The pickup truck is practically a staple on American roads. For a while, the top-selling vehicle in the United States was the Ford F-150 full-size pickup truck, a machine much bigger and more capable than the average consumer would ever need. But when these big, capable machines are also affordable and surprisingly practical (provided you have the space for it), then why not buy a pickup truck?
It should come as no surprise that foreign car manufacturers have long been trying to cash in on the popularity of the pickup truck in America. Some, like Toyota and Nissan, have managed to find their place in the market. Others have tried and failed, or never even bothered to sell a truck Stateside.
What does it take to sell a truck to Americans? Size, toughness, capability, towing power, interior amenities and, of course, a solid brand reputation are the typical recipe for success. The trucks included on this list, while not necessarily bad vehicles, fail to tick those boxes, severely hurting their chances of making it big in the Land of the Free.
15 Volkswagen Saveiro
The Volkswagen Saveiro is a compact truck based on the Brazilian-market Volkswagen Gol. The Saveiro is essentially the modern successor to the Rabbit Pickup that VW sold Stateside in the '70s and '80s. Though the Rabbit Pickup has some cult following, the modern Saveiro is just too small for the American truck market, where compact pickups often struggle against bigger, more usable trucks.
14 Dacia Logan Pick-Up
Another car-based small pickup, the Romanian-built Dacia Logan Pickup is a truly basic little work truck, ideal for carrying smaller loads around the tight European city streets it was designed for. Unfortunately, small and European is rarely a combination that succeeds in the US truck market, so this Logan likely wouldn’t catch on.
13 Subaru Sambar
Japan's Kei trucks are adorable little things built under strict regulations that dictate how big they can be, the engine size and the top speed. Kei trucks might have a small but passionate following in the JDM import community (particularly in Canada, where this Sambar is listed for sale), but it would be tough to convince most truck buyers that something this diminutive can do serious work.
12 Peugeot Hoggar
Another car-based trucklet, this time hailing from France, the Peugeot Hoggar looks like an "active lifestyle vehicle" taken to the extreme. The plastic cladding and "Escapade" decals make it look rugged, but it can only escape its car-based roots so far. A stripped-down version like the Dacia Logan Pickup might catch on with contractors, but this Peugeot's adventure won't take it very far Stateside.
11 MG Extender
This truck's name could be indicative of the Chinese-backed British marque's ambitions, trying to extend MG's presence into previously untapped markets. However, in America, MG is best known for its small and unreliable sports cars from decades past – not exactly the hallmarks of a serious contender in the pickup market. The Extender is a handsome thing, but not likely to make a dent in the States.
10 Mitsubishi L200 Triton
This Mitsubishi truck could have some chance of success in the US. The brand has become known for bland but rugged CUVs backed by an industry-leading warranty. That could appeal very nicely to truck shoppers looking for something basic, cheap and reliable. However, questionable looks and limited cargo capacity could seriously hurt this Mitsu's chances.
9 Mercedes-Benz X-Class
Though it does sell a remarkable number of Sprinter commercial vans, Mercedes-Benz does not have a very truck-friendly reputation in America. It's a highly praised luxury and performance car maker, but not a seller of tough trucks. Apparently, this reputation follows the brand overseas, where it has announced it would be discontinuing the Nissan-based X-Class before even attempting to sell it in America.
8 8. Mazda BT-50
It has been over a decade since the last time a Mazda pickup was sold in the USA. Mazda killed its Ford Ranger-based B Series trucks in 2009, and it has since shifted its focus to selling premium quality compact cars and CUVs. The BT-50 is certainly not as elegant and clean-looking as Mazda's other offerings, and it would be an awkward machine for Mazda to fit in its American-market lineup.
7 Fiat Fullback
Fiat-Chrysler has struggled to get the Fiat brand to make any serious ground in the United States. Despite cars like the 500 and the 124 Spyder finding some appreciation among enthusiasts, it would be tough to convince an American truck shopper that a Fiat is a viable replacement for a Ram 1500. Ironic, since the ever-popular Ram uses plenty of Fiat-sourced technology.
6 Fiat Strada Adventure
Once again, a truck with a Fiat badge would be starting at a disadvantage from the off. It isn't just because of Fiat's trend towards stylish and quirky designs; it’s also to do with the company’s very poor reliability track record. According to Consumer Reports, both reliability and owner satisfaction ratings for Fiat are "quite low." Italian flair works for sports cars, but not so well for trucks.
5 Chevrolet Montana
This trucklet was designed for the Brazilian and Mexican markets, where it has seen some success. Its rugged simplicity makes it ideal for workers who just need a small, basic vehicle to carry tools and supplies. However, it looks like a Chevy Spark from the front and it’s named after an old Pontiac minivan, which is far from an ideal combination to convince Americans to buy it.
4 Zhongxing Terralord
Despite having one of the most comic-book-like names ever given to a production car, the odds of the Zhongxing Terralord making any grounds in the US are slim. This Chinese-built truck looks like a three-quarter size Toyota Tundra with tiny, awkward wheels and far poorer reliability. Though Americans buy a lot of things from China, pickup trucks aren't likely to be on that list.
3 Nissan NP200
This South-African market mini-truck would struggle against bigger, tougher rivals in the US market. This is not the only car-based truck on this list, but it is plagued with poor quality materials and reliability issues that you wouldn’t expect from a basic Japanese vehicle. Though Nissan’s US-market Frontier is desperate for a refresh, Nissan execs won't be replacing it with the NP200 anytime soon.
2 Proton Jumbuck
This Australian-market ute makes the list if for nothing else than its name. "Jumbuck" sounds like a schoolyard insult from the Great Depression, or a dish that everyone in the family pretends to like. Either way, this two-tone ute ticks very few of the boxes that American truck shoppers tend to look for. Some Aussie utes are incredibly cool vehicles; this one, however, is not.
1 Ssangyong Actyon
Always save the best for last, right? This South Korean monstrosity embodies pretty much the exact opposite of the American pickup truck. Tough? Unlikely. Decent, rugged design? Definitely not. Cargo capacity? Nowhere close to comparable midsize trucks. This truck stands out for being the ugliest duckling on this list, and the least likely to make any kind of dent in the American truck market.