A New Affordable & Compact Pick Up Truck

40 mpg … sits 5 and no problem parking. Sounds like they’ve gone retro yet updated. Other makers have gotten away from small pickups as they can make more profit on the same of individual more rugged looking trucks.

The Tacoma has grown in size but it’s been cautioned not to add too many aftermarket features as it’s the same engine as the Camry basically.

On the big truck front the new hybrid Toyota Tundra is supposed to get more horse than the previous pure fossil powered one.

I can see how some people would find this attractive. Cheap, good mileage, seats five. Think of it as a compact car with a square payload bed.

I am still trying to get over pickup trucks with beds that can't carry a basic 4x8 sheet of plywood, myself...

In my area of small-town dealerships, with smaller (mid-sized) pickups, dealers rarely stock anything but the 4-door, 5-seat option, though other configurations can be ordered. With the big sellers, the full-sized pickups, more variety is likely to be in stock. But all have longer boxes in proportion. And even the smaller pickups can be ordered with long boxes, which are only about 6 to 7 feet with the mid-sized vehicles.

The longer box gives the vehicle a longer wheelbase, and in my experience better stability and handing at highway speeds. With tight power steering and short wheelbase I've found smaller pickups can be tough to handle and more prone to rollovers. But inevitably, dealers will stock what sells best.

Those are pretty much my thoughts as well. That same exact vehicle would be more useful as a station wagon, with much greater interior cargo capacity. The only advantage to the pickup truck bed is loose material like soil you wouldn't want inside a wagon.

I've often thought an extremely useful vehicle would have just enough room for some 4x8 sheets inside with the rear seats folded down. Make that as fuel efficient as practical, with a version that offers higher ground clearance with AWD.

Of course, utility is often far down in the criteria list among new car buyers. A few months ago one of my co-workers proudly showed me his new Silverado pickup with larger wheels and ride height. I said he he most be going to some rugged places and/or hauling some payloads.

No, he just likes pickup trucks, using this beast as a commuter vehicle.

Before I buy a new pickup it’s got to have a six foot bed. That’s what I like about the older Rangers l’ve drive the past couple of decades.

My thought is the new small Ford pickup may be for people getting out and putting their mountain bikes in back, .. backpacks under a tarp etc.. plus any commuter duties. Not straying too far from asphalt. It’s not really the adventure vehicle; more of a get to the adventure vehicle.

Exactly.

And though I've been considering trading in my 2012 Colorado on a new one, lately I'm thinking the EV is worth waiting for. And hopefully I can have solar panels set up in my backyard to charge an electrically-powered pickup in my garage. I still find a high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive pickup to be in my best interests, but hopefully a suitable EV version will be available in the next few years.