> Lots of people haul things.

Not with pick-up trucks they don't:

> Nearly 90 percent of truck buyers said they never use their truck for business towing, as a mobile office, or as a work site. Yet nearly 40 percent said they drive their truck strictly for pleasure at least once a week.

* https://www.carscoops.com/2025/11/capability-by-numbers-what...

* https://www.powernationtv.com/post/most-pickup-truck-owners-...

And these are self-reported numbers: what people say about their own behaviour(s).

> Big trucks can be a necessity depending on what you do for a living/your way of life.

For something like ~90% of pick-up owners that is grocery shopping and errands. As one headline put it, most folks don't need a pick-up truck but rather a cowboy costume:

> But, as it turns out, a significant portion of truck owners never use their trucks for these capabilities. According to Edwards’ data, 75 percent of truck owners use their truck for towing one time a year or less (meaning, never). Nearly 70 percent of truck owners go off-road one time a year or less. And a full 35 percent of truck owners use their truck for hauling—putting something in the bed, its ostensible raison d’être—once a year or less.

* https://www.thedrive.com/news/26907/you-dont-need-a-full-siz...

People would do better to buy a more fuel efficient vehicle, and use the money saved to rent a truck (or van) the few times a year they need those specific capabilities. They'd probably save money, and we'd probably have fewer dead people and children as well:

* https://carbuzz.com/news/the-abrams-m1-tank-has-better-visib...

The vast majority of pickups are not actually used for workmen like purposes.

In fact, as carmakers have started pivoting more towards selling them to affluent suburban households, the usable cargo volume has decreased over time despite increasing size.

Things can be hauled just fine in an estate, saloon, or even a hatchback. European camper vans are regularly hauled by tiny Golfs or Polos with barely a litre of engine displacement and a hundred kilowatts of power.

Americans just buy much bigger vehicles than necessary.

Right, but seeing trucks obviously not set up for towing or hauling is becoming more common nowadays. With the level of luxury trims available on some trucks now, it's obvious that they aren't a necessity anymore.

This is on top of trucks prioritizing 4 door models and taking bites out of the truck bed

What do you think is the % of people having F150 that really do need F150?

That may be true. However it does not explain how many people have big trucks that are never used as trucks

Lots of people haul things everywhere. Driving a truck as your main vehicle because you haul something twice a month is ridiculously wasteful, of money foremost.

I have a small trailer, rent a bigger one or van when needed.