I think it's funny that you overlooked vans like most people do. Vans make more sense for way more people than trucks and SUVs do. But they have a huge stigma attached to them and people don't want to look uncool.
Except vans aren't actually all that efficient, compare a Toyota Hiace VS Hilux, or ford Ranger vs Transit, and they are very similar in size and economy, with the Hilux actually being more efficient than the Hiace.
The biggest reason so many people have utes or pickups where I live is for towing, and the ability to carry five passengers and have luggage in a separate compartment.
I drive a van for work, and I'm well aware of how practical they are, but it only has one row of seats, can't tow bugger all, and would get stuck on wet grass.
There's plenty of work vans that are designed for a full 5 person crew. Vans can also easily tow whatever is needed for that crew, if the van was specced for it. It's like not all vans were created equal and thus there are vans out there that are not like your van.
My girlfriend's sister has a van she uses for Vanlife™ and that big stupid piece of lumbering shit gets stored 10 to 11 months of the year because driving it for regular things is totally unaffordable. It's just as gas inefficient and gigantic as the child killers.
Just fix the laws in the US, and pickups and trucks for personal use will be as about nonexistent as in Europe.
im not a particularly big car hater but i dont get why you guys dont have mini trucks in the us, just the egregiously huge f150s and stuff.
you guys even call them mini trucks, we just call them trucks. they cover most of what regular working people would use them for, are easier to drive and maintain and can even be more economical because they end up being lighter than cars. im not even talking about kei trucks just the regular, car sized, pickup trucks!
also a lot of the suvs, but especially crossovers ive been in are just as cramped as cars inside. whats the fucking point why the fuck do they even build them like this 🤪
Car manufacturers cheating fuel requirements. When I was younger I had a Ranger that is what I think you describe. It was an early 90s model. We had them at one point. Federal fuel efficiency standards gradually made it so that car makers had to make them more and more efficient, and ICE was just never going to get that efficient. Either by lobbying or whatever, the regulations made exceptions for larger trucks. Some people do need to pull trailers and haul big loads. So instead of trying to make an ICE achieve this standard they just made the trucks and SUVs bigger. Today’s ranger is nearly as big as the F150 and it’s bigger than an F150 from a few years ago. It’s just a bit narrower now.
What’s crazy to me is with them electrifying the F150 there’s a ton of demand for them to make a cheaper electric truck. An old ranger size truck on the MachE platform that could sell for $25-30k would be a wild success.
One of the biggest consumers of pickup trucks in the US are insecure men who want the biggest dumbest machine they can buy. My favorite thing to do when I see one is to make fun of how pristine the bed is, because they never actually use it. They're usually too jacked up to even use as an actual pickup truck anyway.
I don’t have a source on this but I think I’ve heard that a large demographic of SUV buyers are actually women; people who have all too much experience being vulnerable in city life, and want something that puts them in a protected position.
I have a civic and I'm looking to change for an old Ranger because I want to have a lightweight pickup I can use for everyday transport but also for turning into a camping/roadtrip vehicle. Like a Vanlife vehicle but without the stupidity of owning a gigantic, gas guzzling van that I will only use for getting to work most of the year. The plan is perfect in my mind except everyone is fighting over what are becoming very rare used small pickups because they just don't exist on the regular market anymore and no one intelligent, doing regular work, needs a big dumb child killer of a pickup that drinks $100 of gas a day to move a few tool boxes from point a to point b.
Anyway, it's frustrating that pickup trucks have become penis prosthetics for the insecure when the rest of us just need compact utility.
Truck owner here who had to move from an old Tacoma to 4wd. We would absolutely have a smaller truck if they were available.
Yeah, they have their place as working vehicles. Unfortunately too many are just pavement princess trucks. They might haul a few hundred pounds (not counting the driver) a few times a year.
It's the mindset of fear and envy that underpins consumerism that needs to change.
No, the huge american pickuptrucks does not have a place as working vehicles, the are too big and too fragile, get a WV Transport pickup or van, way more practical than a huge F-150 or similar
also consider a station wagon
Do they still make those?
It's been harder and harder to find them in North America over the last few years. I think in Canada its just the premium German manufacturers (Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche) and Volvo who still have them.
If I'm not mistaken, they still sell them in "big" numbers in the EU. The only car sold in the U.S that could be considered a "station wagon" is the Subaru Outback but the latest models have become way too bloated. Technically speaking, the "station wagon" (or "estate" if you're British) no longer exists since it has (mostly) merge with the equally abysmal "crossover."
According to my insurance company, not only is an Outback a station wagon, but so is my Forester. It gives me a nice discount.
I imagine it’s something silly, like fitting crossovers into an old category when determining rates
Subaru markets the Outback as an SUV, and has done since at least 2004.
The new ones are utterly hideous, I agree with that.
In europe they sell like crazy, the volvo V90 is cery popular, but even the WV Golf has a station wagon configuration
Someone looking to buy a car or any variety is not going to be swayed by online forum posts, unfortunately
*bakfiets. Don't forget the s.
It's a bike (fiets) with a bin/container (bak) in front of it.
Anyway, I think you're preaching to the choir here.
You're very much right. Like I said in the post, this was intended as something of a personal log entry rather than a thought-provoking discussion. I get very tempted to buy these pieces of shit when I know that I don't need them. I vaguely mentioned the "outdoors lifestyle" since that's one of the biggest appeals to consumers. What they fail to realize is that a mountain bike or even a simple hike offer a better off-roading experience. Also, thank you for the spell check.
I think you should live your dream and buy that Bronco. It'll take you places no pushbike will, and with more gear and food.
Or drive it to the trailhead, and continue on foot.
True, although these posts do reach /all from time to time.
Trucks don’t innately get worse mileage and not all trucks are big. Also, a new vehicle, including big trucks, will be better on the environment than a 20yr old wagon. Age is more relevant than model. You seem to be off track here.
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