And they’ve also become VASTLY more refined. I got a 1990 F-150 just yesterday and it feels incredibly unrefined in terms of handling and ride. Honestly I’m not surprised they’re more expensive, because trucks like the good ol’ days are extinct. It’s like the ship of Theseus: how far can trucks evolve without becoming a completely different vehicle class? I’d argue they barely share any similarities beyond a bed, 4WD, and a rear stick axle. I’m sure Ford could make a cheap truck, absolutely. But auto journalists would rant about how it handles like a unwilling horse and rides like a radio flyer wagon, and customers looking for, as I said, a family vehicle, would run for the hills, clutching their checkbooks and lease contracts. Beyond a utility application, they wouldn’t sell, which is a travesty, but also a basic fact. When you seek reliability, refinement, and performance, the ultimate cost is price, and that’s a choice the industry has made, and seems to still be doing fine (F-150 is the best selling vehicle in the USA by far and the Silverado I believe is third). Cheap trucks like of old could be made today. But I seriously doubt they ever would.
Cars in general have become more refined. Sure, pickups have gone a long way, but I still don't think they would be up there with a modern version of a traditional fullsize car in areas like handling or comfort, or that the improvements have been good enough to justify the nearly 60% price hike. But I do not have personal experience. Anybody care to lend me, say, a Ram and a 300?
Modern half ton trucks feel about as close as you can get to car handling without defying physics and the comfort is definitely there. Obviously as you go up in carrying capacity the trucks ride more like wagons, there is only so much you can do with spring rates.
Modern half ton pickup trucks are pretty refined and comfortable, but they can't hide their size and weight. New trucks are massive and you feel it. They're designed to haul and tow, so the ride is stiffer than a passenger car. They do ride much smoother and quieter than they used to, but that's true of many cars. Huge strides have been made in automotive technology even within the past 5 years. Get out of an F150 and into a Chrysler 300 and you will notice they drive quite differently.
Ever since I moved to the Bay Area, I've noticed just how many GMT400 platform trucks there are here. I went for a drive today to get out of the house, and I counted 28 of them. On a 20 minute drive. People like their work trucks here. Lots of small pickups too, but only from before 2012 or so when they got bigger, more expensive, and equipped with much higher beds for some reason. Edit: To clarify, the GMT400 platform is for the General Motors full-size pickup trucks and SUVs from 1988-1998. That includes the C/K, Blazer (until 1995), Tahoe, Suburban, Sierra, and Yukon.
The only trucks i have seen here are Dodge Rams. I only ever have seen 1 Ford F-150 and never any GM Pickup its like they are none existant here (except if were talking about old K10s they are a bit more abundant here)
Eh, I wouldn't say clever. They are really only keeping it in production because they don't have the money to develop a new one and put it into production. But yeah, it's unique and will be hard to replace it properly. The Lada 2121 on the other hand, that's clever. A light 4x4 that's incredibly capable offroad. And not that bad onroad.
To clarify a bit more the Blazer, Suburban and crew cab trucks didn't switch until 91. GM definitely got the full life out of a body that was first launched in 1973.
