Ford to try their hand at a diesel 1/2 ton?

[Agvg]

Fullsize pickups are still in demand but not as it was 10 or 15 years ago, those smaller pickups have more hp and more comfort so things have changed. Here i Norway Hilux and VW amarok are the most sold pickup at the moment.
But vans are ofcourse the big seller, VW transporter and Caddy owns the market as they has 4wd as an option.

 

[buickanddeere]

No AWD or diesel Mercedes Metris here.

 

[KennyG]

I suppose a lot of our preferences are based on background, experience and our culture. I just can't understand how a van is a reasonable substitute for an open bed pickup. Maybe it's because we're more likely to have multiple vehicles in the US than in Europe.

 

[buickanddeere]

Europeans hauling a load tend to hitch a 38mph farm tractor to a wagon or trailer where we would use a pickup or pickup and trailer .
Instead of Dual purpose transportion vehicles North Americans use . The Europeans use public transportation or ultra efficient micro econo boxes for personal transportation.

 

[Agvg]

Pickups are suited to use when the load is high, very heavy, smells or makes noise. A van is much nicer to walk in and out of, your tools is protected from weather and thiefs. You dont have useless long nose whitch makes it longer.

 

[Agvg]

This is my euro pickup, more of a flat bed and not a classic pickup. But most european pickups has this build.

 

[Agvg]

My van

 

[Agvg]

Fast tractors are very common, no pickup or small truck can match a tractor with a loader and a trailer as long as you have use for the tractor it self.

 

[Sysop]

Pickups are suited to use when the load is high, very heavy, smells or makes noise. A van is much nicer to walk in and out of, your tools is protected from weather and thiefs. You dont have useless long nose whitch makes it longer.

Unless the van has a very high roof, at over 6 feet tall, walking in and out is difficult. There are many covers and toolboxes made for American pickup beds that protect from both weather and thieves. I don't know about the useless long nose, I prefer to work on the engine when it's under the hood versus under the dashboard. Seems pretty useful in that aspect. Used as a buffer between the occupants and a crash it seems pretty useful too. We have vans and trucks that are mechanically identical, just a van body versus a truck body. The truck bodies always get better fuel economy and handle twisty roads better.

 

[Agvg]

There are some big differences between US and Europa, space on the streets and parking lots, the old VW Pickup I have are way to big to be practical i many cases, and pickups has one problem, very high load height and no side doors. And with a top you end up with a very unpractical van. Have had several Nissan pickups with a top and it was never as practical as a van. But this is a matter of what your preferences are.