Male insecurity is part of it, but public policy is a bigger part: specifically, the “chicken tax” and CAFE loopholes. Fix those, so that manufacturers are actually allowed and incentivized to make small trucks that people want (and disincentivized against making gigantic ones their “flagship” models), and the problem would greatly diminish.
This would require legislators to act against their own financial interests.
Loosen passenger safety regulations while they’re at it. It’s become insane. Cars are safe enough for occupants, and have been for two decades at least.
Meanwhile, maybe we can make pedestrian safety more of a priority.
Why not both?
Passenger safety features have become very expensive and make cars less maintainable and therefore more wasteful. Backup cameras and parking sensors and merging sensors/indicators.
For all the people saying “I just want a small pickup to do x” I’ll point you to the recommendation at the end:
If you are only towing, off-roading, or hauling once a year, or never, it might be wise to consider a smaller vehicle, and rent or borrow a truck when you really need a truck. There are tens of millions of them out there. There are even amazing services like Turo or ZipCar out there that grant you access to a vehicle for just the time you want it, and may even deliver it to your door.
I want a small truck with a big bed so I can carry stuff. A Toyota Hilux Champ looks like my dream truck, but we can’t have nice things.
Hear me out. You actually want a minivan.
Or a cargo van if you’re feeling fancy. You can get cargo vans electric too. They aren’t nice, they’re definitely built to just haul stuff. But they’re really good at just hauling stuff.
If you’re looking for cheap find an old used minivan and lay the seats down. You can fit a lot in an old minivan. 4*8 sheets are not a problem for most.
Until the thing you’re moving is 1 inch taller or longer than your van, sure.
If the goal is to regularly move furniture, and you want a standard height vehicle (not a tall box van), a pickup truck is more interesting.
(Vans are great though for many other jobs)
I mean, I’ve moved quite a bit in a mini van, you’d be surprised what will fit in there. There are very few things I haven’t been able to get in to the back of a minivan. Modern pick up trucks do not have the cargo capacity a minivan does.
And if you’re worried about it, cargo vans will absolutely be able to handle it. Just about anything you buy is going to be built to a size to accommodate shipping it.
And, any big box store will happily rent you a pickup truck should that need ever arise. 25 bucks for the few hours you need it, if you’re really worried about it.
Most. Then there’s furniture and appliances, which I have used vans for and it’s not great. What I actually want is a Hilux Champ. I would accept any small pickup with a BIG bed.
I just want something to ferry around thrift store furniture lol
I’ve been looking at the Subaru Baja
I was amazed recently how hard it was to find a proper small truck. Just wanted something to carry my bicycle so I could try some different trails that are farther from my house.
All the new trucks are huge and the old small trucks are expensive. Ended up with a “mid-sized” Nissan and it’s bigger than the F-150s all my friends had growing up. I still want an old Ford Ranger or something but they’re just too damn expensive now.
What’s wrong with these?
I mean… look at it. It just screams NEEEEERRRRD
Jokes aside I’ve never liked those things. I’ve had a variety of rear mounting bike racks and maybe one or two worked well.
They are literally the worst bike racks. Nearly everything is wrong with them
(Hitch mounted bike racks are great)
Just the first image result I got, didn’t mean the specific model.
Ford Maverick?
We have two of these at work. I’m almost certain I could carry more in a hatchback.
Why not just rent one?
It’ll probably take a bit more time and planning up front but you’ll probably save on car payments and gas for a utility you’ll only use once a month.
The dream
I actually just traded out of my F-150 for an all-electric crossover. Lemmy has informed me that this was a terrible move for the environment.
