Ford's new hybrid Maverick: A 40 MPG pickup for $20,000.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Just to remind some old-school compact trucks used to be actually compact.

[JRMichler]

The 22 Ford Maverick is being called a compact truck because it is small compared to current full size trucks. It is easy to forget that true compact trucks were being sold in the US back in the 1970's. The 1972 to 1980 Chevrolet Luv was one such truck.

Comparison:
22 Maverick
200" long
73" wide
69" high

72-80 Luv
173" long
63" wide
61" high

In the 1970's, the 22 Maverick would be at least a midsize truck.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

The 22 Ford Maverick is being called a compact truck because it is small compared to current full size trucks. It is easy to forget that true compact trucks were being sold in the US back in the 1970's. The 1972 to 1980 Chevrolet Luv was one such truck.

Those LUV numbers were for 2 door short bed versions. The 2 door long bed added in 1981 was 192 inches long or only 8 inches shorter than a Maverick.

My wife's first vehicle was a 1986 Ford Ranger. They varied from 176 inches long to 193 inches long. (No 4 door back then the extended cab had the sideways jump seats)

A Ford F100 at the time varied from 197 (Regular cab / short bed) to 249 inches (4-Door / long bed)

The biggest difference between the 70's and 80's and today is that trucks are expected to be able to transport at least 4 adults.

[Piotrsko]

Didn't know you could have a long bed and a stretch cab on the same ranger

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Didn't know you could have a long bed and a stretch cab on the same ranger

You can't, I was mistaken.

The "Supercab" had the 6" short bed not the 7' long bed. I guess it just looked long compared to 4.5 ft bed on the the Nissan Frontier that replaced it.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

The "Supercab" had the 6" short bed not the 7' long bed

The early Ranger was not officially available in my country, but I remember the late-'90s model had the 7-feet bed listed as an option for both the regular-cab and Supercab. And even though the Argentinian-made crew-cab had the 6-feet bed listed as an option, I don't remember having ever seen it.

[Xist]

The 2022 Maverick is around 3,665 pounds and the 1975 Luv weighed 2,490.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

The 2022 Maverick is around 3,665 pounds and the 1975 Luv weighed 2,490.

And about 2,000 pounds after a few winters in Michigan.

Growing up in Michigan I never saw a Chevy LUV - didn't know Chevy had a compact truck before the S-10 When I moved South I saw one for the first time I asked my father about them. He confirmed they existed but rusted away to nothing before I was old enough to notice them.

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

The early Ranger was not officially available in my country, but I remember the late-'90s model had the 7-feet bed listed as an option for both the regular-cab and Supercab. And even though the Argentinian-made crew-cab had the 6-feet bed listed as an option, I don't remember having ever seen it.

The '90s models became a newer generation frame up: 4 liter motor bigger cab, long bed.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

Growing up in Michigan I never saw a Chevy LUV - didn't know Chevy had a compact truck before the S-10

Odd enough, until some years ago Chevy sold both the Brazilian S10 and some newer generations of the LUV, assembled from CKD kits either in Chile, Ecuador or Colombia according to the model-year.