Modern Pickup Design

[Last lap]

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.

Funny anecdote: I have 4 cars. Three scions (2006 xB, 2013 FR-S and 1016 iA) and a 2004 chevy Silverado z71 4wd. I bought the Scions brand new. I bought the Z71 12 years ago with 106k miles. Now, the xb is at 240k. The FR-S is at 190k and the iA is at 208k.

The chevy is at 112k. I hate driving that pig. I've always been into smaller cars you can "throw around" and not spend a fortune driving. I'm now 72, but even when I lived in Seattle I often drove a pickup. But they were a Dodge D50 and the Mitsubishi equivalent. i.e. small trucks, but big enough for anything I needed them for.

CAFE screwed the small truck and, ironically, under the auspices of reducing fuel consumption.

And now you know why I'm looking at the Subaru. It's basically a side-by-side on steroids.

 

[gadget73]

I wonder if some of it is just keeping up size-wise. Whenever I drive one of my cars, inevitably someone in a truck parks next to me and I absolutely cannot see to get out of my parking spot. Its just a wall of cab or bed side out the window. Pulling out of a parking space is a lot of hoping that if anyone is coming, they see me and stop. When I'm driving the truck at least I'm at the same level and don't have the extra visual obstruction.

 

[Eywadude]

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?

I sure hope Gen-Z is returning to sedans and smaller cars. I miss them. If that's where the market trends into the future, I'm all for it. Especially wagons. Unfortunately, today's vehicles are rolling tech-garbage Dixie cups. I wouldn't give you a nickel for one.

CAFE screwed the small truck and, ironically, under the auspices of reducing fuel consumption.

Exactly. But just be careful going into any details about that. A couple years ago I had a post of mine unexplainably taken down here on AK, and warned for it, simply for stating the facts and the mandated criteria that led to the demise of small trucks.

 

[Last lap]

I wonder if some of it is just keeping up size-wise. Whenever I drive one of my cars, inevitably someone in a truck parks next to me and I absolutely cannot see to get out of my parking spot. Its just a wall of cab or bed side out the window. Pulling out of a parking space is a lot of hoping that if anyone is coming, they see me and stop. When I'm driving the truck at least I'm at the same level and don't have the extra visual obstruction.

Whenever some guy drives by us in a large pickup, my wife always does this:

 

[Apreggiator]

In terms of styling all contemporary pickups I know about look gash to me. Stuff like S10's had a sort of unassuming something about them that I like. And classic pickups with curvy lines; yes please.

You'll see RAM pickups on the road here in northeast Europe, but besides highways they are completely out of place size wise besides the (wrong kind of) image they project.
P.s. Not a pickup, but talking Dodge; Saw a Viper on the road for the first time ever here last week, which is a massive compensation rocket too of course, but somehow.. I think that that's a cool car.

 

[gadget73]

Especially when lifted with the big tires, loud exhaust, and all the other "off road" nonsense. Mine is a contractor model with rubber floors and steel wheels. Still too big, but at least not artificially inflated. The S10 was the right size. I had the same trouble with parking lots and not being able to see in that though. It went away for rust reasons unfortunately.

Whenever some guy drives by us in a large pickup, my wife always does this:
View attachment 3777472

 

[Late Boomer]

Especially when lifted with the big tires, loud exhaust, and all the other "off road" nonsense. Mine is a contractor model with rubber floors and steel wheels. Still too big, but at least not artificially inflated. The S10 was the right size. I had the same trouble with parking lots and not being able to see in that though. It went away for rust reasons unfortunately.

Especially when lifted with big tires, but squeaky clean.

I do see some custom baja-type pickups around, they look like they are actually being used for the purpose, with wide track, skid plate and shocks sticking out of the bed. Factory-made Ford Raptors - not so much.

I do like old single-cabs with a three-person bench (or 1+2), but I don't think these will ever come back considering current safety regulations.

Or how about this?

 

[Blue Shadow]

Pickups have been growing due to CAFE standards and new rule added in 2011 that included the vehicle footprint allowing bigger chunks of rolling steel to have lower fuel mileage requirements. This goes along with the buyer’s desire to have larger interiors more features and a living room in the cab.

I’d much rather have a trunk from decades ago set up nice. I hate the idea of a mountain climbing expedition just to get behind the wheel. But at least I now know where BMWs no oil dipstick idea would become useful along with sensors for everything else under hood cause I don’t want to climb up there to look.

 

[shrinkboy]

I commute each day from my home near downtown Dallas to my office on the northern rim of Dallas proper, about 12 miles. This is done on a major artery known as Dallas North Tollway, or, as I call it, Dallas North Raceway. The vehicle most likely to be seen driving aggressively and foolishly is the giant, late model p/u. They are a menace.

 

[grey]

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:
View attachment 3777423

I like the format. You can access stuff in the bed without needing lifting tools or shoulder surgery. At least Ford recently added a couple of steps on each side.

Not sure if it can handle highway speed around here.

 

[Bill S]

Funny anecdote: I have 4 cars. Three scions (2006 xB, 2013 FR-S and 1016 iA) and a 2004 chevy Silverado z71 4wd. I bought the Scions brand new. I bought the Z71 12 years ago with 106k miles. Now, the xb is at 240k. The FR-S is at 190k and the iA is at 208k.

The chevy is at 112k. I hate driving that pig. I've always been into smaller cars you can "throw around" and not spend a fortune driving. I'm now 72, but even when I lived in Seattle I often drove a pickup. But they were a Dodge D50 and the Mitsubishi equivalent. i.e. small trucks, but big enough for anything I needed them for.

CAFE screwed the small truck and, ironically, under the auspices of reducing fuel consumption.

And now you know why I'm looking at the Subaru. It's basically a side-by-side on steroids.

Son has an Outback Onyx edition. Loves it. It's a solid car with lots of room. Goes through anything.

 

[sanford12]

The big trucks are too much for a ot of the drivers to handle as is demonstrated by their inability to park. Had the Maverick for a year and a couple months and I love the thing.

 

[OBMG74]

Big trucks with big grilles imply:
"Get outta my way, I just bought groceries and my frozen food might thaw on the way home!!"

 

[satellite65]

I'm a Chevy guy, but the only one of the 4 pictured that I don't find ugly is the Ram.

 

[Last lap]

The big trucks are too much for a ot of the drivers to handle as is demonstrated by their inability to park. Had the Maverick for a year and a couple months and I love the thing.

Yep. Honestly, people don't realize how difficult it can be to manage a parking lot, not to mention parking spaces. It's actually a serious downside for me. I love throwing small cars around. Can't do it in my silverado. I have to be careful.

 

[gadget73]

They have the turn radius of the Titanic, you're better off backing in. Its a consequence of an overly long wheelbase.

 

[enricosonic]

When you follow the sight line from the driver's eye to the leading edge of the hood, particularly on 4WD models, I'm not sure you'd see a subcompact car directly in front of you when stopped at a traffic light.

Do they have forward facing cameras in these things?

 

[enricosonic]

Especially when lifted with big tires, but squeaky clean.

I do see some custom baja-type pickups around, they look like they are actually being used for the purpose, with wide track, skid plate and shocks sticking out of the bed. Factory-made Ford Raptors - not so much.

I do like old single-cabs with a three-person bench (or 1+2), but I don't think these will ever come back considering current safety regulations.

Or how about this?

In the Toyota thread you suggested that my 80 Series LC was perhaps overbuilt and how could I justify it. But I think we are in agreement now.

I put an Aussie-market suspension on my truck 15 years ago, it provided a 2-1/2-3" lift from factory. Then the stock tires had to be increased size-wise, to just not look ridiculous. I had a removable ladder at the back to get to roof containers. We used to change my girls' diapers on the tailgate. They're in college now and the LC is 30 years old.

The kids would never forgive me if I sold it. I told them they can pay the fuel costs and we're cool. (currently $5.79 a gallon).

It's not always the case, but guys nowadays sport unused winches, hi-lift jacks, jerry cans, ladders, and multiple recovery hooks, often painted bright red. That is poser territory, and a growing segment.

 

[Late Boomer]

Then the stock tires had to be increased size-wise, to just not look ridiculous.

Recently I was in a car shop for rotation, a guy drove in on a lifted Toyota with large tires, one tire was flat. He did not have a spare. The clerk said, the shop does not have tires that are as obnoxiously big as his, and had to order it. $275 and a day for delivery. The guy came from out of state and had to find a motel to stay the night.

My small hatchback has a full-size spare in the trunk.

 

[dzkfraser]

Tundra looks ridiculous