Hyundai Santa Cruz
06-15-20, 04:13 PM
#61
Pole Position
Personally, I believe the elimination of the Toyota mini-truck, and/or, the up-sizing of the Tacoma was a marketing mistake. Toyota: please give us back the mini-truck, make the Tacoma more roomy inside, and get the next-gen Tundra to market, lickity-split!
06-15-20, 04:20 PM
#62
Lexus Fanatic
Agreed, and that demographic was me! I had a '77 Chevy short-bed, fleet side, that gave me nothing but trouble for years. Being a Toyota fanboy, I couldn't wait for the Tundra to come out. I needed a truck for residential use and the smaller size of the Tundra appealed to me tremendously. I believe there are many more people out there with my needs/desires.
Personally, I believe the elimination of the Toyota mini-truck, and/or, the up-sizing of the Tacoma was a marketing mistake. Toyota: please give us back the mini-truck, make the Tacoma more roomy inside, and get the next-gen Tundra to market, lickity-split!
Personally, I believe the elimination of the Toyota mini-truck, and/or, the up-sizing of the Tacoma was a marketing mistake. Toyota: please give us back the mini-truck, make the Tacoma more roomy inside, and get the next-gen Tundra to market, lickity-split!
06-15-20, 04:22 PM
#63
Lexus Fanatic
OK, I got 2007 wrong, but not entirely. True, 2007 was the 1st year of the 2gen. However, the sales numbers for that year would have included clearing out the 2006 models that didn't sell in 2006. So, let's throw out the sales figures for 2007 and look at the "undiluted" average sales of both gens. The first 7 years, 2000-2006, of the 1gen averaged 110,639 units/yr. The 2gen averaged 103,671 units/yr for 2008-2014. Thus, you, and the sources you cite, have it wrong when you contend that Toyota didn't know how to market trucks in America. The 2gen was bigger and more powerful, yet it sold less per year than the 1st gen.
Here's a quote from Wiki that supports my contention that there is a market for smaller-than-full-size trucks in America: "At its introduction, the Tundra had the highest initial vehicle sales for Toyota in its history. It was selected as Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award for 2000 and Best Full- Size Truck from Consumer Reports."
Here's a quote from Wiki that supports my contention that there is a market for smaller-than-full-size trucks in America: "At its introduction, the Tundra had the highest initial vehicle sales for Toyota in its history. It was selected as Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award for 2000 and Best Full- Size Truck from Consumer Reports."
06-15-20, 05:10 PM
#64
Pole Position
To bring it home...if Toyota can't bring a truck to market that suites me, I'll test drive the new Hyundai truck when it's available.
06-15-20, 05:45 PM
#65
Lexus Fanatic
06-15-20, 07:20 PM
#66
I still have the “big boy” version of the 1st gen Tundra - ‘06 Double Cab Darrell Waltrip edition. Basically a Limited crew cab with long (6 1/2’ bed).
More then likely, I’ll be getting rid of it shortly (don’t need a truck any more), but in 6+ years and almost 100k miles (178k on the odometer, but I think the previous owner rolled the miles back), it’s never left me stranded (spent maybe $1k besides the routine maintenance).
More then likely, I’ll be getting rid of it shortly (don’t need a truck any more), but in 6+ years and almost 100k miles (178k on the odometer, but I think the previous owner rolled the miles back), it’s never left me stranded (spent maybe $1k besides the routine maintenance).
06-16-20, 08:15 AM
#68
Really, if you want truck, Why not get a real one to begin with? A few w/ different engine/fuel options. Similar to a JK/JL which no other manufacturer can beat.....You either have one or you don't. Hydundai is better off, sticking to cars & suv's.....Possibly put the money towards the workers/employee's........
I've had a 4runner and briefly considered a tacoma but also tried other mid size trucks like canyon/colorado. They give up too much cabin space for the ground clearance, resulting in a high floor where you sit awkwardly with your legs straight out of front of you. You cannot sit 4 full sized adults in a tacoma comfortably. The ridgeline sits like a full size 1/2 ton due to the low floor. A lot of people will say its a city truck, but even venturing down a lot of forestry roads where 99.9% of people would not go, I have very seldom run into a situation in the ridgeline where I ran out of ground clearance. You run out of clearance in a JK too, but that isn't reason to go mount 40" tires on your daily driver.
And finally, for those who say why not get an SUV instead of a "fake" truck, you just don't get it. Show me how a fridge or some dirty or oily equipment or tools goes into the back of an SUV, or ski gear/mountain bike without some silly roof box or rack. Drive a truck around a city riddled with potholes and broken pavement and tell me the ride quality isn't better than most luxury cars. So saying there is no point to a unibody "fake" truck is kind of like saying why did you buy a LS460L when what you really could have gotten was a limo.
Last edited by oilburner1; 06-16-20 at 08:19 AM.
06-16-20, 10:01 AM
#69
Lexus Fanatic
have you driven a ridgeline? they make a lot of sense. I owned one for 5 years and it was the perfect truck for real life. Meaning you don't have to pull a 5 point turn to squeeze into a parking spot at the mall or circle the block a dozen times to look for a 25' spot to parallel into. I needed just enough truck to get to trail heads via gravel roads to go dirt biking, mountain biking, camping, awd to make it up the ski hill. And still have a useable bed that could haul a motorcycle, make home depot runs, etc. I don't own a horse trailer or a boat.
I've had a 4runner and briefly considered a tacoma but also tried other mid size trucks like canyon/colorado. They give up too much cabin space for the ground clearance, resulting in a high floor where you sit awkwardly with your legs straight out of front of you. You cannot sit 4 full sized adults in a tacoma comfortably. The ridgeline sits like a full size 1/2 ton due to the low floor. A lot of people will say its a city truck, but even venturing down a lot of forestry roads where 99.9% of people would not go, I have very seldom run into a situation in the ridgeline where I ran out of ground clearance. You run out of clearance in a JK too, but that isn't reason to go mount 40" tires on your daily driver.
And finally, for those who say why not get an SUV instead of a "fake" truck, you just don't get it. Show me how a fridge or some dirty or oily equipment or tools goes into the back of an SUV, or ski gear/mountain bike without some silly roof box or rack. Drive a truck around a city riddled with potholes and broken pavement and tell me the ride quality isn't better than most luxury cars. So saying there is no point to a unibody "fake" truck is kind of like saying why did you buy a LS460L when what you really could have gotten was a limo.
I've had a 4runner and briefly considered a tacoma but also tried other mid size trucks like canyon/colorado. They give up too much cabin space for the ground clearance, resulting in a high floor where you sit awkwardly with your legs straight out of front of you. You cannot sit 4 full sized adults in a tacoma comfortably. The ridgeline sits like a full size 1/2 ton due to the low floor. A lot of people will say its a city truck, but even venturing down a lot of forestry roads where 99.9% of people would not go, I have very seldom run into a situation in the ridgeline where I ran out of ground clearance. You run out of clearance in a JK too, but that isn't reason to go mount 40" tires on your daily driver.
And finally, for those who say why not get an SUV instead of a "fake" truck, you just don't get it. Show me how a fridge or some dirty or oily equipment or tools goes into the back of an SUV, or ski gear/mountain bike without some silly roof box or rack. Drive a truck around a city riddled with potholes and broken pavement and tell me the ride quality isn't better than most luxury cars. So saying there is no point to a unibody "fake" truck is kind of like saying why did you buy a LS460L when what you really could have gotten was a limo.
Excellent points, oilburner. You may only have 16 posts in CL, but you made a heck of a good one here. The Ridgeline is one of the most underrated vehicles in the industry today...and it looks like the Santa Cruz is going to give it some credible competition in that section of the market.....mid-size unibody pickups.A former pastor of mine liked the Ridgeline so much he traded a Hyundai Genesis (today's Genesis G80) for one....the top-line Black Edition.
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-16-20 at 10:04 AM.
06-16-20, 06:57 PM
#70
Lexus Fanatic
have you driven a ridgeline? they make a lot of sense. I owned one for 5 years and it was the perfect truck for real life. Meaning you don't have to pull a 5 point turn to squeeze into a parking spot at the mall or circle the block a dozen times to look for a 25' spot to parallel into. I needed just enough truck to get to trail heads via gravel roads to go dirt biking, mountain biking, camping, awd to make it up the ski hill. And still have a useable bed that could haul a motorcycle, make home depot runs, etc. I don't own a horse trailer or a boat.
I've had a 4runner and briefly considered a tacoma but also tried other mid size trucks like canyon/colorado. They give up too much cabin space for the ground clearance, resulting in a high floor where you sit awkwardly with your legs straight out of front of you. You cannot sit 4 full sized adults in a tacoma comfortably. The ridgeline sits like a full size 1/2 ton due to the low floor. A lot of people will say its a city truck, but even venturing down a lot of forestry roads where 99.9% of people would not go, I have very seldom run into a situation in the ridgeline where I ran out of ground clearance. You run out of clearance in a JK too, but that isn't reason to go mount 40" tires on your daily driver.
And finally, for those who say why not get an SUV instead of a "fake" truck, you just don't get it. Show me how a fridge or some dirty or oily equipment or tools goes into the back of an SUV, or ski gear/mountain bike without some silly roof box or rack. Drive a truck around a city riddled with potholes and broken pavement and tell me the ride quality isn't better than most luxury cars. So saying there is no point to a unibody "fake" truck is kind of like saying why did you buy a LS460L when what you really could have gotten was a limo.
I've had a 4runner and briefly considered a tacoma but also tried other mid size trucks like canyon/colorado. They give up too much cabin space for the ground clearance, resulting in a high floor where you sit awkwardly with your legs straight out of front of you. You cannot sit 4 full sized adults in a tacoma comfortably. The ridgeline sits like a full size 1/2 ton due to the low floor. A lot of people will say its a city truck, but even venturing down a lot of forestry roads where 99.9% of people would not go, I have very seldom run into a situation in the ridgeline where I ran out of ground clearance. You run out of clearance in a JK too, but that isn't reason to go mount 40" tires on your daily driver.
And finally, for those who say why not get an SUV instead of a "fake" truck, you just don't get it. Show me how a fridge or some dirty or oily equipment or tools goes into the back of an SUV, or ski gear/mountain bike without some silly roof box or rack. Drive a truck around a city riddled with potholes and broken pavement and tell me the ride quality isn't better than most luxury cars. So saying there is no point to a unibody "fake" truck is kind of like saying why did you buy a LS460L when what you really could have gotten was a limo.
06-17-20, 01:46 PM
#72
Lexus Champion
That is going to be one short bed. Looks like it's only 3 feet or so in length.
