MotorWeek Retro | 1986 Light-Duty Pickup Test

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[@nickb20]

Imagine the days when “pickup trucks cost less than cars even when loaded with options”

[@UncleKennysPlace]

Inflation adjusted, the Ford Maverick 4x4, loaded, is substantially less than the $14K mentioned here.

[@dougharding5231]

I can't believe that in 1986, testing 5 small pickups, that there was no Toyota in the group. Probably the best one out there at the time.

[@AtomicReverend]

In 1986 Toyotas extended (Xtra) cab didn't have a back seat area, it was about 5 in longer than a regular cab. It allowed you a little more room to recline the seat or slide the seat back, I would imagine that is why it was not included in the test. All of the of the trucks in the video seated four people (although be it really cramped). From my first hand experience The Mazda definitely seemed to have the most room back there but all of them were miserable if you had to be back there more than a few minutes. As someone who has owned a 1986 yota, two 1987 rangers and a 1986 b200 and a 91 Hardbody. (Before these became classic mini trucks I used to buy them as low mileage original trucks and beat the snot out of them for work for about a year or so working construction then send them to their next owner). I personally liked the ranger the most, then the mazda and then the Toyota then the Nissan. My buddy had a Chev S10 I think it was an 87 and I liked it too although he had a lot of nickel and dime issues with that truck considering at that time it had well under a hundred thousand miles. I found the 22R in the Toyota to be reliable but it was really noisy at freeway speeds and the cab felt cramped in the leg room area.it wasn't a bad truck by any means but underpowered at highway speeds although I think the Mazda was the worst when it came to peppiness on the freeway or going up grades, what I always forget is when these trucks were new the federal speed limit was 55 mph all of them cruised 55 well, when the speed limits across the USA went to 65 70 or even 80 miles an hour pretty much all the 1980s mini trucks couldn't hang. The Toyota truck was really happy at 62 miles an hour. The Ranger with the V6 was pretty happy cruising at 70 on the highway, my first ranger was a 2.3 stripo work truck single cab (a great engine and truck but it was like the Toyota it wanted to do 60). The V6 ranger, was pretty well equiped, I don't remember the trim package name but the interior was very plush for its day. It is the only 1980s mini truck I would like to own again except this time with a stick shift and four-wheel drive. The Nissan hardbody in 1991 which was the year I had had the new ka24 engine instead of the z24. I don't have a lot of negative or good to say about the truck it was very much like a appliance it always started it always drove and it didn't do anything particularly well or bad. I think my only complaint with that truck was the headliner started sagging 5 minutes after I bought it and I had to learn how to glue in a headliner (easy task). Ironically my buddy that had the S10 now owns my old Toyota he has had it probably 25 years now and he loves that truck so much so he also bought a four-wheel drive one did a solid axle conversion to it for rock crawler stuff and he also bought an 1986 4Runner that is kind like his weekend cruising vehicle. You could say he is a Toyota pickup fanboy. Then I got another friend who swears by s10s he has had probably every year of them ever made currently I think his driver is a 1982 or an 83 S10 Blazer he swears by them. I guess my point of my long overdrawn comment is it's all in the eyes of the beholder personally I like the ranger but for my work truck I moved on to full size v8s because I like room and enough power to get out of their own way and all 1980s vehicles are pretty anemic when compared to vehicles just 10 years newer.

[@saganich74]

Fun fact…..by the end of the test, the Isuzu rusted completely

[@Greatdome99]

But the Chevy V6 seized up well before that.

[@drift3rkid66]

It must be the 2.8

[@andregonsalvez9244]

This sure brings back memories seeing these trucks back in the day . We need more of these affordable small trucks today ( 2023 ) .

[@BigjohnZ06]

There’s the Ford Maverick, which has an Extremely High demand for them. Toyota and Subaru are releasing small trucks as well. Makes me wonder why Chevrolet and GMC don’t make a version of their own to compete with the Maverick.

[@williambone7724]

Love this classic Motorweek!

[@g-mang-man7924]

I had a regular cab B2000 LX. Bought it with 6000 miles on it in late 1986. Sold it in 94, and it had over 145,000 miles on it. It was a great reliable vehicle. Replaced it with a 94 F150 regular cab with the 300 6 banger. That 6 banger is damn tough... but every replaceable part on the truck... had to be replaced. Should have kept the B2000.

[@MazichMusic]

I drove a V6 Ranger XLT Supercab for 7.5 years until the trans died. We even enjoyed it on our honeymoon to the Great Smoky Mtns from Detroit. It had dual gas tanks, to boot.

[@waylandjennings4073]

I wish I could find a nice Mazda just like the one in this video! They were awesome back in the day.

[@djkenny1202]

I miss basic pick ups with 4 cylinders the sane price as an economy car. Clear up to 2004 there was Mazda and Ford work trucks often under 12 grand. Bring em back!

[@charlesbakston7414]

@@working_country___8973 That's the thing. Everyone fuss on the full-size Body-on-frame pickup trucks(when that's literally been around for decades ) and say that they want a "smaller sized pickup truck", yet when the Manufacturers offer them no one buys them

[@djkenny1202]

@working_country ___ I saw stripped ones in 2018 for $15000

[@nickb20]

So cool - keep them coming!

[@braddietzmusic2429]

Back when you could buy a full size domestic pickup truck for just a bit less than $10,000. Now that same truck costs 4-5 times as much. And never mind the versions that cost 6-7 times as much…

[@charlesbakston7414]

That depends on stuff like the trimlines. A Full-Size Body-on-frame pickup truck in base non-fully-loaded form with be around 60000 to around 40000. While the top Trimline fully-loaded ones will be up there in the 70000 to over 100000 range

[@applesauce1680]

I traded that old Ranger for 2011 Ranger only because it was the last year to get one. I still see the old one around town and it's owned by a landscaper working harder today than I ever did for my weekend warrior projects.

[@AndrewHCann]

In 1992 Chevrolet S10 EXTENDED CAB had 2 bad things was 2 seat very cramp in EXTENDED cab and Oil Pressure sensor on 4.3 litre make gauge show no pressure or high pressure on every 2 years after 160.000 kms my one cousin had happen to her! But yes Toyota small pick up truck great with 2.4 litre 4 cylinder motor till 1995 then changed to different size and V6 motor too! Nissan had same motor as Toyota and transmission plus axle too!

[@dezmod1644]

I bought my ranger for $11,500, loved it

[@trippnbilly7130]

Please,bring mini trucks back

[@CaptTetanus]

I’ve ridden in the extended cab of a Ranger, even as a kid that sucked like nobody’s business! It has the seat of a 4 year old and 0 room!

[@n1lnx]

Can we still send $3.00 to Motorweek for these results? 😆

[@bobjohnson1587]

Send it to me instead! lol

[@mikeatv]

i had the isuzu ran good but it was cheaper in quality

[@ohioyodertoter6827]

I’ve had a s10 I thought it was a good truck I have also had comparable fords I can’t believe they compared the s10 so low 🤔🤷‍♂️

[@donsummers5678]

#freetate

[@THX-kw2jh]

TOYOTA was a better choice because of Reliability.

[@timschmidt3784]

I had a '95 Toyota pickup. It was grossly underpowered but very reliable with the 2.4L 4-cylinder. Overall mileage was 25 mpg. The resale value was incredible for a 15 year-old pickup.

[@bobjohnson1587]

Where I live the 80's Toyota trucks just rusted away. One day it was in your driveway the next day there was just a rust stain! They were very reliable; you could rely on them to turn to rust!

[@seymoarsalvage]

Hillbillies cant stand the truth. The Japanese companies almost put the "Big 3" out of business. In many cases the american companies had to partner with one of the JDM brands to stay afloat (GM with Isuzu diesels, Ford with Mazda compacts, Chrysler with Mitsubishi, eta).

[@isaacfalvey]

It's not cool that you steal MotorWeek's content.