Why no smaller trucks? (F150, vehicle, 2015, fuel)

[JGDlife]

When I grew up there were many compact pickup options that weren’t like driving a school bus. Now a Tacoma is the same size as a F-250 from the 90’s. I’ve spent time in Europe and South America and they still make compact pickups but not here in North America; what’s the deal?? Most people aren’t actually using trucks for hauling or construction work. I’d just like to move the occasional couch or mattress and not get the inside of my cabin dirty so it’s nice having the truck bed. Plus gas mileage is still garbage in these new pickups because of the size. Am I alone here?

[rbohm]

back in the 80s when compact meant something, the ranger and S10s sold well. but as fuel economy increased on larger trucks, and the price of compact and midsized trucks increased, it got to the point where you may as well pony up a little more cash to buy the fullsize trucks and be comfortable, have more capacity, and about equal fuel economy.

[LKJ1988]

Give anything to see the S10 come back with a 450hp v8.

[Vision67]

Ford is developing a new small truck for 2022:

https://fordauthority.com/2020/08/fo...ard-exclusive/

https://www.motor1.com/features/4375...ford-maverick/

"How Much Will It Cost?
Positioned below the Ranger, which starts at $24,110 in the US for 2020, the Ford Maverick should start at around (or even below) $20,000. That would make the Maverick not only the most affordable truck that Ford sells, but also the cheapest pickup in the US."

[leadfoot4]

I had both an S-10 4x4, as well as a Canyon 4x4, as winter vehicles, owning each one about 10 years. At the time, I had a job that sometimes required me to be "on call", and able to get to work within an hour, should one of our "fully automated" machines get off track, and shut themselves down. I'd get a call from an automatic telephone, that would dial the pager I carried during those times.

I lived 22-23 miles from work, and snowy roads weren't supposed to stop me, hence the 4 wheel drive, along with snow tires. Both trucks were the "regular cab" versions, and had GM continued to make a regular cab version, I would have bought another one. However, I neither liked the look of the extended cab model, and it's added length wouldn't allow it to fit in the space I had in the garage, so I bought something else, in 2015. I do, however, miss the utility value of having a pick up truck, even a small one.

[Hemlock140]

I had a 1973 Ford Courier, a 1987 Mazda B2000, and a 2007 Ford Ranger, all small trucks. Now I drive a 2017 F150 Supercab 5.0 V8. I moved up so I could pull a 25' travel trailer. Also, it allows us to carry 5 people comfortably, unlike only two on those smaller trucks.

[2011KTM530]

I still have my 1984 Toyota 4x4 standard cab pickup. A stone stock 4 cylinder, manual 5 speed, radio and heater, that’s all. I only use it to go bushwhacking in the desert and mountains of Idaho. It’s fun to go places that the big bro dozers and freeway four wheeler get stuck. Even when I run with the guys from the off-road club, I can go across patches of mud, rock or through the trees and they get stuck.

[Cape Cod Todd]

A relative recently bought a Chevy Colorado and it is just a bit smaller than my F150 supercrew.

I also remember the small Rangers and S10's that many guys had back in the day. They were often second vehicles for a family and used to haul trash to the dump and all sorts of stuff. The Toyota 4x4 was the truck to have back in the 80's. I remember how the rear bumper was an option. HA!



There is a guy that runs Smyth Performance Inc in RI and he offers an affordable kit to convert select cars into small pickups. The Beetle and the Jeep are his most popular conversions.



https://www.smythkitcars.com/


If you can't buy a small pickup you could still build one.

[scorpio516]

CAFE #1
2nd rising costs of production. No one was buying a Ranger when it started at $23k when a F150 starts at $24k
3rd - fat Americans

CAFE is by and far away the main reason. The 2011 CAFE used tire footprint (sf) as a determiner for mpg (and vehicle type, cars vs. light trucks). Even the biggest Ranger was 55 sf. In the 2011 CAFE, it would have required 38-40 mpg this year!
The smallest F-150 is 68 sf, that's only 30 mpg this year.

[V8 Vega]

I had a 72 Datsun pickup I bought new, remember them. After having V8's all my life I quickly grew to hate it. I don't remember the HP rating but they didn't have the technology then like today and 4 cylinders were really gutless.