Today's trucks must be all things to all people. To find ways to improve the alternative utility of their vehicles, manufacturers are increasingly turning to the aftermarket. Some aftermarket products inspire new designs that integrate a feature previously only available as an add-on. In other cases, manufacturers tap aftermarket companies to provide them with a neat item to offer as a factory-sanctioned option.
Whatever the circumstance, customers get trucks that have convenience and utility features that leave us wondering why no one offered them sooner. A great example is the Nissan Titan's use of the space inside the rear fenders. This area provides secure storage for things like hitch balls, chains, tow straps, and jumper cables--and it's hidden and lockable.
Likewise, Chevrolet put a couple of sidesaddle bins in the rear fenders of the Avalanche, a truck that blurs the definition of what a cab and bed are. Honda had the imagination to put a lockable car-style trunk in the floor of the bed of its Ridgeline.
None of these items costs extra or eat into the available bed space as truck boxes do, so they're an even better solution to the problem than possible aftermarket options.
Manufacturers adopt aftermarket bed extenders to give greater flexibility to vehicles built with shorter beds to accommodate longer cabs. Bed extenders are still popular aftermarket accessories, but customers can buy them from the manufacturer at many dealerships. Nissan similarly adapted its optional Utili-track system of sliding tie-down cleats from comparable aftermarket systems. The Toyota Tacoma features a standard deck-rail utility system that also provides for tie-down flexibility.