How come they don't make any small pickup trucks ...

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by cabmando

My take is, with the newer 1/2 ton trucks getting the gas mileage they do, why would you want a smaller truck?

Parking, turn radius, ease of use in smaller situations.

[cabmandone]

Wasn't the B2200 just a rebadged Ranger?

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Parking, turn radius, ease of use in smaller situations.

These new half ton trucks turn like the old smaller trucks. And with the mirrors and gadgets they're putting on them, maneuvering isn't what it used to be.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Parking, turn radius, ease of use in smaller situations.

takes less room in the garage
easier to wash

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by stevej37

takes less room in the garage
easier to wash

Holds less in the bed. Seating isn't as comfortable, Won't tow as much. Who washes their vehicle anymore when you can just drive it through a carwash?

[stevej37]

^^^ I never had any of those problems with my Ranger (pictured above)
In the summer...I enjoy washing the vehicles outside....not so much right now.

Also...I forgot about the seats. The most comfortable seats that I have had in any car or truck I've owned.
Very firm and with tall back..they fit me perfect.

[wdfifteen]

Id be happy if they just shrank the 1/2 tons back to the size they were 10 years ago.

[stevej37]

oops sorry....I thought we were on the towing thread.

[porsche tech]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Wasn't the B2200 just a rebadged Ranger?

Eventually, not sure which year. Mine had a turning radius that required going around the block to make a u turn!

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Id be happy if they just shrank the 1/2 tons back to the size they were 10 years ago.

They did! They're called the Ranger, Tacoma, Colorado.....

[cabmandone]

Wasn't there a thread on here about Subie bringing back the Baja?... Well there ya go!

[Z-man]

The small pickup segment has been replaced with the mid-size trucks: Toyo Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, Ford
Ranger, Chevy Colorodo / GMC Canyon, and the new Nissan Frontier.

This is a hot sector - people want the utility of a pickup but don't want the large size. Many of them are rated to tow around 7000 lbs, which is sufficient for most people pulling cars, boats, ATVs and other recreational things. Sadly, the demand for these trucks are pushing their pricing up to larger full-size truck ranges.

I still have my 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac V8 with 180K on the odo, and still going strong. It is built on the Explorer SUV chassis, so it is technically a mid-size pickup wannabe... It is showing it age a little bit. Maybe it is time to upgrade to something newer - eyeing up the GMC Canyon Denali - this is the final year they will offer a V6 in that truck, as they are moving to turbo 4's in the future.

I'm not a big fan of the 4cyl turbos in these trucks. Too heave a load and it would be easy to overload the truck and really tax that little turbo...

Just my $0.42...

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

In addition to the crash related bit:

In the US, MPG allowed is tied to the foot print of the wheelbase and track.

This is why a Porsche 911 Turbo is huge, and this is also why pickup trucks are huge.
If you want a lot of ponies, you have to put it in a big package.

Without the EPA regulations you might see smaller lighter trucks.

Good observation, some debate on it though.

Corporate average fuel economy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_average_fuel_economy#New_%22Footprint%22 _model

New "Footprint" model

Under the new final light truck CAFE standard 2008–2011, fuel economy standards would have been restructured so that they are based on a measure of vehicle size called "footprint", the product of multiplying a vehicle's wheelbase by its track width............

........ Some critics pointed out that this might have had the unintended consequence of pushing manufacturers to make ever-larger vehicles to avoid strict economy standards.[32] However, the equation used to calculate the fuel economy target had a built in mechanism that provides an incentive to reduce vehicle size to about 52 square feet (the approximate midpoint of the current light truck fleet.)

From what I can ascertain the rules favor larger and larger footprints - the opposite of the intent.

[Kraftwerk]

Now the only "small" pick-up trucks are MID sized: Ranger, Tacoma, Colorado & the GMC Canyon and if you compare ANY of those to, say , a full size 1971 Ford F100, they are actully the same size as the Formerly Full Sized F100's So: What used to be "Full" is "Mid" and what is Small now is also Mid...
Super confusing..

Missing those lil' Chevy Luv's and tiny Toyota's we use to see.
Every once in awhile I see one a lifted and it looks like it would be fun.

[creaturecat]

Rangers are great.
inexpensive parts - great reliability.
and enough power to act like a real truck, to a certain extent.

[David]

My last 2 daily drivers before my Cayenne were an 01 and 08 Silverado. I’m really jonesing for a ranger even tho it’s pretty much a 10 year old design.

What’s got me?:
1. 2.3 turbo engine with stock 270 hp and 310 torque easily upgraded to 310/350.
2. Mid size/weight for handling, ride, parking, mileage, etc
3. Nice interior amenities
4. Aftermarket suspension and engine upgrades available

[Nostril Cheese]

I've owned several of the small Rangers. You cannot kill them.

I wish I could get one with a turbodiesel 4 cyl..

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

VW diesel pickups are like gold around here. I don't know if it's just a cult or if a similar truck assembled in the US (like the Mercedes van) would sell well enough to be worth their while.

I have owned several, great little trucks, not against getting another one.

[Jrboulder]

Up until 2014ish Toyota made a single cab short bed Tacoma in 2wd that was downright dinky.

[Nostril Cheese]

I had a Rabbit diesel.

I can't imagine how much slower a Rabbit pickup would be. Although you could probably drive it off a cliff and it would still run.