There was a time when you couldn't turn around without hitting a customized minitruck. In the 1970s, when Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, and Isuzu brought their inexpensive, stone-reliable trucks to the U.S., a new automotive market emerged as well as a new segment for the aftermarket to latch on to. After the import companies paved the way, Ford and Chevrolet entered the market by rebadging Mazda and Isuzu trucks and then designed their own versions in the early 1980s. The Toyota tailgate with only the "YO" letters painted white was so ubiquitous, it became cliche for the teenage ne'er-do-well.
Times have changed, and the trucks that put a generation of teenagers on wheels are being left behind. Sales of all pickups smaller than full-size trucks (minis and midsize) are half of their 1.5-million-unit peak in 1986, according to Haig Stoddard, manager and industry analyst for Wards Communications.
Previous compact pickups were small and inexpensive, as evidenced by the 1950s Datsun minitruck cooing with the bovine
The number of small-truck makers also is dwindling, as GM and Ford will share common vehicles with their Asian subsidiaries. In GM's case, that means Isuzu will supply the new Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, while Ford provides rebadged Rangers for Mazda dealers to sell as B-Series trucks.
As it is, most of the trucks that remain in the segment are quickly growing into midsize stature, which will leave the overdue-for-replacement Ranger as the only true compact truck. Toyota and Nissan will soon replace their small-truck models with larger ones, with the new Nissan sharing the same frame as the full-size Titan.
It made sense that small-car importers would bring over small pickups, but as their popularity grew, so did their overall dimensions.
Making truly compact trucks doesn't make sense anymore, because customers want more elbow-room in the cab and more cargo capacity in the bed. "We've lost business to compact sedans, SUVs, and full-size pickups because the compact trucks didn't have the capacity those vehicles offer," says Dora Nowicki, Chevrolet Colorado marketing manager.