Autoblog

IIHS crash tests small pickups, majority flunk

John Neff — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:56:00 EST

Click above for more of the IIHS side impact crash tests for small pickups

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently performed side crash tests for the first time on small pickups. Their sampling included the Toyota Tacoma, Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier and Chevy Colorado. The results were published today and they indicate that small pickup owners might want to start wearing helmets while driving.

The IIHS has only three grades for its crash tests: Good, Marginal and Poor. The Dakota, Ranger and Frontier all earned Marginal ratings, while the Colorado could only muster a Poor rating due in part to the moving barrier actually coming in contact with the dummy's head during the simulated crash. The Tacoma, however, was the only vehicle to earn a Good rating. It was also the only small truck tested with side air bags, which are an option for 2008 but will be standard equipment on 2009 Tacomas.

If side airbags are an option, the IIHS will, as a rule, test a vehicle without them unless an automaker wants to rerun the crash test with a model that has side airbags and is willing to pay for the cost of the vehicle that's crashed. Not unsurprisingly, the archaic Ranger was the only small pickup that doesn't offer side airbags at all, though it was surprising that none of the other automakers requested their models be tested with side airbags. The IIHS also tells us that small pickups have the highest driver death rates of any vehicles on the road, which makes these tests all the more significant.

Check out the official press release after the jump, and peruse the gallery of crash test photos below to witness the utter crappiness that is small pickup crash worthiness.

Gallery: IIHS side crash test - small pickups

[Source: IIHS]

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IIHS crash tests small pickups, majority flunk originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jim Press: little trucks could be big

Dan Roth — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:29:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Trends, Truck, Chrysler, Dodge

click above for more pics of the 2002 Dodge M80 Concept

Jim Press thinks that there's an emerging market for small, fuel efficient trucks. You know, the kind of trucks his former employer, Toyota, used to build. Press put in 37 years at Toyota, and he saw the evolution of the HiLux into the Tacoma, which is no longer the diminutive hauler it once was. Press owns a second home in Thailand, and observing how trucks are used in that country leads him to believe that there's a worldwide need for a small, versatile pickup. Dodge's Dakota saw its sales drop by one third between 2006 and 2007, and Press thinks that's likely due to buyers shifting to crossovers.

There's not a whole lot of incentive to buy a midsize truck right now - they cost nearly the same as an entry level full sizer, the mileage is only marginally better, and the size differential isn't that great. We can recall two Dodge concept pickups of the recent past that we think buyers who miss the small pickup market might take a liking to. First, there's the 2006 Dodge Rampage Concept, which packed a lot of utility in a small footprint. Then there's the 2002 Dodge M80 Concept, one of the few Chrysler concepts that got a great reception but wasn't produced. Put the M80 into production on a unibody platform with some unique powertrain options, Jim. Trust us, you won't be sorry.

[Source: PickupTruck.com]

Gallery: 2002 Dodge M80 Concept

Gallery: 2006 Dodge Rampage Concept

Jim Press: little trucks could be big originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep passes on producing Gladiator concept

John Neff — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:23:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Truck, Jeep

Though Jeep's lineup will grow to include eight models by year's end, a small pickup based on the Gladiator concept will not be one of them. Introduced at the 2005 Detroit auto show, the Gladiator concept was based on a unique platform though would have likely shared underpinnings with the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited if produced. The Chrysler Group's COO Eric Ridenour told Ward's Auto, however, "It wasn't profitable".

Ward's points out that while some Jeep enthusiasts might be disappointed their favorite brand won't be fielding its first pickup since the Comanche was cancelled back in 1992, the decision not to produce the Gladiator shows analysts that Chrysler is practicing some restraint amidst its current product blitz.

The small pickup segment has been virtually abandoned by automakers as models like the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier have grown large enough over the years to be considered midsize trucks and adopt five- and six-cylinder powertrains. The small pickup segment is still dominated by the Ford Ranger, a vehicle that hasn't been significantly redesigned in over a decade. Is Jeep passing up on a golden opportunity or has the small pickup segment permanently run out of gas?

[Source: Ward's Auto]

Jeep passes on producing Gladiator concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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