What do we think of these new 'small' trucks? - Ford Maverick/ Hyundai Santa Cruz

This article suggests NAFTA could be a workaround…Rabbit’s anyone?

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I see landscapers’ trucks all the time (I would say the majority) that are lifted, making the bed essentially unusable for their purposes so they haul their stuff in a trailer.

The rest are really small operators who have like one mower and some paraphernalia, ie stuff that would fit in a Ranger but they still drive 1/4-1/2 ton trucks.

Neither group seems to care about efficiency too much.

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It’s a write off. Which means you don’t have to pay for it, that’s why you write it off

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That stupid tax is what keeps me from getting a VW California.

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The base Maverick is going to be the modern version of the cheap white Toyota pickup truck of the late 80’s early 90’s. Here in Southern California it seemed like half the college students had one because it was one of the cheapest new cars you could buy. Every small tradesman had one.

I’m not a truck guy but I could totally see buying one of these if I needed a cheap car. I’d slap a lockable camper shell on the back for security and it would be a totally functional vehicle for under $25K.

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Slight correction the cmax/fusion was a 2.0/hybrid powerplant. This will be a 2.5/hybrid powerplant

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Those oldies are on their 5-8th owners by now. They’re often seen in ‘the City’ (S.F.) overloaded with stacked wooden pallets or stacked with 8 feet high pile of cardboard. Also popular with day-laborers, and still worth a pretty penny, considering their age.

Like a Transit Connect, Nissan NV, etc etc?

Funny you mention Transits. Friend of mine runs a window cleaning operation with 5 trucks (his, and 8 employees, pair per truck). Early this year, all the old trucks (misc, brands) were all swapped out for new white Taco’s. I knew he took a costly hit with 5 brand new Tacos in a crappy lease/buy environment. Flash forward to two weeks ago, I see all Taco’s aside from his are gone…all replaced with Ford Transits…the tiny ones. Security, and reduced back injuries (lifting versus ramping pressure washers,etc.) were his reasons. He still drives the lone Taco as chief estimator.

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I looked into getting one a couple years ago and those little Toyotas we’re going for silly money with incredible mileage and all of the dings and dents that implies.

Of course they were still running mostly on the original engines.

I don’t know if it’s still the case, but ‘back in the day’ there were a few Toyota-only engine ‘shops’ that claimed they brought over gently used Japanese engines from across the pond (guaranteed xxx miles) and they were a few hours to swap in. This was back in the late 80’s/early 90’s. They were dead simple. I suppose that could be why so many are still on the road…stream of near-new engines.

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I haven’t checked but I’m guessing that neither of those gets 40 mpg.

At any rate, it’s nice to see what appears to be a functional useful vehicle that starts in the very low of $20,000 range.

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The 22R motor of the 80s Toyota pickups were known to be nearly indestructible. Not fast, not efficient, but a solid workhorse.

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AHA! That’s the one! I had a really old Corolla ('72 Mustard yellow) that had a 2TC or T2C or some-such. Many beers ago!

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I know nothing about the small trucks in the title but I would love to have this one. :slight_smile:

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Yup. Just like this. :laughing:

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Yeah, but needs the steel wheels from the XL

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Close enough? If applied to a Maverick

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Take a drive down Jamboree :slight_smile:

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Smelled like 80’s :cowboy_hat_face:

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