Autoholics

"But the fact still remains, the US needs a small pickup"

They do? I would like to see where this "fact" was plucked from.

My guess is that if the market really wanted (or needed) a small pickup that GM, Ford, and others would be building them.

This is another story that smells like the writer trying to drive the market.

"But the fact still remains, the US needs a small pickup"

They do? I would like to see where this "fact" was plucked from.

I would buy one. I had a VW diesel and loved the little truck, got 40 mpg and could haul light loads very easy around Wash. state.

I would buy one. If VW would bring back their small truck I would buy it. Or, if there was a Prius truck I would consider as well. The one in the article looks good to. I did not buy a small truck last time due to MPG. The last truck I bought was in 2001. At the time gas was still under $2.00 and the difference in MPG was not significant. Something like 5 MPG difference. But there was a huge difference in hauling, towing, head room, etc. A 30-32 mpg option would have been a game changer for my needs. I do not know the specs on the one in the article. I am just saying that mpg would definitely get my attention.

Whatever happened to the skate or skateboard or whatever it was called concept car? Maybe I have the name wrong but it was the idea to have multiple bodies for one drive train and chassis unit. I have room at my place to store the sedan body while I use the truck and v/v.

Small diesel pickups hit the market during the high gas prices of the early 80,s. Datsun, Toyota and Mitsubishi had them and Chrysler and Plymouth sold the Mitsubishi under their U.S. name. Of the three, the Mitsubishi and the two Chrysler products sold best until the gas prices dropped. The small diesel trucks stopped selling and were eventually dropped. Mitsubishi lasted the longest and they eventually stopped selling it in the U.S. I had a Mitsubishi turbo diesel and of all the trucks I've owned, it was the best truck either large or small that I have ever owned. It's 80 horse engine had enough power for a truck that size. It was very economical. In fact, it would climb long inclines at high altitudes without losing power like normally aspirated vehicles would. I could maintain 65 when gasoline vehicles would be crawling, due to oxygen starvation.

It is not easy to introduce a new vehicle into the U.S. market. It has to satisfy ALL the requirements of the American public, not just during a period of high prices. Right now, diesel fuel prices are to the point that doesn't make switching over to diesel an economical option.

Hero, I commend you, you are awesome. I think you give the best answers to everything you post on CR4 than anyone else I've seen.

Thank you for that.

Another market reality is that most vehicles that start out small and compact tend to grow with age. Compare, for example, the original Datsun/Toyota models (cars and trucks) with their current versions, or the original Cooper mini with the current versions, or just about any American model that started small...

Americans really don't want small vehicles, as a general rule...

Not really much of rule if you consider how many large American vehicle manufactures models started out as huge land yachts and are now pale comparisons of their former selves. Cadillac, Lincoln, Ford, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chrysler, I could go on but anyone born before 1980 would know what I am talking about.

Don't get me started on how many of them are half or less the models they used to be but only gained 20 - 30% or less fuel mileage in the trade off despite being half their former selves now.

What are you talking about?

You should see some of these matchboxes people are driving here now. People don't drive big cars here anymore unless they are the types that like to show off their wealth. Others drive big pickup strucks for the needed utility and power but they don't drive them all the time, only when they need to use them for work or haul a trailor camping or a boat.

I have personal experience with the Mazda B2000 Diesel Pickup, they loose power after awhile and extremely gutless when going up hills. Diesel engines used in full sized pickups are a different story and Cummins is probably the best out of all the diesel engines used in full sized pickups.

In Florida about half the vehicles on the road are either SUVs or trucks.

Those of us driving small cars are in the minority.

In Texas the majority are trucks or SUV. I still stand that there is a market for small diesel trucks and the supply will not come from America.

The Mazda Miata is one of the niches that the Japanese saw and took advantage of.

I, too, live in Texas, and I drive a SuperDuty Diesel.

When I bought mine, in '01, diesel was 10 cents less, per gallon, than gasoline. I replaced a 4400# gas-powered truck that got about 8-9 GPH with a 6900# diesel-powered truck that averaged 16.5 GPH!

There were rumors of an F-150 with a diesel engine, but now that their "Eco-Boost" gas engine is getting about 22 GPH and has good power, it is not going to happen.

With my height, I have problems getting into small cars and trucks, but a mid-sized diesel truck might get my attention.

Who would want a diesel powered vehicle, they are smelly, noisy and the fuel costs more. I read where you have to add urea via injection on a Mercedes to keep the emissions within US limits, and if you don't the car stops working. Urea really? can you just piss in the tank? Diesels are needed where the torque is an absolute necessity. I know, half the Europeans drive them but have you ever been to a diesel dispensing station? you will come away with the gummy crap someplace on your clothing or shoes. The best part is that you can drive a vehicle that has the rear coated with soot, gives you that nice grimy look.

Maybe you need to take a trip across the pond. I have been around some small diesels that have been fairly quite. Granted most are much louder than the gas ones. The stations I goto that sell diesel and gas are quite clean. If you get your hands dirty then goto the bathroom and wash them. I have no idea what is added to the fuel but I am curious. If you add two parts urea is it then di-urea? My complaint about the diesels is fuel gelling in the colder months. As for the cost of fuel, I would take a 45 mpg diesel over a 20 mpg gasser.

Very humorous about the di-urea quip. The Mercedes owner who will probably have to shell out $200 t0 $300 to refill his urea tank will likely fail to see the humor in the situation. Kind of cuts down on the savings with the mileage too.

A friend at church was bragging about how his son was getting great mileage with a diesel car. My first thought was how much does he spend per mile on diesel compared to the same mileage in gas. My point about the price of diesel in your case is I would be willing to pay 20% more per gallon if it would get me 200% farther down the road.

he Mercedes owner who will probably have to shell out $200 t0 $300 to refill his urea tank will likely fail to see the humor in the situation
Ok, lets look at it from an engineering viewpoint. A small flap in the drivers seat where you deposit urea (liquid form) the deposit goes into a container which the exhaust pipe runs thru and boils off the water and such then the urea is injected into the exhaust.
See, two problems solved.

In fact a buncha (< technical term) flaps, one in every seating position...... make it a family affair,

Well,I would just like to share with you that Mahindra pickup, imaginatively known as the Pik-Up, has been something of a press darling for some time. I know for sure some of you knows about it. For a good reason, too; it would have been inexpensive and gotten great gas mileage and been a new entry to the light pickup segment, which is all but forgotten by most automakers. It doesn't look likely to take place, as the company no longer has a distributor in the States. You may want an if you would like a lower payment on your car.