Where have all the small trucks gone? Image Source: Downloadjpeg.com

Look around for a compact truck on the market and you’ll be sadly disappointed. The last of the “mini-trucks” made in America stopped production in December of 2011 when the Ford Ranger was nixed. Ford continues to sell the Ranger overseas, but doesn’t currently have a U.S. small truck.

The lines between mid-sized and compact truck have become increasingly blurred over the past decade. GMC is bringing in the Canyon which according to its website “will redefine the small truck category with segment-leading features that make it more capable and versatile than any other midsize pickup on the market.” The Chevy Colorado is making a reappearance in 2015 and Chevrolet states that the Colorado “is here to reinvent the midsize truck.” Both GMC and Chevrolet are quoted as using the term midsize pickup. So we ask again, where are the mini-trucks?

The 2011 Ford Ranger. {Image Credit: http://www.ford.com} Ford.com{/link}

According to USA Today, Ford is looking through their international models for one that could truly qualify as a small truck. Ford truck marketing manager, Dave Scott says, “”We’re looking at it. We think we could sell a compact truck that’s more like the size of the old Ranger, that gets six or eight more miles per gallon (than a full-size truck), is $5,000 or $6,000 less, and that we could build in the U.S. to avoid the tariff on imported trucks.”

In Scott’s view the GM models are just too big. So, if the midsize trucks are still too big for your needs it looks like you will still have to wait a bit as Ford doesn’t have a small size truck ready for the showrooms yet, but have no fear, they are at least looking into it.

Now the question comes, is there a market for these small trucks? Leave us a comment below with your opinion – In today’s age of bigger has to be better (ie. iPhone 6), would you purchase a true “mini-truck”?