Do Europeans drive trucks?

[blindside.AMG]

I was just wondering because I never hear anything about Euros driving trucks. I imagine you wouldn't drive heavy duty trucks like Dodge Ram's because of the huge displacements but what about little trucks like Rangers and Tacomas? You guys ever drive them?

[2strokebloke]

Yes, they drive trucks. Small trucks.

[blindside.AMG]

Originally Posted by 2strokebloke

Yes, they drive trucks. Small trucks.

Any more info, like make and models?

[Jetts]

The gas is too expensive, they dont drive trucks due to gas prices and such sucky mileage of a truck

[blindside.AMG]

Originally Posted by Jetts

The gas is too expensive, they dont drive trucks due to gas prices and such sucky mileage of a truck

Sucky gas mileage? My Ranger gets 30 mpg. Is that bad?

[MioCLK]

I don't think trucks are suitable in Europe
Europe is a much more crowded place than the US
Germany alone has a population of over 80million, France and UK each have about 60million, (CIA World Fact Book)
So parking spaces is also a major problem.
This could probably explain why the best-selling vehicles in Europe are hatchbacks such as the VW Golf and Ford Focus
Gas price is certainly another issue, where Europe is a huge market for diesel cars.
Their driving conditions are also different, they drive faster than we do in the US, with higher highway speed limit (around 70-80+mph)
So a more "stable" car might fit their needs better.
This is also why American and Japanese cars are not popular in Europe. Which the cars have a much softer suspension for increased comfort.
As Ford vehicles sold in Europe are designed / tuned especially for the European market.

[Slicano]

In Europe, a truck would be something like a Range Rover, but that's smaller than a Dodge Ram ( ).

[Jimster]

I've seen Toyota HiLux utes and Ford Rangers, as well as the odd Mitsubishi truck, but they're all driven by rural folk.

[Stefanel1]

In Europe, there are some SUV, but that's rare to see bigger cars like Pick-Up etc especially where I live (Paris).
Personnally, I've a 5series and I think I'll take something smaller because when you've to park, half parkspaces are forbidden (length) even when pushing cars with bumpers... so a truck...
Secondly, as MioCLK said rightly, speed limits are higher and with a tolerance (highway : 100mph (unlimited in Germany), roads : 70mph average) and roads more narrow. The handling is very important, comfort too.
The consumption of these trucks are not friendly. You've to remember that gas is 3 times as expensive here as in the USA.
That's why the 5 cars the most sold in the European Union are the Renault Mégane/Scénic, Peugeot 206, VW Golf/Touran, Renault Clio and Peugeot 307 in 2003).

So, don't expect seeing much Durango or cars like that, there are few Durango or limo town Car, not many. More usual : Range Rover, Espace, C8, X5, Cayenne, etc. And for Limo, Europeans do prefer S-Class, 607, A8, Vel Satis, 7 Series, XJ, Quattroporte, etc to real (and very long) Limousines.

[pirex]

Hello, yes. We drive heavy duty trucks like Dodge ram in norway. I love that car.

We love american cars

[TRD2000]

pirex is a freak. not a bad way though.

elsewhere in the world the tacoma is known as the hilux. Another difference is the availible engines.

Europe, because of the fuel prices, sells a lot more diesels too. Japanese cars should fit well on european roads because of stability, size and fuel economy. fact is japanese cars are largely designed based on european cars, then bolted together better than most. (exclude germany cause they build things right).

[edonis]

I can't say I totally agree with Pirex. Of course there are a few who drive trucks, but there aren't many. Norway has a stupid tax-system, but trucks with just two seats are cheap. American SUVs and trucks with two rows of seats on the other hand are so expensive that close to no one would want to buy them.

A Ford F-250 costs only 59 685 US Dollar

A Dodge RAM SRT-10 isn't so expensive either with a pricetag of only 85 709 US Dollar.

It's when you add another row of seats, things start to get expensive:

A Chevrolet Tahoe 5,3 V8 LS costs 179 523 US Dollar!

A Porsche Cayenne Turbo costs 288 297 US Dollar

Volvo XC90 D5: 102 836 US Dollar

Volvo XC90 V8: 191 507 US Dollar

[Speedsteve]

Do Europeans drive trucks? In Germany No! To big, to heavy, to expensiv, bad roadholding, bad performance, bad Brakes, bad safety, bad Image, bad comfort and so on!
You want to have in Germany a exotic Car? Drive a Pickup! Porsche, Mercedes and BMW drive everyone!:-)

German Market

Fiat



Nissan



Mitsubishi



Ford



Land Rover

[edonis]

Originally Posted by Speedsteve

Do Europeans drive trucks? In Germany No! To big, to heavy, to expensiv, bad roadholding, bad performance, bad Brakes, bad safety, bad Image, bad comfort and so on!
You want to have in Germany a exotic Car? Drive a Pickup! Porsche, Mercedes and BMW drive everyone!:-)

Haha, don't complain about the German car prices, they are dirt low!

[Speedsteve]

Originally Posted by edonis

Haha, don't complain about the German car prices, they are dirt low!

Everything is relative!

The Ford Ranger XLT cost over 31.000€ ( approximately 40.500US $ ). To the comparison:

- VW Passat = 21.800€

- VW Golf GTI = 24.200€

- BMW 116i = 19.800€

- Mercedes A 150 = 18.500€

- Mercedes B 150 = 20.500€

- Fiat Panda 4X4 = 11.700€

- Peugeot 206CC Convertible = 16.990€

In addition comes a high Engine Tax, a Gas price of 1.13€ per Liter or 5.55US $ per Gallone, no Speedlimit, no Space on the Streets / Parking-lot and a sinking income / salary in Germany!