Modern Pickup Design

[enricosonic]

Do folks really like the over-the-top grille and general design of the modern truck?

 

[GChief]

I would say yes, they sell. But I am not a p/u guy. The p/u nerds at work were talking about how awesome the front ends look, not sure which they were talking about.

Well, except for

 

[enricosonic]

Yeah I get they’re among the top selling vehicles. It’s almost like the manufacturers are caught up in some kind of macho grille war.

It’s gotten almost laughable but, as you mentioned, truck dudes of today must dig this.

 

[GChief]

truck dudes of today must dig this.

Well most also like country music, no accounting for taste

 

[enricosonic]

Now you're gonna start a war.

Not with me though.

 

[gadget73]

I sorta want a Mack B model made into a pickup truck. If we're going to do biggie size truck, lets do it for real.

random internet picture as an idea. I think I'd rather have the grille shell in chrome but thats just a matter of preference.

 

[KeninDC]

Grills have always been, well, a feature. 1976 GMC Sierra Grande (think Urban Cowboy).

I like the "clean" line from the grill to the back of the cab that most late 70s pickups had. Gone with today's larger grills.

 

[old_tv_nut]

Graffiti in the men's room in mid 1960s:
I LIKE GRILLS
YOU MEAN GIRLS
WHAT ABOUT US GRILLS?

 

[enricosonic]

The latest stuff is just too busy and out-of-proportion to my eye. A macho, badass front end is nothing new in pickups.

The iconic '55 Chevy might be badder than 'em all. But they got the lines right on that thing.

 

[enricosonic]

 

[grey]

It could be that some of the modern engines are making significantly more power. In turn, the grill needs to be huge to accommodate cooling on the largest engine option.

 

[enricosonic]

I don’t doubt that is a factor. And any grille should be at least the size of the radiator on a large truck.

Still seems to me this is primarily an aesthetic trend. There are many ways to get more air into an engine bay.

 

[Oerets]

The grille not so much. Tailgates being higher then I prefer. No access to the fuel pump from the bed. Having to drop the full tank….

Wish they had a bottle jack equipped dump bed like my Grandfathers 51 Ford.

 

[Eywadude]

I'm not a huge pickup truck kind of guy, but I think most modern pickup grille designs are either overdone or flat out ridiculous.

I thought these two Ram grilles were nice enough...




But this design is ridiculous...

 

[gadget73]

I was thinking this

 

[oldflame]

Kids (gen Z?) are supposed to be returning to sedans ... if those can be found.

Why are PU's so popular with guys, and maybe some gals, who use them for daily-drivers and very rarely haul anything in the bed? Size matters? Do they still come with sticks?

I wonder if station wagons will ever become more popular; they're harder to find than sedans? Everything usually goes is cycles, so maybe back to the 60's again sometime?

 

[Late Boomer]

I don't care that they are ugly (which they are, to my taste). I hate that the hoods are so long and tall, you can hide seven kids in front of it. All vehicles became huge, but pickup trucks especially. The smallest of them, the Maverick, is larger than the original Ranger.

Why are PU's so popular with guys, and maybe some gals, who use them for daily-drivers and very rarely haul anything in the bed? Size matters? Do they still come with sticks?

They are popular with manufacturers, not consumers. Because of CAFE and emissions regulations. I see lots of people commenting on pickup videos on YT that they want a smaller simpler and cheaper single cab with 6-7 ft bed, like the original Ranger.

On the topic of grills always being a thing, here is a RAV-4 for you:

 

[55Redneck]

I believe part of the reason P/U's are so popular is because it's one of the few vehicles that you can still buy with a V-8 in it. I love my old 01 Silverado, with over 400K on it the 4.8 V-8 still runs like new.

 

[Last lap]

Do folks really like the over-the-top grille and general design of the modern truck?

They are WAAAAAY too big. And also WAAAAAY too expensive. Because I live on 32 acres with knobs and hollers, I need a 4wd pickup, but I use a 2004 silverado. It's too big as well, but it didn't cost much. I'm planning on replacing it with one of these in 4WD. It's all I need, and it's actually more versatile:

 

[Bill S]

Why are PU's so popular with guys, and maybe some gals, who use them for daily-drivers and very rarely haul anything in the bed

I might need to haul something, someday is one possible answer. It's what all the cool folks drive is the other. I still drive my 98 Camry to the gym and grocery store. Easy to park and I don't care about door dings. I can't believe how wide PUs have gotten with the huge mirrors that extend almost filling a complete lane on the highway. I think it's just ridiculous. I see mostly boomer guys driving the new ones, backing their pavement princess into parking spots.