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Anyone remember the VW pickups from the 80's? I'm sure StealthRabbit does.
They were a little before my time and I really don't know a whole lot about them, but I think they were basically a small pickup that was built on top of the VW Rabbit platform. I don't think they had much towing capacity, but people did use them as work horses and they were able to take a beating. I think they were good reliable little trucks for their time.
Of course they were unibody construction and fwd, which many Americans have a hard time looking past, but I still think they were good little trucks back in the day.
I just did a little bit of research and found that VW is currently selling medium sized pickups in the rest of the world, just not in the USA.
For mini pickups.... The few Diesel Toyotas, Mitsubishi, Luv (Isuzu), and Rangers... Of the early 1980s were the closest the USA got to the working mini trucks the rest of the world benefits from. Early Hiluxes (imported to USA) were quite the workhorse. They were noted for the tie down cleats along the perimeter of the bed. Those imported in the 1960s were slightly bigger that the very popular versions of mid 70's. (Of which you can still find in non-rust regions of USA). My mom had the Chinook pop-up camper on Toyota Hilux chassis. ~1974.
I daily saw many mini work pickups 'UTEs' in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy last month. Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, VW.... We used a Datsun Ute when living in Australia,. They still manf a Ranchero equivalent for that market. (Also available in a flatbed, or utility box configuration.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 12-07-2022 at 12:07 AM..
For mini pickups.... The few Diesel Toyotas, Mitsubishi, Luv (Isuzu), and Rangers... Of the early 1980s were the closest the USA got to the working mini trucks the rest of the world benefits from. Early Hiluxes (imported to USA) were quite the workhorse. They were noted for the tie down cleats along the perimeter of the bed. Those imported in the 1960s were slightly bigger that the very popular versions of mid 70's. (Of which you can still find in non-rust regions of USA). My mom had the Chinook pop-up camper on Toyota Hilux chassis. ~1974.
I daily saw many mini work pickups 'UTEs' in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy last month. Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, VW.... We used a Datsun Ute when living in Australia,. They still manf a Ranchero equivalent for that market. (Also available in a flatbed, or utility box configuration.
Perhaps they aren't popular in the US, but the smaller trucks can be found all over the world: central and South America, Caribbean Islands, Asia, in a lot of places in the Middle East, Africa, and so on. Small Toyota pickup trucks have been used for a long time in war zones, specially in desert or very dry barren lands where it gets very hot during the day, and cold at night. These were called the War Trucks not too long ago, and are still used in Pakistan, Africa, and so on: https://grantpiperwriting.medium.com...s-9a91c144b0b1
Another part of the issue may be how many cars are in the garage. Me, have a Forester and the F-250. For what the Forester can't do, the F-250 can.When I got into this arrangement, I was not looking for something of similar carrying of the Forester.
The fact that 2011 Ford Rangers now often sell for more than (or same) they sold for when new, speaks to the niche in the market that needs to be filled. We are slowly being deprived of choice as options are less nowadays.
The fact that 2011 Ford Rangers now often sell for more than (or same) they sold for when new, speaks to the niche in the market that needs to be filled. We are slowly being deprived of choice as options are less nowadays.
For people whose egos aren't tied up in the size of their truck, small trucks are the way to go for 99.99% of buyers. Something along the lines of long-bed pre-Tacoma Toyota was perfect. Enough bed space for just about anything. Low lift-over. Small-size made maneuverability much easier. Decent fuel economy. Today's trucks, especially full-sized ones, offer very limited utility relative to their enormous dimensions.
I'll second this. My first "grown up" vehicle (before that was a sports car) was an old Chevy S-10, manual everything. Decent gas mileage, compact and easy to park, could carry or tow most of what I needed to carry or tow. It was perfect for a college kid... to the point where I'd have to hide at the end of every semester because all the new "friends" who suddenly appeared wanting to borrow it.
Then when I wanted to upgrade later, I did the math on another compact pickup vs. a full-size, and a compact just didn't add up. For a very small amount of extra money I could massively increase towing and carrying capacity. So I bought an extended-cab Chevy Silverado. I did use the extra capacity on occasion, but always missed the old S-10. The Silverado cornered like an ocean liner, was difficult to park, and gas mileage sucked. Other than the 3-4 times in 10 years I really used the extra capacity, a compact or mid-sized would have been much better for me.
When I sold that one I was recently divorced with 2 kids and needed more interior space. So I went with a mid-sized SUV that was larger than the S-10 and much smaller than the Silverado. When I need to carry something large I rent a trailer.
But if I didn't have kids, I'd love another regular-cab mid-sized pickup.
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Economy is not a driver in USA where we get petrol for about 1/2 price of the world market.
The newest FS pickups get as good economy as the mini trucks of yesteryear. A guy I interviewed with the new 1/2t Silverado and 6cyl Duramax gets near 30 mpg on the highway.
And USA has SPACE for huge pickups. Much of the world has dinky streets and parking.
Profit is much higher on big pickups (MSRP $50 - $80k)
So... "...why USA doesn’t have true small trucks"
follow the money. (that's flowing out of your pocket).
Big bucks for manufacturers to market and sell FS pickups. Even the soccer moms have or want F150's (especially in Texas). Grandmas too... Our Master Gardener Volunteer 'gals' (age 70 - 90's) are in love with their F150's. "Get your grubby hands off MY truck!"
........Big bucks for manufacturers to market and sell FS pickups. Even the soccer moms have or want F150's (especially in Texas). Grandmas too... Our Master Gardener Volunteer 'gals' (age 70 - 90's) are in love with their F150's. "Get your grubby hands off MY truck!"
I imagine if my parents were still alive but with things of today, my phone calls from Dad would go like this. "Say, Tam, your Mother and I have not seen you for a while, why don't you drive up for the weekend? And bring your F-250, your Mother has seen several things at Lowe's she would like to have.".
Growing up, there was often if not always a station wagon in the family. Buicks, Volaries, and last, Delta 88. After Dad died, Mom's station wagon use was often replaced by my Forester. A, B, and C.
A: I still have my Forester but as said, for the jobs that the Forester can't do, there is the F-250. Sometimes, it is a question of not enough volume but often it is one of weight.......or not having a care what the weight is as gear is piled in. Of course another thing is not worrying about the gear being dirty on the way home.
B: Really good station wagons are a thing of the past. I did marvel at my Brother's Pilot, I think, in the first decade of this century. Parents up front, 3 kids amid ships, cargo in back and a large dog in a cage. Not that I would travel an animal like that but the thing is....THINGS. We Americans seem to have a lot of things and we need the ability to move them.
C: When I was first thinking of getting a pickup in the early 90s, the family dissuaded me, from the tail being pushed by the wind to not being able to secure things inside the body of the car. Of course, it could have been like it is so often on the Net, people forcing their uninvolved opinions on others.
But now, the pickup, in my case F-250, has that. It is rather interesting for I see on Craigslist lots of furniture that I would love......and have the capacity to carry. Why, I even have a crew cab to carry lots of pretty, pretty boys that I call friends to move stuff in and out of the bed.....when I find them.
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