Given the competition, small pickups' place in the truck food chain remains uncertain. In 1998, automakers sold 1.06 million compact trucks, accounting for 14.4 percent of all light truck sales in the United States. In 1999, compact pickups' market share dropped to 13.5. By 2002, compact pickups will account for just 12 percent of U.S. light truck sales, predicts AutoPacific Inc. of Southfield. That's what everybody wants and you can get them in all sizes.
Automakers hope to put sizzle back in small pickups with more frequent design changes.
It's been five years since the Tacoma was restyled and seven years since the Chevrolet S10 was revamped. The key to growing small pickup demand is more expressive styling, affordability and more flexibility between cargo room and family comfort. Nissan, which brought the Datsun compact pickup to the United States in 1958, unveiled a more macho-looking Frontier on Wednesday. Designers said they imagined the tough, but rounded look of a boxing glove when they styled Frontier's front end. A lot of people aspire to a full-size truck but you have to start somewhere.