What's happening with small/medium sized trucks at GM?
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 357
From: San Diego, CA
I have always thought the 05' and newer Tacoma was the perfect "midsize" truck. I do like the idea of someone (maybe GM) making a true "compact" truck again.
In all honesty though, my wifes 07' Tacoma Pre-Runner (or 4x4 if in bad climate/conditions) is all most urban truck drivers REALLY need. It can tow up to 6,500lbs., hold 5 adults, take you back and forth to work and get 20mpg doing it, and its easy to park and meneuver.
I think its funny how GIANT "fullsize" trucks have become. We have 1500 trucks today that can do the work of 2500 and even 3500 trucks of old. Its totally unecessary for all but those who pull horse trailers or giant campers (and most of those guys own even more overkill 2500's or 3500's).
Honestly, other than laying a sheet of plywood down flat in the bed (which you cant do in a Tacoma and is annoying) there is nothing the Tacoma hasn't been able to do. It tows the boat, it makes the lumbar runs to Home Depot, picks up furniture, gets a load of dirt or mulch, and even carried a pallet of rocks (twice) that were well over the payload capacity with no problem.
If thats all you do with a truck, I'm not sure why you NEED a 10,000lbs. towing capacity, V8 powered, 4x4, 15mpg, hard to park, etc. truck.
Now if you WANT one, well have at it. This is America and you should be able to have what you want. However, I would like to see someone, especially an American company, build another "midsize" truck to compete with the Tacoma. In otherwords, an "old-school fullsize" truck.
Red blooded, hairy chested, beer drinking guys come in and tell my how the Tacoma is a girls truck (then again it is my wifes) and you NEED your fullsize.
Oh by the way, I have more heair on my chest and drink more beer than you do, haha.
In all honesty though, my wifes 07' Tacoma Pre-Runner (or 4x4 if in bad climate/conditions) is all most urban truck drivers REALLY need. It can tow up to 6,500lbs., hold 5 adults, take you back and forth to work and get 20mpg doing it, and its easy to park and meneuver.
I think its funny how GIANT "fullsize" trucks have become. We have 1500 trucks today that can do the work of 2500 and even 3500 trucks of old. Its totally unecessary for all but those who pull horse trailers or giant campers (and most of those guys own even more overkill 2500's or 3500's).
Honestly, other than laying a sheet of plywood down flat in the bed (which you cant do in a Tacoma and is annoying) there is nothing the Tacoma hasn't been able to do. It tows the boat, it makes the lumbar runs to Home Depot, picks up furniture, gets a load of dirt or mulch, and even carried a pallet of rocks (twice) that were well over the payload capacity with no problem.
If thats all you do with a truck, I'm not sure why you NEED a 10,000lbs. towing capacity, V8 powered, 4x4, 15mpg, hard to park, etc. truck.
Now if you WANT one, well have at it. This is America and you should be able to have what you want. However, I would like to see someone, especially an American company, build another "midsize" truck to compete with the Tacoma. In otherwords, an "old-school fullsize" truck.
Red blooded, hairy chested, beer drinking guys come in and tell my how the Tacoma is a girls truck (then again it is my wifes) and you NEED your fullsize.
Oh by the way, I have more heair on my chest and drink more beer than you do, haha.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,647
From: Jupiter, FL
Well it looks like Dodge is planning on a small truck:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler...ssibility.html
http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler...ssibility.html
Following an earlier report in which Leftlane confirmed the future of a new unibody pickup under the Ram brand, Chrysler has now added clarification to their plans. According to Chrysler executives, Ram will not pursue a midsize unibody pickup, but will instead focus on a smaller unibody pickup closer in size to the Ford Ranger.
In November of last year, executives from the then-recently formed Ram division held a lengthy press conference in which they discussed the end of Dakota production in 2011, and that it will be replaced by a new unibody pickup. At the time, speculation lead the public to believe that Chrysler would create a production version of the 2006 Dodge Rampage concept truck, which would have been midsize.
Now, according to Automotive News, Chrysler executives have come out and said that they believe chasing nearly full-size pickups with midsize pickups is not the way to go, suggesting that Ford has the formula right with its aging Ranger.
“Everybody started making these trucks bigger and bigger,” said Joe Veltri, Chrysler group vice president of product planning. “And pretty soon a guy goes into the showroom and says, ‘For X dollars more, I can get a Ram full-sized truck.’
During Veltri’s interview at the National Truck Equipment Association’s Work Truck Show, Veltri confirmed that Chrysler has abandoned plans to bring a midsize truck to market on a unibody platform – with Automotive News citing the 31 percent decline in sales for the segment last year, and the Honda Ridgeline leading the pack with a 51 percent decline.
Veltri did not directly confirm specifications or market expectancy, but he did share details on where Chrysler is going, “We’re thinking of something that will separate itself from the full-sized truck more than what happens today, both in capability, price and size,” said Veltri. Adding, “The Ram brand has room to expand into a compact-truck segment.”
In November of last year, executives from the then-recently formed Ram division held a lengthy press conference in which they discussed the end of Dakota production in 2011, and that it will be replaced by a new unibody pickup. At the time, speculation lead the public to believe that Chrysler would create a production version of the 2006 Dodge Rampage concept truck, which would have been midsize.
Now, according to Automotive News, Chrysler executives have come out and said that they believe chasing nearly full-size pickups with midsize pickups is not the way to go, suggesting that Ford has the formula right with its aging Ranger.
“Everybody started making these trucks bigger and bigger,” said Joe Veltri, Chrysler group vice president of product planning. “And pretty soon a guy goes into the showroom and says, ‘For X dollars more, I can get a Ram full-sized truck.’
During Veltri’s interview at the National Truck Equipment Association’s Work Truck Show, Veltri confirmed that Chrysler has abandoned plans to bring a midsize truck to market on a unibody platform – with Automotive News citing the 31 percent decline in sales for the segment last year, and the Honda Ridgeline leading the pack with a 51 percent decline.
Veltri did not directly confirm specifications or market expectancy, but he did share details on where Chrysler is going, “We’re thinking of something that will separate itself from the full-sized truck more than what happens today, both in capability, price and size,” said Veltri. Adding, “The Ram brand has room to expand into a compact-truck segment.”
Just don't base it off the Fiat 500, ok Chrysler? 
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,600
From: Pewee Valley, KY
Well it looks like Dodge is planning on a small truck:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler...ssibility.html
http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler...ssibility.html
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,217
From: Greenville, SC
Sure. 99% of people do not NEED a 5,000+sq.ft house which is about equivalent to how overkill the capabilities of 1500 fullsize trucks are for most Americans these days.
I'm not saying not to make fullsize trucks. I understand that many Americans want the space. What I am saying is dial back the capabilities. It would greatly reduce cost and weight which might improve sales and would certainly improve gas mileage.
A 1500 with a towing capacity of 7,000 or 8,000lbs. would be plenty. You could still pull a 30+ foot trailer with it. If you are pulling something bigger than that, thats where the 2500 would come in.
Just my opinion.
I'm not saying not to make fullsize trucks. I understand that many Americans want the space. What I am saying is dial back the capabilities. It would greatly reduce cost and weight which might improve sales and would certainly improve gas mileage.
A 1500 with a towing capacity of 7,000 or 8,000lbs. would be plenty. You could still pull a 30+ foot trailer with it. If you are pulling something bigger than that, thats where the 2500 would come in.
Just my opinion.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,897
From: Greenville, SC
Damn it. Why the hell does it HAVE to be unibody? It's been shown way too many times that they're not "popular" with the masses. Austraila? YES. USA. NO!
The early 60's Ford truck was a very short lived failure. The El Camino and Ranchero had a nice run, but failed. Subaru Brat? Failed. Subaru Baja? Failed. The Ridgeline? Not so hot, and unfortunately the Avalanches sales aren't that great either.
Americans tend to overload our vehicles. Just today I had my S-10 sitting on the bump stops from a load of stone. What would that same load have done to a unibody truck? Damaged the body? If I'm going to buy a small truck, I'm still going to use it as a truck and I want a "real" SEPERATE from the cab, bed.
Maybe I'm nuts and it's my own personal rant, but I have ZERO interest in a unibody truck.
The early 60's Ford truck was a very short lived failure. The El Camino and Ranchero had a nice run, but failed. Subaru Brat? Failed. Subaru Baja? Failed. The Ridgeline? Not so hot, and unfortunately the Avalanches sales aren't that great either.
Americans tend to overload our vehicles. Just today I had my S-10 sitting on the bump stops from a load of stone. What would that same load have done to a unibody truck? Damaged the body? If I'm going to buy a small truck, I'm still going to use it as a truck and I want a "real" SEPERATE from the cab, bed.
Maybe I'm nuts and it's my own personal rant, but I have ZERO interest in a unibody truck.
Last edited by Silverado C-10; Mar 23, 2010 at 09:46 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,897
From: Greenville, SC
I have one. It had a trailer full of mulch connected to it. I'm removing stone from around the trees in my yard and replacing it with mulch. It's too easy for the stone to look "dirty" and every once in a while the lawnmower launches a stone that's gotten away from the trees from rainwater or whatever. The S-10 is MUCH easier to load. The Z71's bed is too high to load (stone) by hand (shovel). I'm going to use the stone (there's A LOT of it) to make a "pad" in my back yard for my boat to sit on 
Last edited by Silverado C-10; Mar 23, 2010 at 11:49 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,698
From: USA
I drove a new 1500 crew cab Sierra the other day. It's amazing how far these trcuks have come. It did not feel huge or hard to park. It was actually more like driving an old B-body or big car. The sticker on this truck said 20 MPG which was pretty impressive.
My brother in law had a Tacoma, and it was like riding in a butt in the floor F-body. I prefer my knee caps be out of my field of view when driving a truck.
My brother in law had a Tacoma, and it was like riding in a butt in the floor F-body. I prefer my knee caps be out of my field of view when driving a truck.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 3,252
From: Knoxville, TN
It has been my observation (very non-scientific) that the vast majority of truck owners do not use their trucks as trucks, rather as cars. With this in mind, I think a well thought-out, small, unibody truck could do just fine.
As with everything else, there are exceptions, of course.
As with everything else, there are exceptions, of course.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,217
From: Greenville, SC
Hmm, try raising the seat maybe? What year Tacoma? My buddy is 6'4" and routinely the DD and never has a problem driving my wifes 07'. Of the complaints I do have with the truck, that is not one of them. Everybodies different though.