low prices and competed with subcompact sedans.
Nowadays the price of a loaded compact pickup puts it in the same territory as
lower-priced sports cars, mini sport-utility vehicles and midsize sedans. Many compact
trucks still have an attractive base price, but the average transaction prices are
much higher. A modestly equipped compact pickup typically tops $15,000.
The higher prices have driven many of the new generation of entry-level buyers away.
And the baby boomers are now older, raising families, making more money and are
driving roomier, higher-priced sport-utilities and luxury sedans. Auto makers blame
the higher prices on increasing safety and emissions regulations. This has left
manufacturers with three basic choices: Wage the price war with stripper models devoid
of profit, market loaded high-end trucks with strong image, or get out of the compact
truck business.
Ford, Chevrolet and GMC are fighting in the trenches with their competitively priced
compacts. Toyota has gone upscale with its sporty Tacoma 4wd trucks. Nissan's compact
truck is showing its age, Mazda's B-Series trucks are Ford Rangers with a different
front end and Mitsubishi has given up on the segment.
The Dakota straddles the fence. It competes with the compacts in terms of price, while
offering a little more size, as well as the only V8 engine option south of a full-size
truck. While a Dakota can be appealing to small businesses that don't need a full-size
truck, most of them are bought for personal use. People use them to haul snowmobiles,
personal water craft, surf boards. Or they buy the 4X4 Sport model and turn it into an
image machine. Next Page