nissan said nothing about putting the diesel in a 4WD version--odd, because the 4WD version of a compact diesel pickup would be the big seller. As for Toyota, they have a very good 3.0 V6 diesel that they sell overseas that they could put in the Tacoma, but they don't.
As for Chevrolet, they are coming out with a diesel version of the new Colorado pickup that is intriguing, but the old Colorado was a pretty dismal pickup. The new US Colorado is based on the Colorado that GM sells overseas and it is considered a far step better than the junker that they sold here for years. Time will tell if the new Colorado is a better pickup. All of the compact pickups still have the problem, though, of being overpriced compared to their full-size brethren. The compacts should be somewhat less expensive, but they usually aren't.
The biggest advantage of a compact pickup is that it is, well, compact. They will park easier in smaller spaces and, when used in the backcountry, will fit on trails that won't easily accommodate a full-size pickup. Aside from those attributes, though, for now at least, the full-size trucks are more versatile without suffering an acquisition cost and fuel economy penalty that is huge compared to the current crop of compacts.
I agree with most of this. With the exception of reliability, the Tacoma is a poor truck on road. It is expensive and thirsty. A modern half ton costs only a bit more, gets fuel economy only slightly worse, and has far more capability.
Toyota, Nissan, and Honda (Ridgeline) should be embarrassed their compact/midsize trucks don't get 25+ MPG with a V6.
The traditional half ton is overkill for many people. A compact crewcab truck makes an excellent everyday vehicle with Home Depot type of utility. But the current models cost too much and aren't efficient enough to get more buyers.
Very interesting question / thread, TheHurricaneKid.
I believe the simple answer is Compact Trucks do not sell well in the United States . . . probably something do do with price vs space as when they were available there was very little price difference between Compacts and Full Size Trucks.
For what it's worth, I recently read an article in Motor Trend where General Motors is about to release a "new and improved" Colorado WITH a Duramax Diesel on the horizon.
Hopefully, the new Colorados will sell, especially the Duramax models.
I agree with most of this. With the exception of reliability, the Tacoma is a poor truck on road. It is expensive and thirsty. A modern half ton costs only a bit more, gets fuel economy only slightly worse, and has far more capability.
Toyota, Nissan, and Honda (Ridgeline) should be embarrassed their compact/midsize trucks don't get 25+ MPG with a V6.
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merc63
We don't HAVE size restrictions in most of the US, and we have cheap fuel. So tiny diesel trucks just have no value to them vs a basic full size V6 truck.
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.
The LUV and Courier were discontinued in North America around 1982. Good luck finding 32+ year old truck in decent shape.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
Wait a minute --- do you expect us to believe that you have found something that is not Obama's fault? There is no point in even having discussion forums about cars or pets or weather or sports if there are things that are not Obama's fault. That throws off the whole point of discussion participation.
Let's see -- who was president in 1982. Holy crap. Reagan'sfault for the demise of the compact pickup.
Just to jog everyone's memory, The LUV was essentially a rebadged Japanese-built Isuzu, and the Courier was a rebadged Japanese-built Mazda. Both GM and Ford introduced new U.S. designed and built platforms (S10/S15 & Ranger) around 1982 to take the place of the Japanese vehicles that they had been selling in the U.S. up to that point.
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