The Blurry Future of the Mid-Size Truck Segment?

Aww come on it has 6 wheels... and a $130,000+ price tag. It's pretty much for rich Saudis who want to go play in the desert.

 

This is kind of awesome, it's like a modern El Camino. These are all the rage in Australia, down there they call them "Utes". Instead of big work trucks, they drive these. I think it's an awesome idea. Not everyone that carries cargo needs a big 4x4 truck. If it were priced right (and made by someone besides ford) I would totally buy one.

 

Well, at $130,000, I will will take two of them.

 

First, this is not the Gladiator. That is the AEV Brute conversion.

The real Gladiator (below) hasn't been given the green light yet. Dodge/Ram is too afraid it will steal the thunder from their truck sales.



Your only choice for a Jeep truck is the AEV Brute, or the JKU based JK8 Mopar kit (below).

 

^^yep… and I completely disagree with the reviews that suggest they are not good family trucks. When we were seeking out a NON 4-door truck that was car seat compatible and fit in our garage, the field got pretty narrow real quick. Dakota and Tacoma were the only contenders and after the test drives… well, the outcome is obvious. If I ever have a bigger family and bigger garage, the F150 will be on my short list, but the Tacoma is still in a class of its own for what it is/does for a lot of different people.

I believe there will, ok should, always be a demand for the regular 4 banger 4WD with bucket seats and just a little storage behind the seats like the old extended cabs (not access cabs). I hope Toyota brings that back in next gen to set them apart from the increasingly fuel efficient full-sized crowd.

 

What I don't get is why the new Tundra gets a 270hp 4.0 while the Tacoma is stuck with the 236hp version.

Then again most makes are now putting out +300hp V6s.

 

Ya got that right. I traded an '03 Liberty for my Taco. At 95k, the jeep had been through 3 sets of brakes, 3 sets of plugs, all cats replaced (under warranty, thank Og), new steering components (rack, lines, ball joints, tie rods) and leaked all over. It got 17MPG if I babied it.

Hell, the damned windshield fell out of the thing!


I will never, ever own another Chrysler product.

 

Would the extra power really hurt fuel economy?

F150 V6 17/23mpg 3.7l 302hp
Taco V6 16/21mpg 4.0l 236hp

F150 is also huge.... just say'n

 

The reason these world trucks we don't get like the colorado, ranger, l200, hilux etc have an ugly rounder car like front end is because they have to pass certain European countries' urban crash tests which include pedestrian impacts. I would think if they brought them to the USA they would get a typical tough looking truck grill and front end.

Ford is bringing their 3.2 duratorq diesel engine(350lbs tq) for the new transit that's used in the world ranger, calling it the a power stroke in the USA. I agree with Ford, I would buy the new Ranger with that engine in a second over an f150, so we don't get what we want. The Ram ecodiesel is about to come out, 30mpg+ HW and calss leading torque, too bad it's a chrysler.
http://www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/transit/2014/

 

I wish Toyota would introduce the 4Runner's engine line into the Tacoma.

2013 Taco: 4L, 236hp, 266ft-lbs, 16/21 mpg
2013 4Runner: 4L, 270hp, 278ft-lbs, 17/22 mpg

This would be an excellent place to start during the upgrade for the 3rd Gen.

 

I think it is all about selling Tundras. Look on the lots and at the incentives. More Tundra inventory and incentives. Tacomas sell themselves as is. I think the should have at least put the direct inject in the Baja.

 

The Mitsubishi is a dodge... so it's garbage quality.

 

No offense, but that is one of the funniest comments I've ever seen. Jeep was crap before Chrysler, and continues to be crap. I personally owned them before and after the acquisition - not to mention a few my family owned. I learned to drive in a 69 Willy's....

 

lol. random rules based on nothing. nothing more of a pia than a 2 door imo. my first two trucks were two doors, thank god I've moved on.

 

I bet you would... I bet you would.

 

they got worse. Compared to other U.S. Vehicle quality of the era they were similar.

 

The good thing about the Wranglers, is their resale value is right up there with the Tacoma. Although, in my experience they definitely use lower quality parts

 

FJ
Wrangler
Tacoma

Order of epic resale.

 

Looks like the truck gods took a dump...

The GMC one doesnt look as bad.....



Here is a picture of its badonkadonk.

 

It looks similar to an avalanche though.