Why We Can't Have Small Trucks Anymore - Blame the EPA :

[mat200]

CAFE standards .. forces creation of larger trucks due to updates to the standards





Formula .. footprint of the vehicle model is taken into account .. and










example ..



hard to get to these standards with a small truck ..






"EPA incentives bigger vehicles" ..



Why We Can't Have Small Trucks Anymore - Blame the EPA
All Cars with Jon

 

[Oceanslider]

Interesting. Going to read into this more.

 

[IReallyLikePizza2]

I have a feeling if people actually wanted smaller trucks, they would be everywhere

I looked at a Ranger before I got my F150. What exactly do I gain going smaller? Now I'd love an F250

 

[mat200]

I have a feeling if people actually wanted smaller trucks, they would be everywhere

I looked at a Ranger before I got my F150. What exactly do I gain going smaller? Now I'd love an F250

in some US cities, the older Toyota / Nissan are super popular .. a lot depends on the streets / parking and needs.

urban areas with tight parking / congested narrow streets make small trucks great for handyman, landscape, pool, and other work where you need a truck, but due to tight spaces a smaller truck works better.

Of course, Texas isn't that place ..

 

[mattp]

in some US cities, the older Toyota / Nissan are super popular .. a lot depends on the streets / parking and needs.

urban areas with tight parking / congested narrow streets make small trucks great for handyman, landscape, pool, and other work where you need a truck, but due to tight spaces a smaller truck works better.

Of course, Texas isn't that place ..

The solution is obvious. Move to Texas.

 

[garycrist]

A Toyota mini w/ 4X4 on "Jeep Trails" were exhilarating in S. Cali. You would
NEVER get a F- anything up those skinny trails without falling off! We have been
SCREWED by C.A.R.B., lied to us by all about "Clean Air"

Initially this crap was started in California because of L. A.'s funky weather pattern
that keeps the smog pent-up. They did admirably in the beginning by doing exactly
what they said, "Clean up the air till we see the mountains again". People were onboard
until the MONSTER was established and rooted. They now hate C.A.R.B.

C.A.R.B. now dictates to us over most of the whole of the U.S.

 

[crw030]

I personally have a Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD with the 2.5L Turbo, and although I dont have a hitch installed yet, it does have a "light-duty" towing capacity around 4500 lbs. Both the wife and I are thrilled with it and find it to be the best vehicle (best general utility) we've ever owned. I've moved much larger furniture, hauled lots of stuff to recycling and dump, and even donated 8 dining chairs in a single run to the local thrift store.

12000 miles in the first year, much of it back and forth cross country, up and down mountains and bad road conditions and it fits in my garage like a car.

Although my only real points for comparison is a Ford Explorer, Pontiac Grand Am GT and some clunkers. The Grand Am was great but not exactly high in utility. The explorer was good AWD and decent utility, but limited capacity even with the rear seats down (like 1 snow blower, or small end table, few suitcases), but we also didnt have a hitch on it either.

I've never had a full-size truck and I might miss it with similar accoutrements and more towing capacity - I haven't felt like I'm missing out just yet. But then again I haven't looked at campers