Posted on 05/20/2024 10:08:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The American pickup truck market is dominated by domestic brands, primarily Ford , Chevrolet , GMC and Ram . U.S. brands benefit from a loyal buyer base, and a 25% tax on imported trucks.
But the Toyota Tacoma shows how a foreign automaker can find and control a niche within that market.
The top-selling full-size pickup line is Ford’s F-Series, especially the F-150, which is also the bestselling vehicle in America, according to Edmunds. GM and Ram pickups trail Ford, which also has the top-selling compact pickup truck — the Maverick.
But U.S. automakers have wavered in their commitment to smaller pickups, while the Japanese automaker Toyota has had a presence in the segment as far back as the 1970s. Toyota introduced the Tacoma in 1995 as a successor to the Toyota Pickup, famously known as the Hilux elsewhere in the world. Meanwhile, Ford Motor discontinued the Ranger after the 2011 model year, and then revived it in 2019. GM pulled the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon off the market in 2012, before reviving both in 2014.
In 2023, Toyota sold over 237,000 Tacomas in the U.S., far outpacing all of its midsize competitors by a wide margin. The next best seller was the Chevrolet Colorado, which sold just shy of 72,000 units. The GMC Canyon, a slightly higher-end version of the same truck, adds roughly another 22,600 in sales for the U.S. automaker.
Toyota’s careful attention to the needs of Tacoma owners is seen as part of the reason for that loyal market base and the model’s consistent sales. For example, about 40% of Tacoma owners take their trucks off-road at least once a month, so Toyota offers several off-road packages for the truck.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Toyota sells subscriptions to continue using its voice activation text 180 because you have to buy the whole package. . First 3 years free
Mad 4Runner owner
A Dodge grand caravan with the fold and go seating, is better for hauling small loads than a short bed P/U. I have one, and I can fit a couple of 4x8 sheets of plywood in it, and a 20’ ladder, along with studs, and all of my tools. It keeps things dry. A full size pickup with a canopy on it is of course preferable. Toyota makes one in a F 150 type of truck. Ford makes one in a VERY expensive package in an 250 or larger.
That and the prices they’re asking are insane.
I’ve seen other vehicles where the 6 cylinder gets as good or even better mileage than the four. The 80s Mustangs for example. The 4s have to work much harder and require a lot more throttle.
Yes, I remember the poor guy got a lot of grief about it too.
I also remember in Iraq when ISIS was filmed going down a road in a column with a whole bunch of brand new Toyota Tundras all painted the same tan color.
I always wondered where those came from. Like was there some Toyota dealer in Mosul that they stole their entire inventory. Or did WE(the CIA & Hillary/McCain) buy those for them.
Lol. I remember that rumor. An amazing number of people bought it.
We were going to get a Tacoma sometime this year but the new models have been changed from a V6 to a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder and then They added a turbo charger to try to beef it up. We’re either going with a 2023 or getting a Nissan Frontier.
The KZ1000, KZ750 and KZ650 all got very popular after the movie “Mad Max” came out in 1979.
I had a 1979 KZ 650. I put a Kerker 4 into 1 exhaust on it. Added a little more HP and increased the top speed to 125 mph.
It’s not a great turning circle, but it’s not horrible either.
bttt
The Tacoma almost folds in on itself.
The full-size pickups are made to work out of because the bed are to high. You have to climb up in the bed to fetch a tool unless you have some kind of grabber.
That’s why there a demand for the lower small pickups.
I have a 19 Frontier, short bed. I couldn’t find a long bed near me. That being said the Frontier does all I need it to do and didn’t cost near as much as the Tacoma.
The top-selling full-size pickup line is Ford’s F-Series, especially the F-150, which is also the bestselling vehicle.
If it isn’t full size it’s not worth having.
I have a 19 Frontier, short bed. I couldn’t find a long bed near me. That being said the Frontier does all I need it to do and didn’t cost near as much as the Tacoma.
Same here. I love mine.
I have two Japanese vehicles.
Toyota Sequoia and an Acura RDX.
Both are very well built vehicles.
Yeah I sold my Tacoma and bought a Jeep Wrangler.....I love my Jeep but there is a stark difference between the two vehicles when it come to overall quality fit and finish.
Also, being a homeowner I miss my truck bed desperately.
Yup. I’m definitely older and wiser now and I learned that the hard way. The difference in gas mileage between a six cylinder and a four-cylinder Tacoma is probably about 1 mile per gallon but the towing capacity of the six cylinders twice out of the four-cylinder. And I could’ve got the six cylinder for only 1000 more but I was a cheap bastard and didn’t. Again, sometimes I have to learn the hard way
Again, sometimes I have to learn the hard way.
There’s nothing easy about learning important things.
I used to be a Ford ranger guy when I first started driving, then I became a diehard Tacoma guy. What’s so good about the new Ford Ranger that makes it better than the Tacoma? I don’t like the fact that the tacomas are only at four-cylinder now so I’m interested in in my first love the ford ranger again (maybe)
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