Why We Can't Have Small Trucks Anymore - Blame the EPA

Ever wonder why we don't have any small, rugged trucks in the US anymore? Remember fondly those 80s Toyota trucks, the Ranger, the S-10, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, or Nissan Hardbodies?
It's not just consumer demand or companies driving for higher profits. Our EPA sets fuel economy standards that prohibit small trucks from meeting mileage requirements, as well as incentivizing larger trucks and SUVs with lower MPG requirements.
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[@Smedleydog1]

EPA: Your small truck doesn't get good enough fuel economy. Auto Manufacturer: Okay we'll make it bigger and get even worse fuel economy. EPA: That's better.

[@alansloan7784]

EPA, NHTSA, CAFE, and every other infringing bureaucracy---and 'law' on the books---, needs to be abolished. No more government restrictions on what vehicles the public WANTS to buy. This change is long overdue.....

[@_Circus_Clapped_]

​@@alansloan7784 there are politicians that say this every term and they get outshined by the "lesser of two evils" rhetoric

[@frontiervirtcharter]

@@alansloan7784 Clean air and water are things we all need. The problem isn't that we have regulations, the problem is that the guys who wrote them answer to the guy with the deepest pockets. The CAFE formula was a little too clever and the car companies are gaming the system. Tax vehicles based directly on how much pollution they put out, and how much wear&tear they put on the road.

[@mr.frandy7692]

fkn FED rtards. My dad had to deal with those a-holes. Half the time their solution was actually worse for the environment. Maybe they need to pay their employees more to attract smarter people.

[@jefftruckenbrodt2819]

And then let's mandate 10% ethanol for even worse fuel mileage...brilliant.

[@thepianist7084]

Those very small trucks in the 80s were very useful - especially for teenagers who did odd jobs such as mow yards, cleanup gutters, etc. etc. We used the heck out of these little trucks, which you could buy for a couple thousand or even like 1000 and we were pretty productive with them.

[@Rick-the-Swift]

Ah, back when teens were still expected to do manual labor...I remember those days...

[@p.chuckmoralesesquire3965]

boomer logic aside, the reason why car makers stopped making these is just like they stopped making the ford focus- because they can make boat loads more on massive $80K f150s. This has nothing to do with the "eViL EpA !!!! REEEEE" and more to do with capitalism LOL you dont see this kind of insane crap going on in Europe or China

[@Devious_Reviews]

My lawn care guys and some cleaners bring the little trucks to work. It's all they need to carry the essentials ~ a lawnmower, hedger clippers, weedwhacker, toolbox, and a gas can. There's no reason to have seating for 8 and 100ft² of space. If that's the case, buy a van.

[@thepianist7084]

@@Rick-the-Swift Ha ha yes those were good days. However, I do want to acknowledge that even today there are a lot of teens that are out working hard -- I hire my friends 3 teenage boys to work my 2-acre property and these boys can work! I have seen others in our neighborhood out mowing, digging, trimming, etc; It gives me hope for the future.

[@delucain]

​@@Rick-the-Swift Nothing has changed from those days except your memories. There were just as many slackers 1000 years ago, 100 years ago, 50 years ago. It's just a cognitive bias making you remember the "good" parts and not the "bad." And, there's a lot less incentive for teens to work now than there was 70-60 years ago (the time most people mean when they say "those days). Back then a summer job could enable a teenager to save enough money to pay for their entire college tuition, books, and meals for the coming year. Now, a summer job probably doesn't even pay enough to single semester's tuition at an instate university or community college. I'd also argue that forcing teens to do manual labor instead of focusing on education (high school, college, vocational training, or whatever) isn't a great use of their time. And, they're going to be stuck working for at least the next five decades of their life. Let them be kids and have fun for a couple years before the need to support themselves forces them into a lifetime of what is likely to be servitude to their corporate masters.

[@martinschulz9381]

Those old small pickups were very useful and were good commuter vehicles. We actually used the small trucks for what they were built for. Most of these modern monstrosity trucks are like luxury vehicles and are only used for things like grocery shopping and never leave the paved roads.

[@honkhonk8009]

Litterally. People only buy them cus its the only shit they have.

[@lucasellyson6872]

Pavement Princess is what I call them

[@DanBrando]

2023 trd Tacoma.. :) 4months old and just broken in at over 3k miles and I finally took it trailing with only 1 plus size tires installed and it does AMAZING. Definitely take it off road.. not bashing or “rock crawling” but off road on muddy gravel trails

[@rg58]

We had a small chain of parts stores and had a fleet of Nissan hardbodies, Ford Rangers, and Toyota pickups. They were extremely useful and much easier to get around town to deliver parts with than a full size truck. They easily hauled many items that would have ruined the inside of a small hatchback or other car. To those that say they are useless, you must have a small experience to pull from for your opinion.

[@danieldryden6644]

Those things cost 50,000-100,000 you wouldn't want to beat up a vehicle that costs that much money

[@ralphnorris-vk8ff]

It's not just small trucks, but try to get a work truck. If you want a single cab with crack windows, rubber floor mats for work, that a special order! Epa has nothing to do with that. It's profits!

[@Incomudro1963]

Prophet margins are huge (pardon the pun) on pickup trucks. The bigger the truck, the wider the margin.

[@chaunceyfeatherstone6209]

If you can't lay 20 4' X 8' sheets of 3/4 plywood FLAT with the TAILGATE CLOSED, it is NOT A TRUCK. Gimme a 68 GMC 3/4 ton with cupholders and bluetooth and i have all the high tech i need.

[@hhjhj393]

Yeah something tells me automanufacturers weren't upset that they were "forced" to make large expensive trucks lol. I did some research and I think this video is misleading. I doubt they wanted to sell reliable trucks, it's just that the Japanese FORCED them to because the Japanese started selling small trucks which were super successful. I did research and Japanese minitrucks were posing a threat so Chevy had their s10 and Ford had the Ranger but I guess they were still losing the competition. If knew the USA my guess is that they lobbied the government to be their defender for all this epa shenanigans. As usual the Japanese were playing the game fair and winning, so American companies just changed the rules and screw over the American consumer. Why be forced to sell small reliable trucks when you can instead use the government as your personal bully to FORCE the sale of expensive clunkers?

[@qoph1988]

It's not profits, profits come from selling a lot of a cheap thing that is easy to mass-produce e.g. cheap simple trucks without a ton of special options. Do you think that Rolex is a high-profit company just because the watches are expensive? No, they don't sell a lot of them. This is happening because you keep electing democrats and the democrats literally hate you and want to punish you for existing. That's why it is happening if you want it in short form

[@deanmartin2332]

You’re full of it. The Ford F-150 up to the 350 comes in XL trim. I own two.

[@guitarnerd19]

I’ve been telling people and complaining about this for years lol. I’m so tired of full size trucks being so big that the tailgate needs to turn into a staircase

[@BritonAD]

True! We had to install a step to get in the F-350. I still have my Ranger.

[@admez2680]

People's egos have far outgrown their legs 🦵 They're willing to get altitude sickness to show us all up.

[@ronn68]

😂

[@STSwhisperer]

Lol! The hoods and grills are so absolutely massive for no apparent reason. No reason a pickup truck front end needs to be the size of an eighteen wheeler’ hood

[@pleskbruce]

For some guys I think it makes them feel "Manly."

[@bonifer2000]

I'll never give up my 1988 Toyota pickup. Great on gas, fun to drive, and easy to work on

[@melvonnar1]

they will bury me with my 1985 toyota pu----i will never sell it. runs like new only 220,000 miles and 0 oil use

[@keithkeller377]

Same with my 89 toyota long bed! Body shot but very reliable!! @@melvonnar1

[@coryb8796]

@@melvonnar1I sold mine back in 2003, biggest mistake ever.

[@poodymeiner3125]

My cousin has an early 80s Toyota pickup as well. 3 engines and a few marriages later, it’s still going strong

[@monkeysign123]

I have a 1991 Toyota, 4 Cylinder, 2RE, over 360,000 miles on it. Yep, and I'm keeping it till I just can't drive anymore. I also have a 2000 Pre-Runner 4 Cylinder and a 2010 Forunner V-6, 4x4. I will never have to buy another vehicle again.

[@dodgeman338]

The little Toyota single cab stick shift diesel pickups we're absolutely awesome. Got great mileage. Super reliable. Very simple. I wish they would bring them back

[@ElizabethGreene]

I saw one of these with a Kubota agricultural diesel engine swap in it. That truck will still be going fifty years from now.

[@ahamsandwich588]

And I absolutely could this videos of more than a little bit of BS. A Cummins could have easily gotten him at 48 mph. On top of that you could just increase the wheelbase it's not hard. Triple on top of all of this, you could just put smaller engines an already existing. This guy is loosing the forest though the trees

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

If you think the regulations here are bad, start looking into why we don't have smaller trucks with diesels anymore.

[@barefoofDr]

I had that exact truck and put 450,000 miles on it.

[@diegosuarez1563]

This is why I held on to my Dakota. Still runs like a champ. Anything breaks, i fix it right away.

[@Zotbot2329]

And there is the rub..

[@davidjones809]

I too, will hang on to my 94 Dakota that I bought new. It is only 30 years old!

[@keithdolezel]

Same with my 93 Nissan D21 Hardbody

[@mcyclonegt]

Except every Dakota I have owned got less than 20mpg.

[@dennisgoodnight2029]

​@@mcyclonegtsame here.

[@curtgomes]

In 1983 I bought a new Isuzu. I drove it for 15 years. It was a great truck. It came at a time in my life when money was extremely tight. It was 100% reliable and helped me in so many ways. It got really good mileage....

[@harukrentz435]

Its the best.

[@davidbarts6144]

A similar story exists when it comes to smaller, more affordable houses: virtually nobody builds them anymore because regulations make it uneconomical. Sad, and it shows just how detached the system is from serving the needs of many citizens.

[@gomahklawm4446]

That's called bribery. Sorry, "corporate lobbying". It should be a capital offense.

[@mj_b23]

Well said. The county Im in wants all newer houses to be at least 1200 sq ft. They can't tax smaller homes as much.

[@jhoughjr1]

@@mj_b23 lol 1200 sq feet is not a large home. Pretty damn average here in the US, outside of a city hellhole. Thats a cheap two bedroom apt even.

[@mj_b23]

@@jhoughjr1 Never said 1200 sq ft was large. However, if I want to build an 800 sq ft house, I should be able to. My land, my choice.

[@lucasward9506]

@@jhoughjr1 yes, but if you were a college student or young adult would you rather live alone or with one roommate in a 600-800 sq ft house that was super cheap or would you rather live in a full sized house with 6 roommates whilst still struggling to make rent? Different people have different housing needs, the government should not regulate that so that Karen's property value remains high.

[@mapquestHs]

I would totally buy a basic little truck! I want crank down windows and a 5 speed manual. Had a base model hardbody and it was one of the best trucks that I’ve owned. Simple = less problems

[@drjohnsonhungwell5115]

I like them too I have my father's 91 Nissan hardbody 4 cyl with 131,000 miles and it's the perfect daily driver and errand runner , they'd probably sell them fast if they made those simple economical trucks again.

[@xscorpx]

​@@drjohnsonhungwell5115where do you live because those all rusted away years ago in the northeast, reliable or not the rust killed them.

[@drjohnsonhungwell5115]

@@xscorpx Southwest Georgia and the truck has been in Georgia it's whole life has zero rust a laser straight body and completely stock and unmolested .

[@drjohnsonhungwell5115]

@@xscorpx My D21 hardbody has the KA24E automatic column shift swb AC, PS, PB burgundy interior velour seats and carpet but radio and tachometer delete I'm going to give it a restoration it would take very little just a repaint other than that it's in great shape .

[@thomasmcmullen4523]

Another reason they don't want you to fix them yourselfs.

[@cranecams6784]

Cash for Clunklers took so many classic, cool trucks away forever 😢

[@xkidmidnightx]

Obama ruined so many things.

[@corvetcoyote443]

There should be a special place in hell for those that made that happen,they wanted me to trade in my 79 Bonneville, I said you wish!

[@rods.3245]

Obama's baby.

[@gregorylyon1004]

This was a government scam to get poor people to trade in good running vehicles that were heading straight to the crusher. Less vehicles means a higher price per vehicle

[@stuartashworth1866]

@@rods.3245 And free cell phones and switching to digital cable TV boxes.

[@richardjones9282]

I remember in the mid 1980’s those small trucks were advertised on TV for around $5,500.00. It’s crazy to look back at how affordable those trucks were.

[@ElizabethGreene]

The Wuling Zhengtu is under $10k. If GM sold those here at that price, they'd be the #1 truck on the road.

[@tranger4579]

Bought my ranger for 10,000 around 98

[@tylertrego1276]

​@tranger4579 if they sold a truck even double that price now it would be a steal.

[@-__-_-_--__--_-__-_____--_-___]

$5500 in 1989 is equal to $13533 in 2023 by inflation alone

[@chublez]

​@tranger4579 98 Ranger msrp was $11,995-20k adjusted to 2023 that's $22,452-37,436. New Rangers start at $27,400 which is admitted about $2,600 more 1998 dollars than they used to start. I think if you park a pristine 1998 ranger next to a 2023 ranger and tell me I can have either the 98 for free or the 23 for $5k I'll buy the 23 all day. It's easily twice the truck. Has features that didn't exist in 98, makes more power than the f150 of the day, uses less fuel than many of the cars of the day, safer than just about anything from a quarter century ago, and while you head and the sand guys will doubt it to yer graves modern vehicles are in general leagues more trouble free and reliable than that junk y'all got rose tinted glasses for. The reason you could "fix it easy with a simple screwdriver" is cause you had too, constantly, nearly from day 3.

[@Nidhoggrr]

I'm pretty sure these "standards" are also there to completely crush the foreign market for small trucks (aka literally all trucks from Japan). I live in a rural area and almost everyone has one of those small Japanese "mini trucks" now that they are legal to import.

[@guildrich]

*_"...now that they are legal to import."_* And rescinding in 3,2,1,...

[@Nidhoggrr]

@@lunarvvolf9606 What gets me is the prices for vehicles that used to be cheaper cars for the working person, that are now selling in the same ranges as luxury brands but they are still just normal cars.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

​@@guildrichloads of them have fallen outside the 25 year rule for safety requirements, they've become very common. For 10k or less in most of the US, you can obtain one with the necessary paperwork to title in the states that allow them to be titled as regular vehicles. In my state they can be registered really easy as farm vehicles but have limitations to speed and travel range. They also allow them to be registered as regular vehicles here as well.

[@xzqzq]

Cute little things. Wouldn't mind trying one.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

@@xzqzq if you can get used to being on the wrong side of the truck, they're handy to have! Especially if you're in a state that's willing to give them a conventional registration. Less expensive than a side by side, but they do have their hindrances, if you're not willing or capable of working on it yourself, maintenance and repairs can be difficult to go about, even finding parts can be iffy. But they can be had, and they can be pheasible for some folks. I personally have been keeping an eye out for one in my area for the right one. My boss bought a terrible one and ended up getting rid of it because he didn't quite fit, he's like 6'2"

[@heribertonevarez-m4f]

In Mexico they use and sell those very small trucks with 4 cylinder diesel engines. They're very economical and very strong trucks.

[@sumblwnup8695]

Toyota hilux with its diesel engine is one I want to have but can’t here in the U.S, it’s as expensive as the Toyota Tacoma I think even with the chicken tax so it may be worth getting it

[@codyofathens3397]

​@@sumblwnup8695are you allowed to buy one in Mexico and bring it into the US?

[@sumblwnup8695]

@@codyofathens3397 i think so, i know there’s a hilux in the U.S somewhere that’s being driven legally, i think they don’t sell it because it would take away from the tacoma, even tho the tacoma is also sold in mexico

[@ralan350]

EPA is trying to kill diesels here as well

[@22addict40]

There’s plenty of hilux’s here in the USA. I don’t know what or how you get them, haven’t tried or looked very hard, but whistling diesel has a few of them and others have videos of theirs. Something worth looking into. Heck even if it costs less than a Maverick let’s say then it would be worth the price. Toyota and a diesel, you can’t beat that for a SMALL truck.🙏🏻🇺🇸💯🤙🏻

[@sethlavinder]

My first truck was a 93 Toyota 4x4 standard cab, 5 speed 22RE 4cyl , the only OPTION was air conditioning (which I consider essential) it was a pretty great truck! It would go anywhere and do ANYTHING my 18 yr old self was dumb enough to ask it to do! Now on the highway it didn’t have enough power to get out of its own way but it was able to do real work! Which is exactly what many need BADLY these days! A cheap affordable to own and maintain reliable truck capable of doing work!

[@JamesPilkenton-se5cx]

Hallelujah ! The man speaks sense. I too had a 93 Toyota 4x4 that I drove all over for years. G. Finally the frame rotted out so I have to my brother.

[@shaidyn8278]

I'm very glad this video crossed my path. About 6 months ago I started looking for a truck to do dump runs, and in my head, I was envisioning those small trucks from the 80s and I was confused why I couldn't find them. Now I know!

[@tntgoboom98]

After inheriting my '97 T100 from my grandpa I will never buy a "new" truck. It has an 8 foot bed that will fit everything and anything I would practically need, and is perfectly sized for most every road. I don't have to worry about the width of the road because it is about as wide as any other modern sedan, but the only problem I have with it is finding replacement parts. It just seems the whole point of a truck has been lost in the last few decades, it's just supposed to be a car you can throw more shit, instead of people, into. (unless you have your buddies ridding in the back.)

[@northdakotaham1752]

Ford missed the boat by having never put an 8 foot bed on a Ranger.

[@AidanS99]

Sometimes I really hate when people don’t understand the consequences of their actions. The road to hell really is paved with good intentions.

[@WaitWhatsMyName]

"They" know exactly what they are doing

[@andrewgreeb916]

Good intentions, like those people actually have any

[@JohnMoses1897]

This is known as "The Law of Unintended Consequences" Politician's & lawyer's ignore & don't care.

[@thebestSteven]

"There are no such thing as solutions, only trade-offs." -Thomas Sowell

[@matthewchavezm.b.s5503]

Its the monkey helping the fish by putting the fish safely in a tree where it will be safe. As humans, its all about the help. But most people are giving harmful help.

[@ernestgibson8792]

i was in the market for a newer car and this video explains a lot. wondering why i couldnt find a small truck and why the ones from the 90s are still selling for around $12000.

[@AlexeiTetenov]

I also would love to buy a small pickup truck, to haul small loads, and something that would actually fit inside my 1922 garage.

[@Underpantsniper]

Buy a lower mileage 03 frontier single cab. I did and it fits great in my older small garage.

[@tommywatterson5276]

My father in law had a Dodge / Mitsubishi Dakota pickup 2 door basic truck. 4 cylinder 5 speed stick in the floor. Looks like the one in your picture. The family used that truck for years putting it through everything you could throw at it. You couldn't hurt it if you tried. Pulling trailers loaded with the truck bed loaded. There was nothing that little truck couldn't do. Gas mileage was high too. He kept it for years.

[@BigWheel.]

The only surviving examples of early dakotas I'll find are thr v6/v8 models. Those were the ones people saved and bought more of. Hence the push to more opulent vehicles.

[@danielbackley9301]

And if it had the V-6 it drove like a sports car when empty and could haul as much as a 1500.

[@sydecarnutz972]

Mitsubishi didn't make the Dakota. They made the older D50 trucks for Dodge. I had an '81 D50 base model when I was a young man. Very capable and economical little truck. But the single wall bed was easily damaged from the inside. In that respect, it was a cheap truck.

[@pattrick9490]

I have an 89 dodge ram 50 . Still running strong. 4cly. It's taken lots of hard use and shrugs it off. Best thing I ever did to it was yank that pos mikumi carb off and replace it with a weber 2bbl. The mileage went from an abysmal 19 to 23 mpg to 30 to 33 mpg.. Hell yes bring these vehicles back.

[@tommywatterson5276]

@@sydecarnutz972 the truck was made by Dodge in a joint venture with a Mitsubishi I thought. The engine bay had Mitsubishi labels and markings in it. I guess Mitsubishi supplied the engines then.

[@RonCurrie-dq3wx]

I loved my 2000 Nissan reg cab, 4 cyl, stick. I got about 28 mpg and was happy with that. Maintenance was easy and cheap. I considered trading it in but there was nothing on the market that was even close anymore. Now I know why, thanks. Btw - My dad now drives that truck with over 200,000 miles on it.

[@jackfunk5765]

I had a Nissan hardbody that went 400000. Change the oil regular and don't over rev it and it will go at least that far.

[@Pslytely_Psycho_GreybeardGamer]

Ah hell, that things got at least another 200,000 in it! Literally unkillable...😂

[@noseboop4354]

Consider importing a truck from the Philippines, they still have small economical trucks (mostly japanese made).

[@kkarllwt]

I drove hardbodies for 20 years. Bought a new one in 86. 12 years 183 k miles. SCRAP. Third one, 14 years, 84k miles. SCRAP. Holes in the frame I could put my hand into. Chicago area.

[@RonCurrie-dq3wx]

@@kkarllwt I've heard that can be a problem where the roads are salted but here in the Phoenix area we don't worry about rust. The only time we see rusted vehicles are when they've come down from up north or if they parked them in their yard for 50 years. I expect when my dad is done with it I may just drive it to Chicago and sell it for a boatload of money.😁

[@awh5773]

i really miss my 1977 Datsun 620 truck. it would cost $13.00 to fill it up to the gas cap , and i could go from just north of Dallas Texas all the way down to Houston Texas and once i got there i still had an 8th of a tank to run around on. i really miss that truck

[@lexteakmialoki5544]

It's unfortunate that when they come up with these rules, there isn't a single brain cell in the room that can see the obvious unintended consequences.

[@TheNwr1]

Well, there probably are plenty of people who can see the consequences, but either they don’t have the power to change things, or they want such consequences to occur.

[@geraldscott4302]

Small 2 door trucks with long beds and bench seats are one of the most useful vehicles ever made. I bought a 1977 Datsun base model (no radio, no A/C, no anything really) in 1981, and kept it for 12 years. It had a manual transmission, so it was pretty much a 2 passenger vehicle. I used it as a daily driver, I hauled stuff with it, I towed stuff with it, I put a camper shell on it and towed a small fishing boat behind it, I absolutely loved that truck, except for it's lack of A/C. I live in AZ, and you really do need A/C here. I sold it with around 160K miles on it, and it was still running like new. I now have a 1984 Chevy S-10 long bed, bench seat, 2.8L V6 automatic, WITH A/C. I plan to keep it for the rest of my life, even if that means replacing the engine, transmission, and whatever else it takes to keep it going. You couldn't GIVE me an EV. As far as I am concerned they are absolute GARBAGE. I spent 41 years as an auto mechanic, and my hobby is vintage cars/trucks. My whole life revolves around internal combustion. I also don't consider anything with 4 doors to be a truck. To me a truck is intended to haul stuff, not passengers. My S-10 will carry three passengers, if I need more than that, I'll take the car. A HUGE 4 door vehicle that can only carry 4 passengers, with a 4 foot long bed that is barely bigger than the trunk on my Ford Crown Vic (which can actually carry 6 passengers) does not fit my definition of a truck. You could haul more stuff in my former '77 Datsun with the long bed than you can in one of those 4 foot beds.

[@noseboop4354]

Good on you running that truck as long as possible. If ever you have to replace it, consider importing one from the Philippines where small economical trucks are still the norm (mostly japanese brands).

[@natecus4926]

I’ve been wondering why trucks keep getting bigger, thanks for the great info

[@johndoe6032]

There's nothing in their formula about height, and that's the worst part about modern pickup trucks. They can still make pickups the same size as the old days, but that's not what people want. They want giant ego monsters to drive on their office commutes. He admitted as much when he said they could still make the same style trucks as the old days, but that's not what consumers really want. So at the end of the day, the real blame is the people, not "big gubbermint"

[@davelindstrom6005]

@@johndoe6032 - it's both, actually. It's both.

[@TheGreenTaco999]

​@@davelindstrom6005Johndoe made an argument, you didn't. He's right, actually. He's right.

[@davelindstrom6005]

@@TheGreenTaco999 - And... your point would be? johndoe presented an opinion. I did not disparage it. I simply added to it, expanded the discussion. You may leave now.

[@andrewt.5567]

Big may help on safety requirements, and bigger also sells at a higher price. If you make say 20% profit on every sale you might as well make as big of a vehicle as you can. 20% of a $25k trucks is worth 3x less than 20% of a $75k truck.

[@JoeyShip]

I think that if car manufacturers came out with a sub $25k pickup (OTD), something like the old s10 or Ranger from the late 90s, they would be massive hits. Perfect for the city. Perfect for first vehicles for college students and working late-high school students. Great secondary vehicles for modest homeowners who don’t need $70-$80k trucks. Yes the immediate cost would be substantial because there are no real platforms for them in the US, but after that the manufacturing would be cheap. I wonder if a standard bed that can be extended to a long bed, but the extension can be easily removed by the owner, is a possible cheat code here…like those fold down style extensions..?

[@quantumphaser]

The grills on full size trucks today are bigger than the truck beds on compact trucks of the 80s and 90s.

[@jimmyclaxton6763]

I own a 1989 Mazda B2200 pickup. I bought new in 89. I love that truck and I still drive it. I have wondered for years why they don’t make small trucks anymore. I believe there is a big market for small trucks.

[@richardthompson6366]

Way back when I had an 86 Mazda B2000, 4cyl manual 5speed with the long box, loved that truck.

[@Troy_Built]

Thank you for breaking this down. I've known it was the EPA size rules but never knew any specifics.

[@AllCarswithJon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@haroldgreen1425]

I restored an 81 vw diesel pickup. Love it. 45 mpg and I can haul 700 lbs in the bed and forget there's a load in there. Best part there's not a single chip in it. Even mechanical injection pump. Five speed so although it's not fast it is fun to drive. 700 mile range on one 14.5 gallon tank of fuel. I normally use it as a farm truck and it's great for running up to the nearest town for feed or other items that are too difficult to carry in my jeep.

[@KingDavid314]

It's true that the new small trucks are the size of an older full size truck. I had a 92 Sonoma, 5 speed with a v6 & that truck ran like a champion.

[@EricGrumling]

A friend of mine owns a malaise era F-100. First time I saw it I mistook it for a Ranchero. Then I thought he slammed it or something. Nope, all stock. No running boards needed, no ladder tailgate, just a nice useful vehicle.

[@annie31781302]

0-60 in nine hours

[@jeffwright9431]

In 1970 I was a lot boy for a Honda motorcycle dealer in the south bay area of Los Angeles. Our company truck was a Datsun 1200cc with a four speed as I remember. I could haul two crated Honda 750 bikes strapped into the back of that little truck. If wasn't fast or quick but it was loud and bumpy. We totally abused that little truck picking up and delivering bikes for the dealership. The manager was a great guy and on Sunday and Monday we were allowed to haul our own bikes to the desert with it. Great adventure for teenagers and we didn't mind the ride or the accoustics. I think new they were about $1,200.

[@billybo889]

Not a pickup truck. But I've owned a 1986 isuzu trooper for 2 years now and its the best truck I've ever had. Big enough to haul tools/parts/building supplies. Small enough to park in compact parking spaces. Tight turning radius too. I love that truck

[@jacobjamar]

I never thought of this. I thought people were just getting more douchy, which they are.. Some really don't know how to drive bigger vehicles.. Great video!

[@RareGenXer]

😂

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

It's all a small penis thing. The manufacturers could get this changed in a heartbeat but they know, big truck means big penis. The US is a really stupid country.

[@RoboRoby321]

A big issue is a lot of people get the huge trucks for their first car, do they don't learn easily how to change their perspective so they can estimate the dimensions of the car they are in. Much easier to learn that ability in a small car where you can actually see the road close to you

[@christopherconard2831]

I do miss my old Ranger Splash clone. Completely 90's, but very practical. As a side note, Motorweek is doing another retro marathon this weekend. 1984-2006 I believe. Lots of nostalgia for long ago cars we can't have anymore. Though some are better forgotten.

[@ETT64]

I had a '94 Splash. Loved that truck. It fit my needs almost perfectly. At a mere 250k miles. I was done in by a PENNDOT dump truck running a stop sign. PENNDOT dump truck driver was 100% at fault. He got ticketed; not me. Totaled my Splash. AND for nearly a year; PA kept threatening to suspend my license until I pay for the damage to their dump truck. It had to get a lawyer to get them off my back.

[@ForSureNotACop]

This drives individual purchasers to the extremes of small or large vehicles, resulting in anyone needing hauling or towing capability to buy large. Since most Americans want those capabilities periodically in their lives, people buy bigger vehicles. I think this actually causes the population to burn more gas, which isn't accounted for at all in EPA standards.

[@augustolobo2280]

Here in Brazil there are plenty of very popular small trucks. Probably the most famous is the VW Saveiro, it's basically the size of a normal car but it has a bed. Two doors, two seats. You can actually carry a lot of things around. There is also the Fiat Strada, which also has a 4 door version, but still is the size of a compact car. Fiat has the Toro, which is a bigger truck, but nothing as big as a RAM 3500 or a Ford Ranger. Of couse there is Chevrolet Montana, which in my opinion is the best looking and a compact truck. There is the Renault Oroch, small truck too. And something really cool that exist here and I don't know if it exists in the US is cargo cars. In Brazil the most famous is the Fiat Fiorino, which is basically a Strada with it's bed covered, forming something like a mini-mini-van. There is the Peugeot Partner too and I think Renault has it's own also. They're widely used by small companies such as stores and local supermarkets to transport good around the city. Other thing widely used here are the super useful and compact Hyundai and Kia kei trucks. Companies use is up and down all around to make deliveries such as some construction material, supermarket goods etc.

[@JeffPerry-m3s]

Loved my dad's little 1981 Toyota SR5...I learned to drive on it as a teen.

[@Kimball-uw1cz]

And there are still people out there who believe that, if not for government, everything would be worse. No. As economist Milton Friedman once remarked: “If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.” There is nothing that more government involvement can't make worse than it has to be.

[@dedrakuhn6103]

Thanks for this wonderful video. I've been frustrated by the increasing size of trucks and after watching this it now makes sense

[@TighelanderII]

I always thought the reason was the same one that I read in "The Decline and Fall of the American Automotive Industry" - which is "We can make more money from making a big truck. So why would we make a small truck?"

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

I get people are (rightfully so) upset that there is so much red tape to make these vehicles. You gotta wonder tho, if the market wants big trucks, why make little ones, and if there was such a demand for small trucks to start with, surely the automakers would be trying to make vehicles to fill the demand right? Didn't ford release a small truck here recently, the Maveric?

[@TighelanderII]

@@sterlingodeaghaidh5086 Is the Maverick really small?

[@SaturnVII]

​@@TighelanderIIno it's not small.

[@bwmedina]

Fascinating, usually the explanation you see is “changing consumer tastes.” I miss my 2001 single cab S-10 and would totally buy a small truck if they ever started making them again.

[@AllCarswithJon]

Well, I did a sequel to this video where I talked about other factors such as the chicken tax and changing consumer tastes! And it's true, many truck buyers want ever-bigger trucks. But the small-end of the market has been neglected for many years, and I think there's a huge unsatisfied demand out there.

[@SADFORIAN]

Loved my 85 S-10, 4 cylinder with a stick. Used it for light commercial work in the early 90s and got paid 25 cents a mile by my employer to drive it thousands of miles a year doing service, absolutely cleaning up with the 30mpg it got. It even towed a utility trailer with a one-man Genie lift without a problem.

[@JR-kk6ce]

Great video. Other side effects of the CAFE standards are such things as parking space size and road width. My son has a home in Cape Coral, Florida where the roads were built back in the 60s and 70s. The vehicles are so wide now that that it is difficult to fit two vehicles side by side on a road. Same with parking spaces in condo buildings. They are not wide enough to accommodate side by side parking.

[@robformica5394]

Cars were really big in the 70s though.

[@tim3172]

So you're saying that the standard 80" wide vehicles of the 1970's are somehow wider than, say, a 77.5" Grand Cherokee? The widest vehicle on sale today is the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ at 82.6". Even a Ford Raptor is 79" wide. A 1970 Buick Wagon is 80". The 1960 ford is 81.3" 1960 Buick Electra at 80.7". Etc. Etc.

[@zachary9925]

I inherited an S10 from my grandpa. It's 24 years old now and it basically stays parked in my garage in great condition. Every time I take it out and about dudes always offer to buy it, or want to look it over. It's one of my favorite possessions.

[@ironwillauthor114]

I daily drive my 91 s15. Best vehicle ever made

[@Tylerd838]

I’ll take it and put a 12 inch lift on it with mud boggers and a nice cam

[@trillmixin6999]

​@@Tylerd838please dont

[@OddTimeMan]

The Jeep Gladiator is probably the closest thing we have to a mini truck. I have a 2000 GMC C3500HD dually and it looks tiny compared to new trucks today.

[@Frank_Starkly]

This was perfect, I've been looking for a little truck and while looking I've been scratching my brain trying to understand why trucks are so fricken big now. I hope your video gets millions of views!

[@dwmcever]

Because no one wants a 2 seater 4x4 anything.

[@mirozen_]

@@dwmcever You mean no one that wants to buy a truck to attempt to look "cool". For those who actually want a "working" truck and want more of what a truck is actually supposed to provide may consider extra cab space as a waste.

[@GLHS592]

One thing I've noticed is the Maverick is hard to find, but you can find other Ford products, based on that same platform, at any dealership. I don't think Ford wants to sell Mavericks. I am sure that truck was about CAFE standards and I think it's possible they lose money on them.

[@AllCarswithJon]

It definitely feels like they're restricing production on it. Absolutley.

[@juanfo7307]

They are restricting supply to keep price high

[@fortheloveofnoise]

They don't want it to outsell the F150.

[@Bonanzaking]

Uhh they had a lot and I mean a lot of issues making them in Mexico that slowed down the process. Coupled with the overwhelming demand. Pretty much most people that have had an old ranger has been eyeing one.

[@STho205]

It is a loss leader. The base model old Ranger of 1988 for $8999.99 was too. F150 and 250 sales have been slumping as prices kept rising. The new Ranger has never sold well. You see hype about a "truck" for 19,999.00 in 2022 then you go to see one. We don't have any, but this Ranger at 40k over here is really a better buy, has mfg rebates bringing it down to 37500...and we're offering a lower interest rate for "Loyal Customers" like you. A tale as old as time.... Beauty and THE BEAST.

[@LebronPhoto1]

This is incredibly educational. I took a class in college titled "Technology and Society" and unintended consequences was a big part of the discussion. For every technological advancement, which included improvements in processes and regulations, there was always some unintended consequence the creators never thought of. This is the reason government should be slow and deliberate (except in extreme emergencies) vs. constantly reacting in a knee jerk type of way. In short, what has happened is that the current regulations have taken us to a place where the technological gains in fuel economy are not realized because automobiles have gotten bigger and heavier, requiring more HP and therefore less efficiency. It's not only the CAFE standards but also the added safety standards, as well as additional technology that is more consumer driven.

[@whogavehimafork]

Even with full size trucks the weight has increased a significant amount. I have a short bed 89 Dodge D-150 with a 318 V8 in it and it weighs around 3500-3800 pounds. A brand new base model regular cab Ram is a minimum of 1500 pounds heavier.

[@Jack_Stafford]

THANK YOU for explaining this, I would never buy a 4-door family truck. I do like the concept of a compact truck with an extended/plus/king cab for a little bit of inside storage, and for a few years these seemed to take the place of some of the two-door coupes that many young guys drove. The four doors are very much larger with wasted space that would never be used and are aimed at families or work crews. I drove a friend's Ford ranger with a plus cab one time, and it had a wonderful cushy velour interior and I really was impressed at how much it felt almost like a large luxury car. Plus utility. But I have zero interest in a much larger 4-door truck made for a family when I really just would like a smaller pickup (with room for 3 in a pinch) and with some inside storage without the full entire back seat seat , doors, windows, size and expense that I do not want and will not pay for.

[@JamesFlynn-np7sq]

You can custom order a regular cab with the 8' bed. I had a four door F-150 for a bit, the back seats folded completely out of the way, giving a nice indoor space to stash stuff or roll out a sleeping bag. It was decent that way, but the bed was a bit small for me. I bought an older regular cab long bed because I didn't want to deal with the salespeople and finance office at the dealer.

[@The1Corrupted]

I had no idea about these CAFE regulations. Thanks for the great video!

[@AllCarswithJon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheHectate]

Thanks for the video! One thought that comes to my mind is the proper solution is simply to change the penalty so that it's an inversion of the MPG required. Simply put, you can make larger vehicles with worse MPG targets, but for every bit you go over it costs you more the worse the overall MPG is. Build a small truck with good MPG instead? The penalty should be almost non-existent because your MPG is so much better.

[@blakelzbentley]

The EPA is a joke

[@k.b.tidwell]

Thanks for this. I've been saying for two years if they'd make a basic manual everything truck that wasn't so tall you need a tailgate with a ladder in it (an engineered problem and its solution), I'd buy one in a minute. As it stands I'll keep buying older trucks because...it's just a truck.

[@loggerchadwake7141]

Awesome video, so we made a law to save gas mileage by forever building larger and larger vehicles. Got it! Sounds genius.

[@BromanP47]

Considering the smaller trucks from the 1990s and earlier got far less fuel mileage than the modern day trucks that are nearly twice their size.... I would say it was a pretty good move to increase fuel efficiency

[@zantarstone4971]

No we made a law to keep smaller forgien made autos out of the us market to keep the big three us makers still the big three lol just made it look like it was for the best intrest of the enviroment not the pocket book

[@marcosozzi749]

It is truly a sad state of affairs. Those small trucks were so very practical. My dad, my uncles, my cousins, and myself all owned one. They were highly fuel efficient & were used in many different ways. I truly hope that subaru, mazda, ford & chevy bring back a modern version of those tiny trucks. Ford's new Maverick is still too big. The old ford courier & chevy's luv were perfect sized trucks for non-contractor types like myself that just needed to bring home some items from their local hardware store (as opposed to ruining our nice cars to do that sort of stuff).

[@rmrandy]

EPA & FHSA exempting " trucks" back in the 1980s is why we all drive SUVs and minivans instead of the old station wagons.

[@aidan4472]

11:30 note: with Tesla’s innovation of turning the floor into a battery tray, the bigger the footprint, the bigger the range. So I feel even EVs having small trucks might be a problem, at least for the near future, with the whole “never have to charge this again” battery life race that was going on between EV companies

[@Zackrobotheart]

probably won't be tesla doing it unless regulators also stop incentivizing all evs to be so heavy they count as commercial vehicles for rebate purposes. I also think the full length of the bed being space for batteries likely offsets this issue somewhat, especially when a small truck is particularly not suited to long haul road trips in the first place.

[@flower2289]

Coming from the govt.this does not surprise me. There is no way a larger truck is more climate friendly than a small truck. For somebody who wants a truck to use as a truck I am surprised there is not a larger demand for single cab long bed trucks. How else can you haul 4x8 sheets of plywood, sheetrock, etc.? Manufacturers also need to bring back vent windows. For moderately hot days those are just as good as running your ac. And that saves gas. I love my vent windows so much that I just keep rebuilding my 1988 F150 instead of buying a newer truck with no vent windows. Sitting next to a new F150 my old F150 looks like a miniature truck (and my truck is 5800 lbs. GVW). The EPA needs to be completely gutted and started again from scratch.

[@therealmccoy33]

I love my small truck. 2005 Ranger, regular cab, V6, manual transmission, 2 wheel drive. Thanks for the video! I was wondering why they all started making trucks larger, figured it was a silly reason.

[@josephoberlander]

The issue is that consumers won't buy a "truck" with a little 1.x liter engine and a turbo as it's not "powerful enough". So given that even an I4 is seen as weak by most people, what else were they supposed to do? I guess they could build a 2.0L V8, but that's silly.

[@therealmccoy33]

@@josephoberlander I agree with you. I was referring to the EPA standards as being silly. They made it nearly impossible for anyone to achieve their requirements.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Even the Ranger isn't a small truck. That's the same vehicle as the Explorer, with a different body. It displaced Ford's Mazda-built Courier, probably for the reasons stated in the video. I used to have a Courier. Great vehicle.

[@BrightBlueJim]

@@josephoberlander If that's so, why were they so popular while they were being built?

[@josephoberlander]

@@BrightBlueJim They were popular, but only to a point. Almost everyone wanted a V6 if they could get it. Base models and small displacement ones didn't sell well, based on public perception, and you can see it currently in the GMC Terrain. It is a nice quiet vehicle, has enough power, and a great 9 speed transmission. And yet the press and every reviewer flogs it mercilessly, then tosses it in the dungeon for a week without food and parades it around in front of the town naked for good measure about how it is "underwhelming" "slow" and "has a tiny engine" (as if displacement means anything). The vehicle is fine, has a very soft ride, and is quiet. Not too dissimilar from old mid-size SUVs from the 90s. The RAV4 is similar. But sales? Both are struggling as everyone is worshiping power and speed and all of that despite the fact that 99% of them will never actually floor the accelerator in their life.

[@cameronmills8453]

I wish I was born in the era of the affordable pickup. The EPA is ruining cars and trucks in the United States.

[@DarkShadowCustoms]

This video showed up on my suggested videos and it helps me understand why we no longer have the small trucks of the 80's and 90's.

[@rodeowerewolf3004]

Thank you for making this video...i can't tell you how many times i have seen new trucks without a single cab and going ...nope.

[@GeekBoyMN]

Another example of Reagan's quote from the 80s about how scary it is hearing "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help." I'm no Republican but those words ring true to this day.

[@cyrysvonnachtseite4546]

The Ranger. Dakota and S-10 mini pickups were awesome with an 8 ft bed …. They ran great without the catalytic converters…. Better milage. My 1992 Dakota with the 318 was unbeatable

[@MudbrookHHC]

I'd like to see compact extended cab truck with the bulletproof 3.8L (33+MPG) that was in the Buick LeSabre. With the lower weight I bet it would meet the requirements.

[@jacobnauman5801]

I'd love for there to be a brand new truck with the small size, physical dials instead of a screen, manual windows. Basically just an old truck, but with good headlights and brand new.

[@ryanrhodes3909]

Prices for imported JDM trucks has skyrocketed the last few years because they are basically the last available opinions to meet the needs of this market. Plus people seem to be collecting them too.

[@jeolman1]

Our government hates the little guy. The EPA is a bloated Bureaucracy that really needs to go!

[@mikem.8487]

A large percentage of the people these days and the government are screwed up.

[@mikebergman1817]

Absolutely right.

[@johngalt97]

Way too many people *work* government jobs, these days. We need to disallow people from voting in elections at whatever level of government from which they get their paychecks, otherwise its like people voting for their own salaries and raises. This would gives us a chance at keeping government down to a more reasonable size.

[@mikem.8487]

@@johngalt97 You're absolutely right about that !

[@davidjohnston5436]

It's called corporate capture. This is what happens when you allow fossil fuel companies and auto manufactures unlimited spending on electing congress people. There is a revolving door between government and corporations that needs to be shut. You can't allow the fox to watch the hen house and expect anything other than what you have. There is a huge market for small plain, efficient work vehicles. Read the comments here. Connect the dots.

[@gordonwallin2368]

Don't buy a new vehicle.Rebuild and repair. Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.

[@djt8518]

I drive a 91 GMC Sonoma ext cab 6 ft bed 4.3 had it since 95 over 300tho. Mi I try to keep it running rust is the thing it's big enough

[@four-eight-zero5627]

Yup. Rebuilt an '93 K1500 GM pickup. It drinks gas. Only 500 miles on a new drivetrain. Performs better than when it left the factory.. and I will not be getting stuck off-road or int the snow. Screw the EPA, Screw the dealerships, Srecw the banks.

[@albertobarrios6276]

Bro really said "you can stop the video here" no bro you deserve my full attention

[@1000sister]

Keeping my 2008 Ford Ranger forever! 😊

[@tightwadtv3421]

Finally, somebody got this right! Sadly as soon as the public pushes back on this, they will only regulate more to "fix" their errors. The vehicles will only get worse until these regulations get walked back.

[@tedfort1698]

It's a hard balance. Without regulation I doubt any advances in emissions reductions would ever occur, so some regulation is certainly necessary. It just needs to be carefully worded.

[@Gary-t9v]

What would happen if they could somehow bring back the el camino or even the rampage? Just the basics 2 doors no carpet no AC crank windows, just a foot or so of storage behind the seats, maybe 2 litre ICE engine. This would be on my wish list.

[@TrentCantrell]

Great explanation. I was shopping for a new pickup to replace my 2001 Tacoma and thought I would need a Tundra to get the increase in towing capacity I wanted. It turned out, the 2019 Tacoma was almost as big and powerful as a 2001 Tundra and the 2019 Tundra was too much truck for my needs.

[@brokenbugatti7338]

I have been working on a research paper about the development of hybrid vehicles - this video sums up a lot of what I have been researching. Great job.

[@jackasshomey]

you can also sum up hybrids in another phrase.... "fucking stupid" like idk about you but i graduated from driving powerwheels around when i was 7 years old, like the solution for a natural gas that burns clean was invented over a hundred years ago and most recently improved by toyota with the mirai the only issue with H2 vehicles is there are literally like no pumps in the world for them as gas stations like you could probably count on a single hand how many hydrogen pumps are in your country. the bonus of hydrogen over electric is with hydrogen we already have the mass production means and no industry needs to be destroyed for it to be produced in mass quantities... the petrol industry would just have to switch over to hydrogen production from hydrocarbons instead of mainly petrol.... like its pretty much the exact same process of extraction... nobody looses their job because the industry that provides a majority of it is still required... all the way from the oil drillers down to the dudes at the gas stations, everyone keeps their jobs with H2 vehicles... where as EV's seem to destroy the entire sector leaving millions unemployed

[@jasonstclair6293]

My first truck was an 88 Ranger. It was big enough for what I used it for and small enough to get around good. I have a standard cab Sierra 1500 now and for what I really use it for it's almost too much. I really just needed something to haul little loads now and again and pull my little trailers around.

[@mojavedesertsonorandesert9531]

Those square body Rangers were great rock solid trucks there able to carry a heavy load unlike today's Ranger or Tacoma's.

[@shawnure6707]

I have a first gen tacoma. I get so many eyes from dudes with newer ones and always comment they would love it if they made the tacoma small again.

[@James-eg3nf]

One of my favorite vehicles was my father’s ‘96 Toyota Tacoma with the 2.7-liter I-4 and 5-speed manual. It was fast, fun, efficient, and extremely useful. I tested a ‘22 SR5 V-6 last year, and in comparison it was bloated, heavy, and slow. You have to step up to a full-size truck to get anything resembling good performance.

[@Schnipah]

I still drive an ‘89 toyota pickup 5 speed manual. I also get daily offers to buy it lol

[@pontiacg445]

@@Schnipah Hehe, me too. I've daily drive an 89 4x4 5 speed that hasn't rusted in half. If I'm in the hispanic part of the city the numbers of offers I get for the truck are absolutely insane.

[@deathwrenchcustom]

@@pontiacg445 The rusty frame years were 2004-2008 or somewhere thereabouts. You should be safe. 👍🏾

[@iindium49]

A small truck with a wide long wheel spacing will look odd but be legal. So i humbly suggest the spider. No interior space extra long axle lenght and fenders for miles

[@TheVetusMores]

Jon, I have wondered about this for a few _years._ This is the best explanation I have ever heard, and it certainly makes sense. Very well done; thank you!

[@AllCarswithJon]

Thanks!

[@sherbad]

This video is a bad analysis of this graph and its effects. He correlates the change with the EPA regulation when the car companies are the ones who make the cars. These are standards for cars in the 70s based on size. they have decided in the past 50 years instead of meeting those regulations for fuel efficiency they would rather make bigger cars so they have to meet less standards. Somehow jon as turned that into the EPA doesn't want these vehicles and are making laws against small cars. Implied or not this video wants these regulations revoked which would be detrimental to climate and American health (the whole point of the EPA) and revoking it would make a shit load for car companies not on new small truck sales, but on the sale of cars that will burn us alive there only motive has and ever will be profit. TLDR: this video fails to understand causality.

[@BSJ-VT]

As someone who had a Jeep Comanche and a Nissan Hardbody back in the 80's I've been wondering why there aren't any small trucks any more. Now I know! In considering the purchase of my current vehicle I came to the conclusion that a small cargo van would fill all of my needs as it is basically the equivalent of a small truck with a cap on the bed. With a 7 foot by 4 foot bed. A low deck and 4 feet from bed to roof. With the added bonus that the bed remains climate controlled and waterproof! But again, the manufacturers have killed off this option! Ford is no longer going to be offering the Transit Connect in the US market place. I plan to keep my Connect for at least 7 more years so I'm hoping there might be something equivalent to it by then...

[@voiceofstl2]

all the small vans are being stoped.

[@mrl22222]

Having worked at a large manufacturer in the 90's and 00's, It wasn't CAFE. The CAFE penalty would maybe amount to $300 per vehicle, and the standards are known 10 years in advance. The simple answer is that people wanted bigger trucks, even with the "little" trucks they keep getting bigger because people keep wanting bigger. Ford could have built the excursion smaller than they did, but they didn't because people wanted bigger. Even today you can buy small trucks, but nobody does. In fact, if you go to "not the USA" where CAFE doesn't apply, toyota etc doesn't build the old small truck. They sell the hilux, which is....wait for it...bigger. We have exported our love for bigger... For Manufacturers to make any money on a product, they need to sell 100,000 units/yr. and there simply aren't 100,000 people who would buy a 91 Ranger or 95 S10 sized pickup when you could get a base F150 for 10% more and maybe 3mpg less. The "if only manufacturers would make" conversation has a corollary on the manufacturers side which is "if only people would buy"

[@AllCarswithJon]

I agree, and I tried to touch on that in the video (I'd have to rewatch it to quote it again). I think there is 'too small' and no manufacturer is going to go design a '86 Hardbody body-on-frame. but I do think some of the more modern intrepretations would still sell well. At least, for a while. What I tried to express is I believe there's pent up demand for a small truck, and I believe it's outspoken and passionate. But I also believe it's a shallow pond. IF the right product came out, I think it would sell like gang-busters, but after that demand was absorbed.... nothing. Still - trucks too big. Me want smaller. ugh. 😀

[@alanwhite3280]

I would buy! Biggest l would go is the size of an S-10 w/ a smaller V-6 option( revive the Buick 231?)

[@mrl22222]

@@AllCarswithJon When ford was first discussing the new bronco (sport) I thought that this might be a new small lightweight mini truck platform similar to the old ranger as I really liked that size vehicle as well, figuring there would be moderate demand for the small rock crawler bronco and that the "ranger" would fill in the volume and pay the bills. Since nobody else was doing it they could probably hit a reasonable volume target. And then they took the "eacape" route (there's a pun in there somewhere). Maybe toyota would "take one for the team" here and do something like the 3rd or 4th gen hilux....If you go to china today, they are the #2 market for pickups and you would expect to see some small trucks(ill ignore the micro trucks) , but even there everything is more current hilux then "basic pickup"

[@creamygoodness4440]

so I have an 88 s-10 (see my profile picture as proof). I bought it a couple years ago and I absolutely fell in love with it. mine has the 4.3L v6, which was the first year that engine was introduced to the s-10. it makes a whooping 165hp! but to be honest with you that's plenty for all my needs. I'm not a farmer or construction worker so I'm not hauling crazy heavy loads. its got plenty of room for anything I buy at Lowes or Menards. I have been singing praises of small trucks ever since I owned one, and highly recommend getting one yourself. I'm going to make sure my truck lasts as long as possible because I'm not holding out hope that small trucks like mine will ever return unless its an EV.

[@duccanard9079]

Had to bookmark this.On my way to measure my '62 Ranchero now.But don't really care about EPA,gets 35 mpg with the t5 but doesn't have seat belts.

[@gordonborsboom7460]

Wow…on both counts

[@AllCarswithJon]

Wait... what? I alternate between 'that's cool' and 'that's terrifying'

[@PRH123]

What's a "T5"...?

[@ChrisCaramia]

​@@PRH1235-speed manual transmission

[@PRH123]

@@ChrisCaramia a 5 speed on a 1962 ranchero…?

[@carlwelte6094]

You might be surprised as to how many people want a "standard bed" eight ft pickup. I even wish some company would bring back an eight and one-half bed truck like the Chev/GMC "Longhorn" made from 68-72.

[@darinclark1853]

I've wondered about this for a long time... I had an '81 Toyota SR5 long bed that was perfect and affordable. That truck is nowhere to be found in today's market.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

This is why we are keeping our 1st gen Dakota's.

[@verbalwidget7267]

Had a Datsun 620 pickup, Nissan D21 pickup, and a 2004 Nissan Frontier which is the last small Nissan truck. I just want a small truck for hauling me and a couple of dirt bikes. Thank you for this, I always wondered why the mini trucks had grown so large.

[@andrewvc1527]

My first car was a D21 pickup. Loved it, super practical and not stupidly large. It could hold so much in the back of the cab and the bed, and still park in tiny spots that monstrous modern trucks can't fit. I helped a lot of people move using that truck. Didn't get the greatest gas mileage, but better than a lot of modern pickups. Only reason I got rid of it was because the transmission gave out. Now I have an 07 Ford Escape Hybrid that I like, but my old pickup was better.

[@godfreycarmichael]

In the late 80's I owned an S-10 with a six cylinder, 4 liter motor. It would haul arse.

[@tomm1109]

The Maverick is an amazing truck, too bad it is hard to get. My bro had a 94 Nissan truck and he only got about 15mpg with that little 4 when he was loaded with tools. For a while he bought an 03 civic because he could actually fit his ladder in it with the rear seat passthrough. The Maverick would meet his needs now and be great for long commutes to job sites.

[@ozarkrefugee]

Bring back the older SR5's, S-10's, Rangers, Datsun's, Mazda B series, Luv's, Subaru Brat, and Comanche's. Put a turbo 4 cyl in them with a manual 5 speed option, limited slip differential option, 4x4 option, minimal technology (don't gay it up like they did the new Bronco's,) and most of all- make them AFFORDABLE. What would be neat if some of these manufactures made a cabover 4x4 truck with the same options mentioned above and offer a diesel possibly. To hell with the EPA.

[@eamonnmckeown6770]

It's simple. Thomas Sowell has pointed it out. These decisions are being made by people who never have to pay the price for being wrong. I don't think EV trucks are going to get smaller. I've seen many Rivians. Not small.

[@rogerxan]

We have to wait for tesla tau for small cars and trucks. ICE is dead so the cafe carap will fade.

[@charomivida]

I am a mechanic and in the 80's I meet a guy who invented a device to make a Cadillac with a 500 cubic inch motor get 95 MPG . He sold the Patent to GM and that is the end of story

[@JrRickard]

A small truck with an 8' bed was very handy 👌