Break the cycle how? Every time one of these threads come up I suggest buying a domestic full size 90’s truck instead and nobody gives a shit. The only things that gain traction in these threads is people shitting on their cultural enemies. Because Truck People bad!!
Maybe you can help break the cycle by looking at the huge used truck market we already have
I'm missing why this is a problem for you: TFA makes your exact point, and the author explains that they settled on a Kei truck for a combination of price and mileage reasons.
I don't care about "truck people." I thought the article was nice and, as a non-driver, I find the Kei trucks much more interesting to look at (and ride in).
One thing that I try to remind people of is that pickup trucks are the best selling vehicles in the US because the approximate definition of 'Truck People' is everyone.
There are much smaller pickups than an F150, for sure. Like a Maverick, to use an easy example. And it's a popular choice, too, though it's probably not going to unseat the F150 anytime soon.
I think most trucks nowadays (even "small" ones, which used to be considered "normal" sized) are big enough that you won't see an average sized 9 year old standing right in front of the hood.
90s trucks still had poor mileage and were less safe overall than new vehicles, they aren't gonna be many people's top choice.
My current pet theory is that an equally big problem to the "aggressive bro styling super high front grill" issues is an overall decline in relative income/living standards. Less space + money to have a family car + a utility truck, so your truck ALSO has to have a huge cabin, and do everything else the family car should do too, so it gets huge overall even if the bed is no bigger or more useful.
I had a 95 F-150 that I sold off like 20 years ago and I’m contemplating another (or possibly a 250). Like you say, it wasn’t particularly safe: It had one non-progressive airbag and no ABS. If you didn’t keep a bunch of sandbags in the back, the rear end was liable to come around right after any rain.
You too can be a proud owner of a beat up truck with 200k-300k miles for 10,000 dollars that needs another 5-10k of maintenance!
Nobody says truck people bad, you're strawmanning all over this thread. I've owned two trucks, a full sized and a compact, I'm a republican and I believe that if I want to drive a 90s Kei truck and take the risk of dying in a car accident I should have the ability to assume that risk for myself. Same as driving a car from the 60s.
Because it's cars that kill people and ours are too big, too many, and driven by every idiot.
Washington State legislature was going to reduce the number of DUIs before prison from FIVE to FOUR (not 1 like it should be), but they chose not to because it'd be "too expensive". Yup, keep feeding us into the orphan killing machine.