You left out the fact that...
1) EPA regulations favor larger vehicles.
2) If you drive a small vehicle it's dangerous in a collision, when everyone else has big ones.
3) Can't see around you, when all the other vehicles are taller.
4) The chicken/truck tax means they are safe from foreign competition.
The full size pickup with big front and rear seats has thus become the defacto "car" in the US. Of course the bed got smaller, because it's rarely used.
BTW, when the Maverick came out and the cheap one was only $20k, I thought that was a good choice. Don't know about now.
Hi
@rruff
I enjoy you posts. I do want to counterpoint though:
1) how does the EPA favor larger vehicles? Let's talk quarter ton and half ton pickups compared to everything down to the Honda Fit, for example
2) smaller vehicles have always had the weight and mass disadvantage in a crash vs a pickup truck. 30 years ago the GMT 400 was. A smaller truck than today's K2, but the Nissan Sentra was smaller than today's Sentra as well. As for everyone else driving "big ones", that's a choice. Always has been. Economy vehicles can be great choices, and they can even be loaded with excellent safety features, but yes, 6000 lbs vs 2000 lbs, 6k comes out the better.
3) cant see around you when all other vehicles are taller. True. Dont enter between and behind 3 big trucks if you dont have to, a little thoughtful, defensive driving can help - something lacking in many drivers repertoire today is the constant game of "what if..."
4) Subaru Brat jump seats: brought to you by the Chicken truck tax! sorry, but the Tacoma RULED the small and midsize truck segment for years and years. To the point that the pre-2016 Chevy Colorado was a veritable joke and the venerable Ford Ranger quit production and sales in the US altogether rather than compete.
Finally over the last iteration and the very latest ones, the Colorado and Ranger have finally made serious contenders
And as for larger, half tons? Toyota seems to do OK, but just OK. As far as I know, they dont offer an HD version of the Tundra in the states, which surprises me. And the Titan, which DID have an XD version, was ultimately beaten handily.
Yes, the beds in today's trucks are rarely used. Mine is driven daily but the bed is only used as a weekend warrior or a go-getter on the way home when Lady Beagle finds something of interest on the marketplace that needs picking up
But it's a choice. The bed may be for hockey or football practice equipment, bicycles, mulch, camping gear, but yeah.
When we logged in the early 80's, we had three guys crammed into a regular cab 2wd 8ft bed. What's wrong if seating is more comfortable?
Oddly, in my GMC Double Cab 1500, I cant even get the grandkids car seats in the back seat and expect any normal seating position for Lady Beagle or myself. Seems odd given the size of the truck
