More Crew Cabs and New GM Heavies Are Big News for 2001
While most of the rest of the world has enjoyed availability of compact crew cab pickups for several years, the long-held myth that all North American buyers required a plywood hauling pickup bed has prevented these trucks from being available here. Fortunately, the truth creeps up on all of us sooner or later. When actual bed usage studies were conducted, it was found that pickup beds are empty most of the time, and when cargo was carried, it rarely exceeded half of the bed's capacity, even on work trucks. On the other hand, many pickups are frequently expected to carry more than two adult occupants.
Maybe the "passengers plus cargo minus excess length" equation explains some of the popularity of SUVs, which have even developed a significant commercial-use market. Where the SUVs are great for passengers and limited amounts of cargo, sharing the vehicle's interior with some types of cargo is undesirable or out of the question, and tall items are impossible to carry upright in the enclosed cargo area.