WHAT WE'RE DRIVING

America needs more midsized pickups. The case for the new Ford Ranger is made by increasingly strong sales of GM's models and the perennial fan base of the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. And now Jeep's back in the game. A growing number of U.S. pickup fans want something more parkable and fuel-efficient than the fullsizers.

I used to rant about this to Derek Kuzak, Ford's former head of product development, whenever our paths crossed. “Don't kill Ranger, not everybody wants an F-150,” I'd plead. He'd patiently agree, while noting that “small” pickups cost OEMs nearly as much to produce as the big ones, with lower margins.