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I’d love to have a pickup truck at some point, but right now they’re just too dang expensive and BIG! I don’t need a huge gas‑guzzling thing. I really miss the smaller‑style trucks we used to see on the roads. There are still a few you can buy, and the biggest “small truck” is probably the Ford Maverick now, but it would be great to see more options out there.
There are a lot of reasons why they’re not as popular to make anymore. People use trucks as family vehicles now, want to sit higher up, and some even just like being seen in a big vehicle. With prices on the rise, though, smaller trucks seem to be making a bit of a comeback — and I love to see it!
Right now, the only true compact trucks in North America are the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, but there are rumors of more coming to this area!
Possible future compact trucks:
- Ram “Rampage” (already in South America — expected for North America soon)
- Chevy Montana / small Chevrolet pickup (sold globally, possible NA release)
- Toyota compact truck (Toyota confirmed interest in a Maverick‑sized model)
Until that happens, we can think back to the good old days. Check out some of our favorite smaller trucks from years ago!
Ford
- Ford Ranger
- Ford Courier (earlier, phased out by the 90s but still remembered)
Mazda
- Mazda B‑Series (same platform as Ford Ranger)
Toyota
- Toyota Pickup (until 1995)
- Toyota Tacoma (introduced mid‑90s; sold in Canada from 1995 onward)
Nissan
- Nissan Hardbody (D21)
- Nissan Frontier (late 90s onward)
General Motors
- Chevrolet S‑10
- GMC Sonoma (S‑10’s twin)
Dodge / Mitsubishi
- Dodge Ram 50 (Mitsubishi‑based; sold into the early 90s)
- Dodge Dakota (mid‑size but still smaller than full‑size trucks; extremely common in Canada)
