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Whats The Worst Pickup Truck Ever Made?
Jalopnik ^ | 5/31 | Lawrence Hodge

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.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Hobbies; Travel
KEYWORDS: automotive; learntopostpictures
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To: Who is John Galt?

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.


21 posted on 05/31/2024 6:52:16 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: Dr. Sivana

“El Camino Real, Ford Ranchero? Worst of both worlds.”

Ya beat me to it!


22 posted on 05/31/2024 6:52:51 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: nickcarraway
The Chevy SSR from the early 2000s.



23 posted on 05/31/2024 6:55:01 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: Who is John Galt?

24 posted on 05/31/2024 6:56:04 PM PDT by BipolarBob (If at first you don't succeed then skydiving is not for you.)
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To: nickcarraway

Suzuki Mighty Boy.


25 posted on 05/31/2024 6:56:27 PM PDT by Chauncey Gardiner (Vivamus stultus ignarus mori )
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To: Responsibility2nd

Saw one the other day, and they’re uglier in person.


26 posted on 05/31/2024 6:57:11 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: nickcarraway
I'll say the Jeep Gladiator is a bad truck.

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.

2021 Jeep Gladiator Towing Capacity

(Average photo of their "ability" to tow.)

Get an EZ Lift for Christ Sakes!

27 posted on 05/31/2024 6:57:16 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: Responsibility2nd
How about a bullet-riddled Tesla Cybertruck?

This is the one that Musk shot up onstage. It's at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

28 posted on 05/31/2024 6:57:17 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: Dr. Sivana
Forget the El Camino or the Ford Ranchero. The Cadillac Mirage (1976) was a real car (not a funeral flower car). Demand was so low they only made a few hundred, but still...



29 posted on 05/31/2024 6:57:20 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: nickcarraway

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.


30 posted on 05/31/2024 6:57:57 PM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our only true hope. )
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To: nickcarraway

Whats should be What is...


31 posted on 05/31/2024 6:57:59 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (Meritocracy should be the rule, not DEI.)
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To: Who is John Galt?

I would love one of those with the diesel.


32 posted on 05/31/2024 6:59:07 PM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our only true hope. )
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To: Responsibility2nd

1961 VW two door truck......I still own it.


33 posted on 05/31/2024 6:59:20 PM PDT by Osage Orange (ooooOO)
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To: nickcarraway

Studebaker.??


34 posted on 05/31/2024 6:59:53 PM PDT by unread (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC..!)
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To: nickcarraway

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.


35 posted on 05/31/2024 7:00:47 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: BipolarBob

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.


36 posted on 05/31/2024 7:01:05 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: Dr. Sivana

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.


37 posted on 05/31/2024 7:01:52 PM PDT by Waverunner
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To: Responsibility2nd

> 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.


38 posted on 05/31/2024 7:02:39 PM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

There are many different alloys of stainless steel.

Some can rust quite a bit. Some less, and some none.


39 posted on 05/31/2024 7:03:10 PM PDT by Scrambler Bob (Running Rampant, and not endorsing nonsense; My pronoun is EXIT.)
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To: nickcarraway
Ford Courier.

I've had lawnmowers with more power.

40 posted on 05/31/2024 7:03:57 PM PDT by thescourged1 (POST NO BILLS)
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