I think most Taco buyers fit in that mold.  They intentionally want something smaller than a half ton.

After driving a half ton for awhile, I also get why they sell in huge volumes over mid size trucks.  I feel like it's 50% more utility for 10% more cost.  It's a no brainer for most people.  Tacoma has almost a worthless backseat.  The Lightning has a bigger backseat than pretty much all full size luxury sedans.  Gas mileage for ICE versions aren't that far apart either.

Plymouth could be the new brand for a new type of vehicle that saves the company from its outdated design philosophy. Smaller, lighter, cheaper, lower to the ground, and vastly more efficient: the K-Car, all new for 2026.

Mopar began the hp wars in the early '50s with the first generation Hemi V8 and changed automotive styling forever by ushering in the '50s styling craze of fins and chrome. Sadly, the period of early-mid '60s was fraught with abysmal styling and product planning such that Mopar never really recovered (though the K-Car and "cab forward" were close). Now, Mopar is mostly just jeeps and trucks - the #1 and #2 vehicles that Americanists DO NOT NEED EVER - and so goes Mopar's future.

I work with a Dodge technician. He hates it. The end is near for Stellantis. So sad, the death of Mopar. The world is changing too fast.

5 years ago Jeep was selling great.  Then they really raised prices, much more than competitors, and people who want a Jeep look elsewhere. Shame what Stellantis has done to that brand.

Stellantis' Full Response to NDC Letter:

"We take absolute exception to the letter sent by the president of the Stellantis National Dealer Council (NDC), Kevin Farrish. Last month, we introduced an action plan developed with the dealer body that has already shown results. August sales were up 21% over July, market share was up 0.7 points, and dealer inventory was reduced for two consecutive months by 42,000 units or approximately 10% in total.

This is the result of working together with our dealer network and we want to thank them for their constant support and engagement. We meet and talk monthly, have weekly calls and personal conversations at the highest level. This is where such dialogue should take place.

At Stellantis, we don't believe that public personal attacks, such as the one in the open letter from the NDC president against our CEO, are the most effective way to solve problems. We have started a path that will prove successful. We will continue to work with our dealers to avoid any public disputes that will delay our ability to deliver results."

Dealers are very unhappy:
Stellantis National Dealer Council open letter to CEO Carlos Tavares:
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25136851/letter_to_tavares.pdf


Sam Evans's commentary:

I wish we could get cheap, Chinese EVs in Bidenland.

China is the world leader in EVs. All we have of any note is Tesla.