Trucks started getting giant in 1991. The f350 was different than the f250 in one primary way, it was lifted 3 inches on blocks. The f series drove the height gain in trucks. The next super duty generation had like a 5 foot tall grill in 1998. And it was all uphill for truck sizing from there.
GM stayed smaller till ~2008. My 2001 3/4 chevy roofline is the same height as a new f150 hood. Its nuts.
I’ve had a 1999 and a 2007 Nissan Frontier. Both “King cab” (meaning only jump seats in the back, not full back seats). The 1999 was perfect. The new Frontiers are like the size of the old Titans, it’s ridiculous.
I’m an EV convert. I really like the Rivian pick-up for a lot of things, but the size is just too much (that and the cost). I currently drive a 2017 Kia Soul EV (and I had a Nissan Leaf before that) and it’s just great. There are a few times where I wish I still had a truck though. When the Soul winds up becoming my son’s car in a few years, I’m hoping that maybe I can swing getting a Slate. I also live in Hawai’i and kei trucks/vans are very popular here. Smaller vehicles with well-thought-out design are the best.
4 cylinder, 7ft bed, single cab with a bench seat. Gets around 20mpg, which honestly isn’t too shabby even by new truck standards.
Over the years it’s moved a lot of furniture, picked up a lot of bulky lumber and such from the hardware store, picked up a few decent sized loads of firewood, and generally done everything most normal people would need or want a truck for.
The bed is pretty low compared to modern trucks so it’s easy to load and unload, back it up to a curb and you can pretty step right off the sidewalk into the bed with the tailgate down
I have complaints about it, but they’re nothing most people couldn’t live with. It’s 0-60 time is probably best stated as “eventually,” especially if you’re carrying anything significant in the bed. And with no weight over those rear wheels it’s kind of shitty to drive on anything besides dry paved roads so 4wd would be nice. And of course after 30+ years it’s got some quirks and little things that are broken.
But if I could buy basically that exact same truck today, maybe as a hybrid or EV, I’d jump on it. I don’t need more performance, I’m not going to use it to haul a bed full of gravel or anything, we’ve never had to tow with it, and when I’ve towed with my own car it’s never been anything more substantial than a teardrop trailer that a Prius could probably just about handle if they came with a tow hitch.
I really like the maverick, it checks a lot of boxes for me and is overall pretty similar in size to my dad’s ranger but that short bed annoys me, I can’t fit a couch in that.
My brother had a 90s Toyota with a 5 speed and the full 8’ I believe. We did small town construction and it was perfect for general lumber/ladders/groceries/etc.
It also had suffered a bad repair job in a backyard shop at some point and would kind of shibby down the road a little sideways. Insanely reliable though.
Theres a reason first gen Tacoma’s are still over $20k for a decent one. and they usually have over 300k miles. Such a great sized, good driving, easy to work on little pickup. (Minus the stupid frame recall).
Everything made today is shit. So hold on to your 90s cars guys.
A hatchback or small SUV with the seats folded down is adequate for that. I fit a full size refrigerator and a 3 seat sofa in my scion xB (no not at the same time).
Got a prius now and fit two IKEA mattresses and bedframes no problem.
Plus you don’t need to worry about people just deciding to grab shit since it’s enclosed.
As messed up as it sounds, after our last move the company bringing our stuff didn’t bring a small truck and their big one couldn’t make it up our steep driveway. In steps my wife with her Scion xD, the baby sister of your xB, and managed to drive everything up hanging out the back (many many trips, no fridge though).
That cab though lol I legit just want a single cab truck with no gimmicks, but “the market” all trends to “big car with bed” because they can mark up the price.
If you’re fine with a trailer, this would be a viable option. In Europe, almost nobody uses a truck and we still haul a lot of shit around. You’d be surprised what a sedan can pull.
This way you would only have the higher drag when really needing it and the low cost of a smaller car the rest of the time.
Unfortunately in the US almost no small vehicle has rated towing capacity, even when the same vehicles do in Europe. So if you were to tow with a small sedan you’re operating outside of what it’s rated for in the US. So I’m sure manufacturers would use that to deny warranty coverage, or in the event of a crash I’m sure that could play a factor…
I’m not sure how to read the towing capacity in the USA, since it’s documented very differently over here, but it seems they’re petty much the same for the bog standard car I’ve picked (Audi A4). Dragging around 1.5 to 2 tons is probably enough for most people.
Looking at something like a Toyota Corolla (1.8 L hybrid, to compare like powertrains), it gets 1300 kg towing capacity in Europe from what I can find, and in the US it’s 0, the manual will say not to tow with it.
I’m sure it varies between manufacturers.
Lots of places like furniture, hardware and gardening stores will also just rent you a trailer. So you can just hook it up and carry your stuff home if you need to. And if you need it more often you can just buy your own trailer, they’re not even that expensive.
Much like seeing one of the new post trucks, it’s a fun game to point at “small” trucks and exclaim “look, normal-size truck!” It’s just sad that they’re getting rare enough to point them out.
I would like a small, pre-2012 truck that is just used for hauling shit I need to the house, like wood, pellets, feed, etc.
What I find are dick-measuring vehicles where you have to lean forward to ensure no pedestrians are in front.
Still searching…
Trucks started getting giant in 1991. The f350 was different than the f250 in one primary way, it was lifted 3 inches on blocks. The f series drove the height gain in trucks. The next super duty generation had like a 5 foot tall grill in 1998. And it was all uphill for truck sizing from there.
GM stayed smaller till ~2008. My 2001 3/4 chevy roofline is the same height as a new f150 hood. Its nuts.
I’ve had a 1999 and a 2007 Nissan Frontier. Both “King cab” (meaning only jump seats in the back, not full back seats). The 1999 was perfect. The new Frontiers are like the size of the old Titans, it’s ridiculous.
I’m an EV convert. I really like the Rivian pick-up for a lot of things, but the size is just too much (that and the cost). I currently drive a 2017 Kia Soul EV (and I had a Nissan Leaf before that) and it’s just great. There are a few times where I wish I still had a truck though. When the Soul winds up becoming my son’s car in a few years, I’m hoping that maybe I can swing getting a Slate. I also live in Hawai’i and kei trucks/vans are very popular here. Smaller vehicles with well-thought-out design are the best.
My dad has a '93 Ford Ranger
4 cylinder, 7ft bed, single cab with a bench seat. Gets around 20mpg, which honestly isn’t too shabby even by new truck standards.
Over the years it’s moved a lot of furniture, picked up a lot of bulky lumber and such from the hardware store, picked up a few decent sized loads of firewood, and generally done everything most normal people would need or want a truck for.
The bed is pretty low compared to modern trucks so it’s easy to load and unload, back it up to a curb and you can pretty step right off the sidewalk into the bed with the tailgate down
I have complaints about it, but they’re nothing most people couldn’t live with. It’s 0-60 time is probably best stated as “eventually,” especially if you’re carrying anything significant in the bed. And with no weight over those rear wheels it’s kind of shitty to drive on anything besides dry paved roads so 4wd would be nice. And of course after 30+ years it’s got some quirks and little things that are broken.
But if I could buy basically that exact same truck today, maybe as a hybrid or EV, I’d jump on it. I don’t need more performance, I’m not going to use it to haul a bed full of gravel or anything, we’ve never had to tow with it, and when I’ve towed with my own car it’s never been anything more substantial than a teardrop trailer that a Prius could probably just about handle if they came with a tow hitch.
I really like the maverick, it checks a lot of boxes for me and is overall pretty similar in size to my dad’s ranger but that short bed annoys me, I can’t fit a couch in that.
My brother had a 90s Toyota with a 5 speed and the full 8’ I believe. We did small town construction and it was perfect for general lumber/ladders/groceries/etc.
It also had suffered a bad repair job in a backyard shop at some point and would kind of shibby down the road a little sideways. Insanely reliable though.
I don’t remember typing this today 🙃
Edit: read “absolutely 100% the main usecase”
Liked my s10 but that was the biggest complaint that engine belongs in a small car not a truck.
Theres a reason first gen Tacoma’s are still over $20k for a decent one. and they usually have over 300k miles. Such a great sized, good driving, easy to work on little pickup. (Minus the stupid frame recall).
Everything made today is shit. So hold on to your 90s cars guys.
A hatchback or small SUV with the seats folded down is adequate for that. I fit a full size refrigerator and a 3 seat sofa in my scion xB (no not at the same time).
Got a prius now and fit two IKEA mattresses and bedframes no problem.
Plus you don’t need to worry about people just deciding to grab shit since it’s enclosed.
As messed up as it sounds, after our last move the company bringing our stuff didn’t bring a small truck and their big one couldn’t make it up our steep driveway. In steps my wife with her Scion xD, the baby sister of your xB, and managed to drive everything up hanging out the back (many many trips, no fridge though).
The Prius’ storage is surprisingly well-designed! We borrowed one several years back and I was really impressed with what all it could hold
Ford maverick, size of the old rangers with 40 mpg
That cab though lol I legit just want a single cab truck with no gimmicks, but “the market” all trends to “big car with bed” because they can mark up the price.
While true, they have a lot of issues and are way too techy, and fwd. Give me the ranger.
The current ranger makes my 85 F160 feel small. Or at least low.
If you’re fine with a trailer, this would be a viable option. In Europe, almost nobody uses a truck and we still haul a lot of shit around. You’d be surprised what a sedan can pull.
This way you would only have the higher drag when really needing it and the low cost of a smaller car the rest of the time.
Unfortunately in the US almost no small vehicle has rated towing capacity, even when the same vehicles do in Europe. So if you were to tow with a small sedan you’re operating outside of what it’s rated for in the US. So I’m sure manufacturers would use that to deny warranty coverage, or in the event of a crash I’m sure that could play a factor…
Every car in the US has a towing capacity number. Small cars are usually around 1k lbs
Oh, that’s a shame.
I’m not sure how to read the towing capacity in the USA, since it’s documented very differently over here, but it seems they’re petty much the same for the bog standard car I’ve picked (Audi A4). Dragging around 1.5 to 2 tons is probably enough for most people.
Looking at something like a Toyota Corolla (1.8 L hybrid, to compare like powertrains), it gets 1300 kg towing capacity in Europe from what I can find, and in the US it’s 0, the manual will say not to tow with it. I’m sure it varies between manufacturers.
Lots of places like furniture, hardware and gardening stores will also just rent you a trailer. So you can just hook it up and carry your stuff home if you need to. And if you need it more often you can just buy your own trailer, they’re not even that expensive.
Much like seeing one of the new post trucks, it’s a fun game to point at “small” trucks and exclaim “look, normal-size truck!” It’s just sad that they’re getting rare enough to point them out.
Slate truck. Ford Fathom. Only options I’m aware of in the USA.