Is There a Future for Midsize Pickups?

Not bad... I'd consider buying one if it were available

 

Quote: Few will be surprised to hear that Chrysler Group will end production of its Dakota compact pickup :Quote

Shocked!

 

Exactly, it was actually 1993 when they did their last major redesign. From there it was just facelifts, small dash changes and some small motor/tranny tweeks. The skeleton hasn't changed.

I think the sales decline was the fault of the manufacturers abandoning small trucks when gas prices were cheap and they were making more money with full size trucks and SUV's. By the time that craze passed now their compacts are so outdated no doubt no one wants to buy them. This in turn hurts the whole segment for sales. Naturally at the end of a model cycle sales will start to slide, hence why Toyota/Nissan are getting some fresh updates now, bring up sales a bit before the next complete overhaul. They're still selling good numbers of them.

So overall, Ranger re-done in '93 last time.... no surprise sales are dead, only people buying them are fleets, who wants a 18 year old design for new prices? Colorado/Canyon... really?.. a minimal amount of research shows the lemons these are. And dakota... see last sentence...

Only ones that realize the potential are Toyota/Nissan for this segment. I, for one, don't need a full size truck. I really liked my 1st gen, small as it was, and still really like my 2nd gen. If it hadn't grown at all I'd still be a happy camper. For wheeling, camping, and general life a mid size truck fits me perfect.

 

Total car sales yes, but that's mainly because certain models...like midsize trucks...are selling less. Many models have had sales remain steady or increase...and those are the models manu's will focus on.

Yeah, at a loss.

The reason you don't see small diesels in the US is because you can't make money selling them. That's why the new redesigned Jetta sucks so much dick: VW is serious about wanting to make money in North America.

 

that first article is silly. although I didn't know until know that the dakota too along with the ranger is going away.
I see TONS of rangers on the road, being cheaper and the last compact size pick up people buy cause thats all they really need.

as far as the mid size declining? well, there may be factors and people in groups the gradually push the public to buy full size, it MAY do more and gain more miles per gallon, but as stated there are many people here who would rather stick to their tacomas/mid-sizes and even their older smaller pick ups. Because not everyone NEEDS those full size things.

but as far as the mid-size pick up market dying is concern, that is silly. if anything the japanese will domnate even more- and it is meant to be- they hav a history of making quality smaller pick ups- fitting how nissan and toyota would be left standing.

 

If you read the graph, the Ford Ranger is and has always outsold the Nissan Frontier, including 2010. Right now, Frontier sales are not good. In fact, all compact/midsize truck sales have taken a beating over the last decade, with the Toyota Tacoma sales being the most resilient. I don't know why several people here keep mentioning the Frontier sales in the same breath has the Tacoma sales. The Frontier's sales may benefit from Chrysler and Ford's departure from the segment in the near future, but long term, I see Toyota as the only survivor of the current midsize class.

 

I think they should offer a small pickup again like they used to, anyone remember the old Yota pickups that got around 30 mpg? I never owned one but my dad said they were great little trucks, and with gas prices on the rise I don't see why people are not turning back to compact trucks again. I love my Taco though and will always be driving one!

 

Why are they trying to phase them out? That seems really ignorant to me, i thought the EPA preferred fuel efficient vehicles, guess not! lol

 

You have a lot to learn about the EPA... They are more concerned with the emissions and don't seem to be interested in fuel economy. A diesel in our trucks (a Hilux) would get 30 mpg and have plenty of power to tow/haul anything we currently can with a Tacoma. That's a 50% increase from what most people are getting with a V6 but the emissions are 'dirtier'. Anyone with common sense would say the trade off is worth it but now you have to explain to a government agency what common sense is...

 

I can see a future where the true compact truck market makes a comeback and they start putting very fuel efficient commuter car engines into small, light framed truck bodies (like happened in the 80s). The midsize may well fade out and be replaced by the compact, just as the compact was replaced by the midsize in the 2000s. Circle of life.

 

What I think is EPA doesn't view small and mid-size trucks as necessary for commerce. Typically that's true as they are used by homeowners and as recreational vehicles. So they set mandates for fuel economy and emissions that are consistent for small cars but not easily met in small trucks unless you down-size performance leaving them underpowered and unattractive. Mfr's seeing that abandon a situation in the USA they view as a no-win.

Larger trucks, conversely, are viewed as having greater utility necessary for commerce, enjoy relaxed mandates with a longer implementation schedule. What the idiots in the ivory towers at EPA, totally ignorant of red-neck mentality, don't realize is they will now buy full-size trucks with a net fleet-wide increase of emissions and lower fuel economy. Bitching all the way, of course.

Another thing they could do is put in expensive high tech solutions. Curiously, or maybe not, Toyota (with a languishing Tacoma line) and Ford (which is killing it's Ranger) announced yesterday they are teaming to develop a hybrid drive system for trucks. It all makes sense now.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/22/f...r-trucks-suvs/

As I said before... this could very well be the future of small and midsize trucks.

 

Especially with the introduction of the Eco-Boost from Ford, we are going to see that full size trucks get very similar mileage to mid sized trucks. When you are getting 22 highway out of a full size, people are going to look at the options and see that the mileage difference is nill and will opt for more room, power, and comfort. I have no problem admitting that I would prefer a Tundra to my Taco, but I just don't have the need for a full size pickup yet. But when I get a larger boat I'll be getting a larger truck. My .02

 

That's crazy logic... a midsize with similar technology it seems obvious should get even better mileage. I for one would love a direct-injected dual VVT 3.2l. Or a bi-turbo direct injected 2.6-2.8l I4 like the eco-Boost. Ford's ecoBoost and VW's experience suggest either will give similar performance to the 4.0L v6 we get (VW's 2.0l turbo in their GTI gets darn close already). The question unanswered, however, is whether it would be good enough on a fleet-wide basis to placate EPA mandates without also reducing power.

The reason you speak of to get a full-size truck, however, is just about the only good reason to get one! But certainly the small and midsize being regulated out of existence is the worst reason of all.

 

True, but who's to say then that you couldn't put the same tech in a midsize truck and get 25-27 MPG?

 

I'm certainly not an engineer and I'll say this from a completely speculative standpoint, my immediate response would be a price point issue, the eco-boost is a $5k option (in an F150)... I would think the market for a $5k upgrade in a truck that starts at $16k (Tacoma) is slim.... but again, I have no engineering or marketing background, so do take this with a grain of salt.

 

I agree it won't be free... not even cheap... but I've got to think that $5k is paying for a lot more than just the engine. Isn't it part of a package with a bunch of things coming along with it?

 

Based on the website it's just the engine and supporting configuration, but not added seats, radio.

 

So you can order it on a base model F150, for only the $5K more, and not bundled in some package like Lariat or Ben Hur edition??

At any rate.... as with anything new it can be expected to command a premium because of the high-tech glitz surrounding it. For a while, at least.

 

Completely false. The Ecoboost is a $1750 option on Supercab and Super Crew trucks in all trims except the base XL and STX. I know because I almost bought a Supercab XLT with the Ecoboost for $29500. It was an amazing truck but more truck than I needed.

 

Yes you are wrong. I just build one base XL for 4k added for the ecoboost motor. It does add a higher end differental to the truck, so not sure if that is to support the echoboot or not, but it was an XL base. So try again.


http://bp3.ford.com/2011-Ford-F-150...lang=en&referrer=Ford.com#/MakeItYours/Config[|Ford|F-150|2011|1|1.|.F1C.....NONFLEET.446.SS8.99T.XB6.RCAB.RWD.XLL.]