Posted on 05/31/2024 6:31:49 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Yes, we mean something other than the Tesla Cybertruck.
You can’t really go wrong with a pickup truck. They’re like the Swiss Army Knives of the automotive world. Wanna haul or pull some crap? There’s a bed and you can tow. Wanna carry people? There’s a number of cab configurations to suit your needs. Want one with luxury features that rival a BMW 7 Series or Genesis G90? You can drop six figures for a truck that’ll coddle you.
This isn’t to say that they’re all good. Take the Hyundai Santa Cruz, for example. It was first shown as a concept at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, and it took nearly a decade before the Santa Cruz went into production. The original concept was a cool-looking, Millennial-targeted extended cab crossover truck with a 190-horsepower turbodiesel engine that could get 30 mpg. What we got was a Tucson with a bed.
Don’t get me wrong, the Santa Cruz is a great looking little pickup, it’s just that the execution isn’t good. The bed has less usable space than the aforementioned Tucson does with its rear seats up, and carrying a bike means either removing one of the tires of the bike or having it hang over the tailgate. Its fuel economy isn’t as great as it could be, either. With the base engine the Santa Cruz gets 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined; you lose one mpg in the city and combined when you spring for the 281-hp turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive.
The Santa Cruz is less a pickup and more of a lifestyle vehicle masquerading as a pickup. In my opinion, that sadly might make it the worst pickup truck on the market right now and possible one of the worst ever made.
Now we ask you, Jalopnik reader. Aside from the obvious choice of the Tesla Cybertruck, what do you think is the worst pickup ever made? If there’s slim pickings out of the current offerings, you can go for something that’s not on sale anymore. Whatever it is, let us know in the comments.
The old VW van pickups are nice, too. Used to be a guy not too far from where I lived who had a 1964 regular-cab and a 1963 (I think) crew-cab.
“El Camino Real, Ford Ranchero? Worst of both worlds.”
Ya beat me to it!
Suzuki Mighty Boy.
Saw one the other day, and they’re uglier in person.
It has the standard Jeep Death Wobble and is probably the worst riding truck out there. It's just a toy. I get a huge kick out of photos showing this thing towing. I've towed an RV many thousands of miles and I say the sight of these trucks sagging in the back is dangerously funny.
(Average photo of their "ability" to tow.)
Get an EZ Lift for Christ Sakes!
This is the one that Musk shot up onstage. It's at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
The early Chevy diesels back when GM decided to convert a Oldsmobile gas engine into a diesel for mass production.
Absolute disaster for GM and the suckers who bought them.
Whats should be What is...
I would love one of those with the diesel.
1961 VW two door truck......I still own it.
Studebaker.??
I was looking at a Santa Cruz, but bumped into a one owner, low miles, many service records 2013 Tacoma. That is a forever truck, and even gets a bit over 20 mpg.
The VW Rabbit pickup (Post 24) was actually a great design, especially for small streets in Germany or the northern U.S. It was front wheel drive so it could handle the snow and had a diesel engine.
I turned 16 when my Dad had a company car from the machine shop he was vp at. It was a gold 1972 ford ranchero gt. it had the automatic, and I always volunteered to run errands with it. it was an automatic, but it hauled butt at around 7mpg or so. The shop bought the gas. It was a great beach car. My dad’s personal car was a white 1970 buick wildcat convertible. I loved the 455 but hated the black interior, because in florida it would cook you in the summer. he replaced it with a gold 73 buick riveria with the 455 about 6mpg. He let me borrow it for prom night. great cars... wish i had any one of them.
> Which after being a passenger in one more than a few times.... I’ll never buy. <
Are you referring to the Ford Maverick? If so, why didn’t you like it?
I ask because I’m thinking about buying one. I’d like a small truck, and the Toyota Tacoma is too big. Same with the new Ford Ranger.
There are many different alloys of stainless steel.
Some can rust quite a bit. Some less, and some none.
I've had lawnmowers with more power.
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