Some years back I wrote a post stating that the original Toyota T100 pickup was the only one worthy to replace my ’66 F100. I think I’ve found something better yet. Robadr posted these pictures of a 1997 Toyota Toyoace 4×4 double cab truck, and this is so much better in every way, except of course for the LHD RHD. But I could get used to that.
I believe in free choice and don’t like to slag on domestic pickups, an American institution. But I have a hard time warming up to the big double cab versions; maybe it’s because I’m not a native-born American? Am I at risk of having my citizenship revoked and sent back to where I came from, because I don’t love really big American pickups?
I don’t have dimensions for the Toyoace at hand to make an accurate to-scale composition shot, but this is close enough for me. It shows the issue quite graphically, and there’s not much more to say, except that I need to maneuver into a lot of small alley house lots and driveways, and something like the Chevy on top just isn’t going to cut it. It’s just not space-efficient. Which is not generally an American concern, but it is mine.
I like sitting up front; reminds me of driving fishbowl buses and my old Dodge A100 van. My current ProMaster has a bit of hood, but nothing like the big pickups.
And look at that interior! The Japanese are so immaculately clean. Can you imagine what the typical 1997 fleet/commercial American truck cab looks like? It really makes the idea of buying a truck or car from Japan that much more palatable.
And this one has an automatic! I don’t know about that, but it wouldn’t really bother me either. I’m sure sticks are available, although automatics are extremely popular in Japan, and have been for many years. Spend a day in Tokyo traffic and you’ll understand why.
These Toyoaces came with a wide variety of engines; two gas fours, a 2.0 and 2.7; I assume the latter is the same one that came in that T100 pickup. I’d be happy with that. But I could also be very happy with one of the legendarily-rugged Toyota diesel fours that were on tap too.
And 4WD too! Perfect for a bit of off-road explorations that my ProMaster isn’t quite up to. Maybe build a little minimal camper shell for it? But it’s perfect for the kind of hauling I do. Just in the last few days my truck has been hard at work hauling dirt, gravel, bark and other materials for some landscaping projects. Now if it had a dumping bed, that would really be dope. The fact that the sides drop down and it’s got a totally flat floor alone is a big improvement.
Looks like this truck has seen some actual work, based on the dents in the bed.
I know I indulge in a lot of MM’ing here at CC (that’s kind of what it’s all about, actually), but I am seriously warming up to the idea of my next vehicle being a 25 year (or older) import from Japan. I’m seeing a huge increase in their numbers here, mostly 4×4 vans, and they invariably look to be in remarkably good condition.
It’s certainly tall and boxy, and it’s bound to be white. It’s meant to be…
Related:
CC 1993 Toyota T100 pickup: The Only Truck Worthy of Replacing My ’66 F100
I say, the best way to get used to the LHD is to sit on the right, where the RHD controls are.
Yes, there are increasing numbers of JDM trucks around here, our local florist uses a Kei van and several landscapers use the pickups in several sizes.
As David Saunders discussed in his Fairlady Z article it’s pretty easy to buy JDM vehicles from importers.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-2003-nissan-fairlady-z-a-walk-on-the-right-drive-side/
I don’t care what the constantly brought out figures say, American pickups are too damn big, way too tall, and have beds that are too short for the overall length of the truck. I look at the pickups I remember from my youth, then look at the original Japanese mini pickups (and the S-10, Ranger, and Dakota competition) and wonder why can’t someone make a truck of those dimensions today.
For the record, I’m talking Dakotas in either 2WD standard bed or 4WD long bed, S-10 in club cab 2WD standard bed (to me, the perfect setup once I sold the sutlery), or the Ranger with identical setup (but ruined by being jacked up an additional four inches – why?). All but the first Dakota happily handled a motorcycle in the bed. The 2WD versions were preferred for load height.
That Toyota looks to be a huge improvement. I’d love to see a two door version, as I have absolutely no need for four doors and two rows of seating. That’s what our two cars are for.
Utility is not the reason people buy contemporary pickups.
Yeah, I always figured it was more overcompensation than anything else. I’m one of the odd ones, I actually buy a pickup for hauling, and if I don’t have to haul what is pickup necessary, I buy something else.
Wow–you struck a nerve with JK!
“Utility is not the reason people buy contemporary pickups.”
As usual with your comments in many posts regarding trucks that’s quite an overstatement and frankly insulting. Who made you the arbiter of why people buy pickups?
If you saw Paul for example driving his (empty) old pickup down the street in order to fill it with gravel at the yard would you assume he’s just an old guy down on his luck driving a beater pickup? Or someone trying to relive their glory years? Pretty much by definition the bed of a truck is empty at least half the time, so seeing one in that state doesn’t mean anything either.
But if someone happens to have a new truck, they are automatically a poser? Why? What’s the cutoff for being a poser, how old or how many dents does the truck need to have to be to be acceptable to you?
People buy pickups (as well as all other types of vehicles) for many different uses. Many people with pickups use them as their family cars. Some have a pickup for doing home improvement projects, towing recreational items, going hunting, simply not wanting to have to constantly rent one all the time when really needed etc. Some have more than one vehicle and some don’t have the space or budget for more than one and thus need something that does it all.
Sure there are people that buy a truck that perhaps don’t need one every day, that also goes for any/every other vehicle type out there. Corvettes don’t all race on the track, Miatas have their tops up, Station wagons have their back seat and load area empty, and camper vans don’t all have people living in them 24/7/365, and I see Priuses go 90mph on the freeway every day instead of saving gas in a traffic jam and cars with V8’s could just as well get by with a four-banger etc. Some that drive trucks even have their trucks purchased FOR them by their employer that needs or wants them to have one on hand for whatever utility purpose may spring up and don’t have a choice in the matter.
My own (older, not particularly modern, but in no way vintage) truck generally sits until it is needed precisely for its utility. Whether going to the dump, hauling leaves away, or bringing tile, lumber, appliances, or cabinetry to a job site or going on a trip with my family of five, it can, has done, and continues to do all of that. No, a minivan can not do all of that as conveniently (tried that 2x already), and no I do not wish to pay others to perform services on my behalf as the expenditure in time and money is greater. It’s no show truck at all, I certainly don’t own it to impress anyone (it would not, its market value is well under five figures), but it’s also made me realize that it’s increasingly stupid to have and pay for more than one vehicle (one for the above needs, the other for my main profession which requires a less beater-ish vehicle). Hence in the eventual future there may be a good chance of it being replaced with something similar, a bit newer and shinier but with no less of a utility aspect. It’s also not particularly safe for carrying my family around in compared to some of the newer choices, having neither stability control, traction control, or a multitude of passive safety items such as airbags everywhere just in case.
But for you just to say that people don’t buy trucks for their utility as a blanket statement is asinine, frankly insulting to at least the people that do and to many don’t even have a truck, and increasingly tiresome. Perhaps you could actually provide some data but I doubt it, you generally prefer to just throw out a comment such as the the one above instead of contributing something (anything) of value.
Sir:
Although your quotation of my comment is correct, you apparently overlooked the key word: “contemporary.” I would not consider Paul’s truck to be contemporary and from your description of your own pickup, “market value well under five figures,” it is probably not contemporary either. However, sales of pickups have approximately doubled in the last ten years and I do not believe that the number of tradesmen or farmers have increased commensurately. I would not hesitate to conjecture that the appearance of contemporary trucks has attracted a new buyer, someone who needs to project an image. Bruegel often showed men wearing cod pieces in his paintings. You do not need to look too closely at some of his works to see them. Do you think that some men no longer have such needs? It is obvious that although the objects used have changed in 500 years, the need is still there.
The most grotesque example of the disparity between contemporary and utilitarian trucks I have seen was a 1980’s Dodge 150 parked behind a new Ram. They both had 6 foot beds. The Ram seemed almost twice as large as the Dodge and the weight probably was nearly twice that of the Dodge. The additional utility provided by the Ram is small compared with what it would cost compared to a up-dated 150. However, for those whose vanity “trumps” efficiency, the 150 has no appeal.
I am aware that you used the word “contemporary”, my comment in regard to Paul’s truck was asking you how you view others that drive older trucks, do you stereotype them in other ways as you stereotype those that drive newer trucks?
In any case, now that you have pivoted to a new statement, do you have data to support your new argument that “Pickup truck” sales doubled or just “light trucks” which includes trucks, vans, many/most CUV’s, even the PT Cruiser etc? And if so take a look back to about 2004 where you will see the total to be higher again than it is currently.
Using “10 years ago” as a standard is a complete red herring as you may recall that in 2010 the US was still in the midst of a severe recession. ALL vehicle sales were down significantly to the tune of a total of 11,5 million that year. 2020’s total was 17.1million, similar to 2019. Trades in that recession were affected significantly more than private individuals, i.e. those that historically purchased trucks (or had them purchased for them, i.e the people that build houses) so of course compared to a decade ago when many people were unemployed there are more sold now (now meaning the last pre-pandemic year in this context). And yes, there are FAR more people employed in the construction industry right now, even today in the midst of the pandemic in the US, than in the midst of the recession, very likely significantly MORE than double the people in fact. Home builders today are having their best years of all time, in 2010 it was foreclosure city, nobody was building anything. But that’s not the whole story, let’s go a little further back to where there was no recession…
Here’s some data – Can we agree to use the Ford F-Series as a proxy for all trucks as it has been the best selling truck line for forty or so years? Please look at 2004, 2001, and 1996 especially as compared to more recent years.
Check out this link for my data source: https://carsalesbase.com/us-ford-f-series/
2020 F-Series sales: 787K (newest for which there is annual data)
2018 F-Series sales: 909K (seems pretty high, right?)
2010 F-Series sales: 528K (in the midst of a recession, ALL sales of EVERYTHING down by 40% or so, trucks seem to trend similar.
2004 F-Series sales: 939k – this is HIGHER than any other year including the recent ones you reference and 16 yrs ago.
2001 F-Series sales: 901k (so about the same 20 years ago as 2018)
1996 F-Series sales: 780k – about the same as last year, 24 years ago.
If you look up Silverado and Sierra they trend the exact same way. Ram is doing better than they did before due to improved designs, there’s little doubt that they though took away sales from the others rather than adding significant numbers of new-to-truck buyers. And Toyota Tundra adds no more than 200K per year while Nissan is a rounding error, you’ve likely never seen one.
In any case, they are nowhere near DOUBLE the historical numbers unless you cherrypick the Great Recession’s worst years as you did and even then it doesn’t seem to be double.
Truck bed sides are taller for the most part, that wasn’t your initial argument though either. I also have no way of knowing if in your new example you were comparing a 2WD to a 4WD to a 1500 to a 3500 series or whatever Dodge/Ram truck, you might not either. Again, easy to cherrypick examples without displaying evidence, you were the person that as I recall a few months ago was insistent about the vast number of Jeep Renegades in your neighborhood in a comment, then doubling down on that, and then finally realizing you were actually talking about Wranglers, which are quite different in almost every respect.
But OK, I’ll play…take a look at this post from right here at CC where there is a comparison between a Dodge Ram from the era you speak of compared (it’s an early ’90’s Dodge, same as all of the 1980’s) to the same class (half-ton light truck) of various modern, i.e. “contemporary” trucks.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-comparisons/cc-comparison-new-pickups-vs-old-pickups-bring-on-the-hyperbole/
I’m going to assume you were looking at a Heavy Duty specialty truck of some kind, perhaps a Raptor or TRX or something else lifted, but hardly a bone stock half-ton next to your ’80’s Dodge.
Somebody in those comments did the same thing I assume you are doing, comparing a regular half-ton to a 3/4 or 1-ton lifted truck. Sure, some trucks are larger than others. A 1985 Dodge Caravan is also smaller than Paul’s Promaster but I’d never compare them and complain about how big vans have gotten…Actually, why *aren’t* you suggesting he just go camping in a smaller van? His tall and long van would seem to offend you just as much if you think back to those first minivans that someone could lay down in and sleep as well…or a station wagon like the one you used to have!
However, no matter what, it is no longer possible to purchase a 1980-whatever pickup truck, buyers are forced to purchase new ones if they need a truck, there’s a finite supply of old ones to go around, they tend to wear out. Circling back, your original premise was that new buyers do not buy contemporary trucks for the utility. Perhaps your premise should be that the manufacturers are not building them anymore instead of casting aspersions on the buyers. After all, that modern new truck with the same 6foot bed as the old one would seem to be able to haul the same volume of stuff. It likely gets twice the gas mileage too.
I’m not sure why you bring up Bruegel, besides that with that comment and some others you have made you come across as yet again being somewhat obsessed with men’s genitalia. Where’s the relevance? Are you saying that you believe people who drive large trucks are lesser endowed? Is that an opinion you’d share with random people at the gas station? No? Why then with random people here? Oh yeah, you don’t publish your real name, that makes it easier to hide behind your aspersions.
It may surprise you that I myself have zero interest and little patience in/for huge lifted aftermarket “Bro-Trucks” and if anything am more of an environmentalist than many others, but you are simply wrong and off base. It’s fine to express an opinion, it is not fine to pass it off as a fact. Facts have data to support them. Opinions have anecdotes. I do however defend people’s right to buy and drive what they want if they don’t directly affect me by doing so. And a large truck doesn’t, not just by being on the road with me, certainly no more than a big rig or a city bus or even a large camper van which I don’t complain about either.
I finally found the document I was looking for:
https://static.ed.edmunds-media.com/unversioned/img/industry-center/insights/2020-truck-report.pdf
Please see page 3, the chart clearly shows that in 2019 the Pickup Truck as a segment finally ALMOST reached as many annual sales as there were in any single year from 1999-2001, in other words there were more “new” pickups sold and on the roads in that three year span than there were in the last three years and in any other three year period prior. 2020 or 2021 may in fact be the first year to set a new record for sales but it’s nowhere near TWICE as many as in any other normal year which the Recession Years clearly were not. The pickup line seems to very much follow the housing starts line with usually about two pickups sold for every one house built.
Your post made me think about my friends and relatives that own pickups. For many of us our pickups are not our daily drivers, they get used for their utility and that is about it. A few do use it as their daily driver but they do regularly use them for hauling and/or towing too.
If I had to go down to one vehicle there is no question that vehicle would be a mid to upper trim 1/2 ton crew cab 4×4. Yeah 75% of the time or more it would just be carrying me, some tools and maybe a occasional passenger.
“and wonder why can’t someone make a truck of those dimensions today.”
Because the vast majority of buyers–even commercial buyers–don’t actually want one. The regular cab/8′ bed Dakota made it all of two years into its second generation before being dropped for lack of demand.
You’re halfway there, Paul. You like pick-ups so that’s a break from your European roots. This does seem like a perfect addition for you.
I love the “form follows function” of this. Large enough to do real work, small as it doesn’t need to carry an outsized ego.
How many Legos does it take to build each one?
I myself considered buying a Toyota Previa, which is kind of like the van equivalent of this truck, rather than my current daily driver. It too has amazing space utilization courtesy of a four-cylinder engine that seems to disappear under the floor, and has the advantage of having been sold in the US for seven years so there are lots of them already here. It was about the same length as a mid-sized two-row crossover.
My reluctance to a mini-cabover truck of this sort is that my feet arrive first in a frontal collision. But if I needed a truck that would primarily be used around the neighborhood at low speeds, I’d be all in for one of these. Were these exported to any LHD countries?
I wonder what will become of the American pickup shape after they convert to electric power. Will the Rivian model take hold, retaining a long hood but using it to house a large covered storage area, or will hoods shrink?
Tall, boxy and white.
Like Paul!
(Kidding of course)
I would love one if those if I didn’t drive the Chicagoland “Death Race” highways, where I appreciate a crush zone other than my knees.
Don’t feel bad Paul. I’m American born and can’t stand all the gargantuan compensator trucks coming out of Detroit these days. Other than a Dodge Ram Quad Cab short bed and an extended cab short bed Ford, both of which I used on my acreage and to haul the family around in, all my pickup trucks have been regular cab short beds or long beds. By the looks of the Toyoace in the photos, it’s footprint doesn’t appear to be much different than my current 2009 Chevy regular cab short bed. I’ve attached a photo of a truck similar to mine. I like the low bed height and the drop down sides. I think you inspired me. I like it.
Paul, well if they send you back the only true COE available nowadays I think is the Nissan NT400 which starts at the mid €30k and can be had as double cab, so not much in the way of choice even here. Oh and you need a C1 driver’s licence to drive one due to its GVW.
https://www.infohub.at/carmanager/uploads/pdf/nt400-broschuere-preisliste_(2).pdf
Of course there are older used COEs if you look around…
https://www.willhaben.at/iad/gebrauchtwagen/d/nutzfahrzeuge/toyota-dyna-100-pritsche-2-5-d-4d-90-transporter-kastenwagen-380796625
Generally, since the demise of VW’s old LT, true COEs in this weight class were never very popular when compared with the usual suspects like MB’s Sprinter or Ford’s bigger Transits but those who get the Japanese variety usually hold on to them forever and for good reasons.
Don’t know about Austria, but the lightest Nissan NT400 Cabstar, Fuso Canter and Isuzu N-series (all cabovers with a tilt cab) are offered as 3.5 tons GVM chassis-cabs.
The choice of commercial vehicles in that weight-segment is overwhelming, as you know.
Edit: I see you specifically mentioned double cab.
Yes I forgot about the other two but Fuso is like a unicorn here so I would avoid (parts and dealer availability will not be good) and I don’t think the Isuzu is available as a Doka which again leaves the NT as the only real option…
The World Name of this Truck is Toyota Dyna. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Dyna
Paul, from your comments, you appear to epitomize the the pick-up truck buyer on many levels.
Personally, I think the trucks in general are bigger than they need to be, The crew cabs are huge, if you’re not hauling 4 people fairly often.
The beds are too high, more for looks, but impractical.
But that ToyoAce…yes, it’s a better, more useful size. While crashworthiness is not my top issue in general, but I don’t like the lack of crush space on these.
If you can keep corrosion at bay and continue to live with the lack of power assisted steering and brakes, your truck will be around indefinitely.
I’m with PaulR. I like the GMT900, But simple like your F-series, it is not. And the newer trucks are even more complex than the GMT900, which has a push-rod V8 (even a decent push-rod V6) and 6-speed auto. That’s all I need. I don’t want 8-speeds, turbos, nanny sytems, touch screens. I like the rear vision camera (required by law now)–but I wouldn’t need it for low objects if the trucks weren’t so high–for styling purposes.
Current pick if needed to replace the F100? I think the F100 could easily out live you unless severe rust took the frame which I doubt. My F100 will out live me. While that truck does have from and function it doesn’t have style like a Slick does.
PS: I don’t think your citizenship can be revoked considering your use of the word “dope”. Must be in your 20s I’d say.
Very nice truck.
Take a look at the shifter.
Is it possible to turn it to the left to climb over to the other side?
If so, very clever!
I love it, it seems perfect for your use. Well, the single cab would be anyway with the longer bed.
I think I rented something similar about a decade ago from my local gravel place in thr Bay Area (it was an Isuzu but smaller than the regular box truck ones, you see a lot of them in Japan, kind of a 5/8 or 3/4 scale of the bigger ones) similar to this and WITH the dump bed. While it was novel to drive and completely useful *for that purpose*, it was relatively terrible to drive empty as well as at higher speeds, i.e. not really useful for distances. This one may be different, I don’t know, and of course the way you use your truck, yes, perfect. There’s an outfit online that does the imports from Japan for a flat fee of around $1,200 plus whatever expenses are incurred, seems cheaper than using one of the places that actually buys random stuff on spec and then tries to sell it again. And you’ve got two local buyer reps in place already for the recon!
That truck you rented is a class or two heavier-duty. This has pickup-type chassis, and IFS, I’m pretty sure. All the Isuzus ever sold in the US were essentially MD trucks, even with swb. Solid front axle, dual rears, 8 lug (or more wheels, etc.). This has pickup wheels; same as a T100/Titan.
Yes, I’ve visited some JDM importer sites before.
I did say “if I had to replace my F100”, as in if something catastrophic happened to it.
Nice truck. Simple, no nonsense utilitarian trucks. With the cargo box side being able to fold down should make hauling easier.
Given how you use your F-100, I wondered about the load capacity.
Found a couple of Youtube reviews of a similar Toyoace double cab 4WD in Canada. One review stated load capacity as 450 kg. (From what I’ve seen with Japanese trucks, that includes fuel and passengers. So actual cargo capacity is considerably less.)
Well, you won’t be able to overload the ToyoAce like your F-100.
I started noticing this type of truck when I began traveling to Asia frequently for business in the mid-90’s. These truly deserve the name “crew cab” as I’d see them with beds full of tools and materials, and the cab full of workers. By contrast, at least where I live, the contractor or foreman, and laborers all show up in their own vehicles, though admittedly not all drive full size pickups. But as often as not, the bed of the truck is full of materials and the back seat is full of tools, so the “crew cab” really isn’t hauling the crew.
That’s one of the beauties of this site, guys. A truck that is so common in my country that I don’t even notice them any more – and you guys rave over it. I went out with my camera the other day (didn’t crop the photos, Paul!), and don’t even remember whether I saw any of these. Yet in the US, it’s a standout. Just goes to show we are not a global society, nor probably ever will be. 🙂
On another note – with such a high hood, the sightlines from the driver’s seat of that Chevy pickup in your comparison photo must be terrible. Is there really so much stuff they need to cram under the hood of these, or is it all in the name of ‘style’? Would look quite intimidating in your rear view mirror; maybe that’s the point?
This truck is actually from Canada
From Invitto’s Wikipedia link, a possible source of LHD versions:
“As with many other generations of the Dyna, this generation was also assembled in Ovar, Portugal, by Toyota’s local partner Caetano for local sales.”
Crumple Zone: Your legs.
Years ago I drove a rented pre-Previa Toyota passenger van around for a day. Same arrangement but maybe a size up from this thing. Worst vehicle I ever drove – frightening on bumpy curves. The larger American vans on the original Econoline format (engine between the front seats, RWD) were much better, even if employing the same crumple zone.
I put 100k miles on our ’84 Toyota van. Never had any driving issues except from strong cross-winds on a relatively tall, narrow vehicle, and the inherent lack of power from the pushrod 4. Much better driver than any of the cabover-type early American vans that I worked on.
It would make a good basis for an off road camper, but then again you can buy the van versions some with camper conversions already done.
That sent me to Craiglist where I found this. https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/d/seattle-1995-toyota-hiace-granvia-van/7270846495.html which has the craziest graphics package I’ve seen yet.
I do think a Pajero Mini or Jr would be a good fit for you Paul. Small and light enough to tow behind the Promaster to use for exploration farther off the beaten path and it would also make a good around town runabout with enough cargo room for hauling some tools and supplies. Plus the ones that I have seen have been listed in the $5-6K range about 1/2 of what I see these types of trucks listed at.
Most of these that I’ve seen around were definitely used as toys as they are seen carrying mountain bikes, kyaks ect. However I did see a single cab version actually earning its keep for a landscaper. It was in Seattle in the narrow, traffic circle filled residential areas that I do no like taking my full size crew cab truck.
I have lived in North America for over thirty years, I almost forget this type of Toyota small truck, it is one scale up of HiAce and one size smaller than Dyann. It was relatively popular in South China when China opened up in early 80s. People preferred the Diesel engine one. Actually Isuzu was more popular. One biggest drawback is its crash worthiness. The front engine pickup has a major advantage on this. Strangely Japanese automakers back then only make any compact front engine pickup. Interesting these days Chinese is debating whether starting to reintroduce front engine large commercial truck for the sake of safety, at this time almost all the large commercial truck in China is cab forward design, European influences.
Be first to arrive at the accident scene!
My current is a very plain 99 F250 2wd with oversized flatbed and I’ve had it since new. It doesn’t get much use anymore. Uses too much gas.
I’ve always said if I ever get another it will be something like an international city star… shortest wheelbase they make with lightest payload available and a flatbed. But I’m getting older and I dont need anything that heavy duty anymore. Or that expensive. Probably something more like the toyo ace would do me just fine.
Mr. Klein:
I note that I was one of several who commented somewhat derisively about contemporary pickups. Nevertheless as Richard M Nixon famously said, “I can take it.” (I saw him speak twice and he was a very good speaker.) The fact that other commentators express negative sentiments, in different ways would indicate to an objective person that my sentiments are not isolated. I do not dislike pickups per se, it is what they have evolved into. That Dodge 150 I mentioned is a very attractive vehicle, a nice yellow with a brown top, that I would not be ashamed to be seen in it unlike the Ram it was parked behind. I could even envision myself owning it just because of it’s innocent yet utilitarian appearance. And incidentally, the fact that unlike the old Dodge, nearly every pickup which is sold today is unnecessarily high and has a blunt nose designed only to be intimidating proves my point. I am certain my assessments would be echoed by most psychologists, a profession which very recently has proven to be most insightful about human behavior.
No, the others clearly commented about the trucks, you commented specifically about those individuals that purchase the trucks. There’s a difference. Those commenting that the trucks have become large actually were able to articulate their thoughts into what was so large and what exactly they were comparing them to, i.e. their own experiences, needs, and desires relative to that.
You merely stereotyped every buyer of every contemporary truck and appear to truly believe your stereotype and that it applies to every single one of them. That’s the only thing I objected to until you pivoted to other arguments without any objective data to back them up either and we went down those paths. If you had presented actual data from a study performed by the psychologists you reference or other qualified individuals about the actual motivations of contemporary truck buyers then that would be different. Those studies may actually exist, I have no idea, but I do know that you don’t know either, otherwise you would have referenced them, you’re certainly articulate enough to do so.
If you had instead started your original post with the fourth sentence from this reply that you just made starting with: “I do not dislike…” and ended it with “…utilitarian appearance” nobody would have had absolutely anything to take offense to. You kind of ruined it though afterward by going on about the height and blunt nose. Look at virtually every other vehicle out there, the same thing has been happening to all of them as well. And if we are talking about tall and blunt front ends, well, that brings us full circle and I’ll have you look at the featured truck at the top, the Toyota ToyoAce pretty much has all comers beat on that point, it’s pretty much a billboard broadside up front. It doesn’t get much taller or blunter besides the city bus. It’s just you don’t seem as threatened by vans. (Nobody does really, they often have free candy 🙂 )
Look, I get it, you don’t like large trucks. OK, fine, that’s a perfectly valid opinion. I myself would prefer to own the smallest truck that gets the job(s) done and go back and forth on what really is necessary for my own situation. That opinion is however not the same as stating without any backing that the buyers of them have a psychological disorder and/or are compensating for something in any way which is exactly what you have been proposing.
Anyway, I bid you a good night. Time to catch up on other stuff.
hired a Toyoace recently with a 15 cube van body 2 door cab turbo diesel 5 speed manual trans, then drove it 900 kms to collect my furniture from storage and move it to storage near where Im living, not a bad effort as far as puddle jumpers go it could hold the class 1 speed limit 100kmh without much trouble on flat going empty, the exhaust brake held it back ok on downhills not much power going uphill but thats why it had a gearbox ride comfort pretty bad but improved with a load it did have dual rear wheels and a electric tail lift but all in all a good little weapon I would not like to drive one all day for money
I get the utility of the drop down sides on the pick up bed, but I absolutely do not want to be my own air bag. It’s kind of tough to get an idea of how big this truck is in these photos; I wonder if one of the bigger UTVs would be a good alternative, although good luck getting one licensed for road use.
I think the comparison of the Toyoace to the Silverado four door long bed truck is a bit askew; I can compare a Rolls Royce to a Mini. Yes, they’re both cars, but for entirely different purposes. Given the information from Jim Klein’s previous posts, it seems to me that pickup trucks have gotten taller, not necessarily longer. Beds are taller and the suspensions are higher (there’s a lot more room between tires and wheel wells than I remember), but our road laws only allow a truck to be so large. Sure, the fashion in the US is to have a big truck now and 50 years ago it was fashionable to have a big car. Here in the ‘States, we buy cars and trucks by the pound.
I’ve never understood why we in the US never adopted the fold down bed sides like other parts of the world. Up until recently, tie-downs were AWOL, too. But that seems to be getting better. Occasionally we see some innovation; I know a guy with the Ram Boxes on his truck, they’re incredibly handy for some things.
I’d be happy with my 95 Dakota again. Just enough truck for me.
There are a few of these in Oregon. I regularly see an ex fire engine stripped down to a pickup and in late 2019 somebody in Grant’s Pass was advertising an excellent work truck, A very similar Nissan Atlas diesel crew cab with a hydraulic lift gate.