That would be great news, esp. for those who feel the current Taco is too costly and too large for serious off-roading! :tu:

 

I would like one as big as my 1985 and 86 , I could go anywhere with that it was the perfect size . I am about to the point of not caring who makes a small pickup , even KIA or Hyundai so long as its small . I kind of hope KIA or Hyundai dont under cut Toyota and make a small truck but if they do then off I go. although I dont know if I would trust a Hyundai or KIA pickup in the places I have been

 

After wheeling my 91 toyota for a few years I'm thinking of going fullsize.....Rocks are getting awful big these days

 

Not sure about Toyota, but India manufacturer Mahindra (they sell tractors here in the USA) plans to import an SUV and compact truck in 2008. Surf their website and they have some pretty cool trucks!!!

mahindra.com: Mahindra Sona Ltd.

 

What Toyota should do, is bring back the 3.4 liter 5vzfe V6, but give it Variable Valve Timing. It's already a proven engine design, bring it back but freshen it up to todays technology. I bet VVT-i witha 3.4 liter engine would be pushing 200-210 HP and 230-240 ft-lbs of torque. They've already built this engine, so the only R & D costs would be to give it variable valve timing. They already have the stuff to make it tucked/stored away somewhere i.e. the engine building process. Bring back the R150 manual transmission - again a proven, solid, reliable, design, that transfers horsepower and lasts forever. The gear ratios on this transmission are also very good. Either that, or give it a small displacement diesel which they should be able to get 250 plus ft-lbs of torque with 150+ HP and they will OWN, absolutely OWN the compact truck market. I seriously mean that.

Then build a truck with the frame off of the 89-95 Toyota Pickups, which is fully boxed and tough, and a great offroad platform to modify later on if you wish. Maybe give it some modern enhancements to save weight perhaps. As for interior, make it a simple, no frills, no BS design, no power anything other than mirrors. Give it high quality manually adjustable & comfortable seats, Air Conditioning, but that's it.

If Toyota made a truck like this, I bet it would also chew into their Tacoma sales. A fully boxed frame for me is a large selling point on these small trucks. I see no problem why they couldn't give a truck like this 1500 pounds payload capacity for the outdoorsman who doesn't need huge size, but values offroad capability, the potential to carry the hunting/camping/fishing loads (which may include an import camper), etc. Give it stock BFG All Terrains, a locking rear diff, some ground clearance unlike the current TAcoma, and you will have one hell of a sick truck.

They should bring this into the USA market, and call it "TRUCK" like it used to be sold as, not Tacoma or any of that crap.

The question is, is Toyota listening? Well we know they read this site.

Sorry Toyota, but the new TAcoma is a pavement princess compared to your previous compact trucks. You can't put the shocks outside the leaf springs if you want articulation. A truck is supposed to ride like a truck. WE also need some good leaf springs.

 

Sorry Toyota, but the new TAcoma is a pavement princess compared to your previous compact trucks.

I 'm happy my '05 (didn't buy it for off- road use), but this is a very valid point. Also, Toyota (are you listening?), people who really get off-road need to be able to chain the front tires!

 

I agree that Toyota should market a "classic" line of compact trucks to compliment the current mid-size Tacoma. A SFA 4WD design, 2 speed manual transfer case with real locking hubs, 4 cylinders, and the bare minimum to meet current DOT and safety requirements. There is currently a "niche" in the compact pickup truck market here in America because the Tacoma/Frontier have gone mid-size. Mitubishi and Isuzu no longer markets a compact truck here, but they would sell a ton of turbo-diesel compact trucks if they imported one. I know the 25% import pickup truck tariff (protects the lower quality domestic manufacturers) might make the MSRP equal to the current Tacoma/Frontier pricing. Oh well, we can dream can't we?

Mitsubishi L200 Double-cab Pick Up Diesel

4WD CREW CAB standard

 

I was wondering if Toyota might be thinking of importing Hilux trucks from Mexico to get around the chicken tax somehow , I dont know and dont care I just want a Toyota that is the same size as the mid 80,s pickups .

 

Is it just me or does that Isuzu Dmax pickup and that Mitsubishi look light years better than the fugly Colorado.

 

Is it just me or does that Isuzu Dmax pickup and that Mitsubishi look light years better than the fugly Colorado.

I agree...

I'm not sure if their site is just hiccuping right now, but this site had some sort of imported atv/truck. Pretty neat
Your Online Dealer and Importer of Used 4x4 Japanese Mini Trucks in Shreveport Louisiana. This 4x4 Japanese Mini Truck is the future ATV.

I think it would be great if Toyota came out with a small truck again. Dont get me wrong, I love my Tacoma but it would be nice to have something I can take into the woods without having to worry about width or length being a issue. I'd like to get a "beater" by next summer, and if Toyota had a $15k pickup I think Id go that route over a used truck. Especially considering most of them for sale are rusted up around here. Maybe even have manual locks and other HD components, revert the switches back to levers, keep the cost down would be a plus.

Anybody know if the older Rav4's are any good for modding for offroad use? They are fairly small. Swap out the engine with a 3sgte, give it a lift and maybe swap out the diff's, etc?

 

What Toyota should do, is bring back the 3.4 liter 5vzfe V6, but give it Variable Valve Timing. It's already a proven engine design, bring it back but freshen it up to todays technology. I bet VVT-i witha 3.4 liter engine would be pushing 200-210 HP and 230-240 ft-lbs of torque. They've already built this engine, so the only R & D costs would be to give it variable valve timing. They already have the stuff to make it tucked/stored away somewhere i.e. the engine building process. Bring back the R150 manual transmission - again a proven, solid, reliable, design, that transfers horsepower and lasts forever. The gear ratios on this transmission are also very good. Either that, or give it a small displacement diesel which they should be able to get 250 plus ft-lbs of torque with 150+ HP and they will OWN, absolutely OWN the compact truck market. I seriously mean that.

Then build a truck with the frame off of the 89-95 Toyota Pickups, which is fully boxed and tough, and a great offroad platform to modify later on if you wish. Maybe give it some modern enhancements to save weight perhaps. As for interior, make it a simple, no frills, no BS design, no power anything other than mirrors. Give it high quality manually adjustable & comfortable seats, Air Conditioning, but that's it.

If Toyota made a truck like this, I bet it would also chew into their Tacoma sales. A fully boxed frame for me is a large selling point on these small trucks. I see no problem why they couldn't give a truck like this 1500 pounds payload capacity for the outdoorsman who doesn't need huge size, but values offroad capability, the potential to carry the hunting/camping/fishing loads (which may include an import camper), etc. Give it stock BFG All Terrains, a locking rear diff, some ground clearance unlike the current TAcoma, and you will have one hell of a sick truck.

They should bring this into the USA market, and call it "TRUCK" like it used to be sold as, not Tacoma or any of that crap.

The question is, is Toyota listening? Well we know they read this site.

Sorry Toyota, but the new TAcoma is a pavement princess compared to your previous compact trucks. You can't put the shocks outside the leaf springs if you want articulation. A truck is supposed to ride like a truck. WE also need some good leaf springs.

I agree....a diesel would be awesome, especially for wheelin'.:tu:

 

I would like to add, they should make this truck in ONE cab configuration, and sell it in 4 wheel drive, or 2 wheel drive PRE-runner model. Sell it with 32" stock tires, 4.30 gears, 16" wheels....Well maybe 2 cab configs, perhaps a regular cab too potentially.

Make it an Xtracab like was available in the 89-95 Pickups and 95.5-04 Tacoma's, but make the truck about 3 inches longer and put 6 inches more into the extended cab Jump seats portion to make it more useable for carrying the odd passenger as far as forward/backward leg room is concerned. Take 3 inches off of the bed length (make the bed 72 inches instead of 74.5-75 inches which was the bed length of the 95.5-04 Tacoma and 89-95 Pickups respectively), and add 3 inches to the overall frame/truck length and the wheel base to get this 6 inches for leg room/room behind the seats in the extended cab. But the fully boxed frame is key. Fully boxed frames are much much better for offroading because the bed won't twist and rub up against the cab, and it also provides a much more solid feel, which will allow the suspension to do the work instead of the frame twisting with the axle during articulation. I doubt a solid front axle will be offered if such a truck were put out but it's worth a shot.

I feel such a truck should be taking some of the best aspects of the Trucks Toyota put out from 86-04 and potentially improving or altering them. For example I like the length and nimbleness of the Toyota compact trucks in the extracab configuration, I just wish I had a more useable rear set of seats as the leg room makes them tough to use. I like the fully boxed frame (I own a 1993 Toyota xtracab pickup, not 4runner as in my sig) as it's tough, and it's a better offroad platform. The 3.4 liter 5vzfe is an awesome engine, and they could always offer something more powerful by adding VVT-i to it.

Toyota as the capability to produce a very, very, very awesome compact truck if they wanted to. It's just a question now of WILL they?

 

This is an interesting thread. I waited for 10 years until Toyota made a truck I would finally buy! Everything before they designed my "pavement princess" was too small(vs. a tundra-too big), rusted so fast you could almost watch it(I live where they say:when in doubt-More Salt!!), Didn't have enough power, and rode like a WWII jeep. At least around these parts, there are NO buying incentives and still, there is NONE on the lots! I guess there are a lot of people around here that like wimpy trucks with lots of plastic do-dads, tons of torque, and big enough to fit us "full sized" americans! I personally feel Toyota is just trolling to see what kind of reception they would get to a smaller truck. Till gas goes past 3.50/gal(for good), there will not be enough market for toyota to risk that kind of capital for such a tiny market share here in the good old USofA. Like it or not, welcome to the "new" toyota, where one size fits all and most of the owners are mostly happy.

 

I wouldn't have a Tacoma if it were much smaller like the older ones. I actually have enough space in the cab to feel comfortable on a long trip. Otherwise I would have a full size.
And I have second smaller vehicle with a fully boxed frame to beat up off roading.

 

This is an interesting thread. I waited for 10 years until Toyota made a truck I would finally buy! Everything before they designed my "pavement princess" was too small(vs. a tundra-too big), rusted so fast you could almost watch it(I live where they say:when in doubt-More Salt!!), Didn't have enough power, and rode like a WWII jeep. At least around these parts, there are NO buying incentives and still, there is NONE on the lots! I guess there are a lot of people around here that like wimpy trucks with lots of plastic do-dads, tons of torque, and big enough to fit us "full sized" americans! I personally feel Toyota is just trolling to see what kind of reception they would get to a smaller truck. Till gas goes past 3.50/gal(for good), there will not be enough market for toyota to risk that kind of capital for such a tiny market share here in the good old USofA. Like it or not, welcome to the "new" toyota, where one size fits all and most of the owners are mostly happy.

dude...no offence, but please use standard sized type....that small print gives me a headache.

 

"This 4x4 Japanese Mini Truck is the future ATV."

Are they street legal? They look similar to trucks used to maintain golf courses. They look like 10" wheels!

 

Yes, they are street legal. They have headlights, tail lights, turn signals, front and rear bumpers, tag mounts, and the tires fit within the fender wells. Even though they are street legal, they're not very practical for highway use because they have a low top speed of 50-60mph. A lot of malls and department stores down here use the street version(smaller street tires and not lifted) as security vehicles. I think I read a couple years ago that the company that manufactures them claims about 38mpg for normal ranch/farm use. I couldn't tell you what they'd get on the street, but they're REALLY small, so it might be pretty good.

 

I see their website came back to life.

I'd be interested in seeing how rugged they would be off road compared to UTV from Polaris, Yamaha, etc. Could find many uses for something like that other than beating around the woods, especially with the tilt bed. Trail maintenance, rescue, working around the house, running down to get soil or other supplies. Pretty good on gas. Cheaper than a UTV and it has heat and air.

Street legal in all states? That would be a must have because I dont really want to buy a trailer to tote the thing around.

 

I don't know about being street legal in all states. I live in South Mississippi, pretty much anything goes here. There's a guy at my school with a Chevy Z71 lifted so high it makes 44" Boggers look tiny.

 

There is guy localy that sells those for about $5000 he has Suzuki Honda Hyundai and I think Toyota .

 

If Toyota returned with a small truck with 4 cyl, manual hubs, manual transmission, manual transfer case, no power anything, no plastic trim outside, no color coded bumpers, etc. I would buy one immediately, no matter the cost.

 

I would like one as big as my 1985 and 86 , I could go anywhere with that it was the perfect size . I am about to the point of not caring who makes a small pickup , even KIA or Hyundai so long as its small . I kind of hope KIA or Hyundai dont under cut Toyota and make a small truck but if they do then off I go. although I dont know if I would trust a Hyundai or KIA pickup in the places I have been

Have you seen IZUZUS latest "truck" UGLY in my opinion.

 

I don't know about being street legal in all states. I live in South Mississippi, pretty much anything goes here. There's a guy at my school with a Chevy Z71 lifted so high it makes 44" Boggers look tiny.

You would think in Vermont they would allow them to be street legal, or at least on roads short of the interstate. This state is so fracked up its not funny. It would be handy to have a street legal rig like that, or one of the other UTV, fit it with tracks or tires depending on the season and terrain, plow, trailer.

How about one of those VW type of buggies modified for 4wd? Would be fairly decent on gas compared to a "brick".

 

I deliberately bought a 2004 rather than a 2005 based largely on the size issue. If I had to replace my truck right now I'd have serious issues with accepting the size of the current Tacomas. That's just me ...

I think the main motivations for a smaller pickup vehicle are pretty clear: (a) the fuel situation (which will only get tighter over the coming years) and (b) the fact that market segment is empty of offerings (save for the ancient Ford Ranger).

 

I deliberately bought a 2004 rather than a 2005 based largely on the size issue.

Interesting point; I bought my '05 b/c the '04 was smaller than I wanted, and a mid-size suited me better.
Note: I do not take it on tight trails.

I think the main motivations for a smaller pickup vehicle are pretty clear: (a) the fuel situation (which will only get tighter over the coming years)

Maybe, but there is not much difference in fuel mileage between the two models. And if it becomes a serious issue, those who must have a pickup will buy a new, much more efficient truck -- which will be available at that time. Those who do not need a truck will buy a small car, which is much, much more fuel efficient than any truck.