The car-based pickup never really caught on in America like it did in places like Australia. Sure, we got our Rancheros and El Caminos, but nothing as crazy as what our friends from Down Under got. But that can’t stop us enthusiasts from dreaming about the perfect small pickup. What car would make a great pickup truck?
There was once a time when modern America was supposed to get its shot at ute greatness. Bob Lutz of all people wanted to slap a Pontiac badge on an Australian ute, but we never got the Pontiac G8 ST and Pontiac itself isn’t even around anymore, either. Nowadays, hungry American ute enthusiasts are satiated through importing utes from Australia, enjoying what we already got here in America, or taking a Sawzall to their ride in an effort to build something like a Smyth ute conversion.
As of right now, there are only a handful of models that companies like Smyth sell conversion kits for.
For years, Smyth has sold kits to convert a couple of Volkswagens, the Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ, the Dodge Charger, and the Subaru Impreza into little pickups. That’s not a lot of choice, but yes, it does mean that you can make a Hellcat ute if you wanted to!
Let’s go further than this and think of cars we haven’t seen turned into trucks before. If you know me well enough, you already know my answer. I’d love to see someone make a ute kit for the Smart Fortwo. Custom builds have been done before, like the first-generation Smart utes that were made in Europe or the weird one-off made in Canada that’s pictured below.
Sadly, this car didn’t have two drive axles or anything wild like that. The builder just extended the car by adding a small bed and two more wheels. That makes it middle-wheel-drive, I guess? Still, I would totally daily drive this thing.
If I expand out of my little Smart bubble, I’d love to see some real oddballs turned into utes. How about a hyper luxury ute by way of cutting up a high-mileage Volkswagen Phaeton?
Maybe speed is your jam? Alright, I got you. Let’s break out the reciprocating saw and make a Chevrolet Corvette truck! Sure, tow ratings for some of these utes might be embarrassing and payloads may leave you with only barely useful loads, but let’s have some fun here. For the purposes of this question, the only limit is your imagination.
I want to know, what car would you think would make for a cool truck? Also, if that Canadian guy happens to be a reader, can you make one of my Smarts into a truck?
A Mercedes 300TD—but I would never cut up a decent one to Ute it (even if I thought I had the skill to do so).
They already have load-leveling rear suspension—and a reputation for hauling far above their weight class
Honda del Sol. The trunk is already boxy and pretty deep. All you’d need to do is take the lid off and then replace the trunk fabric with a liner.
There’s a custom truck-Prius just like that photo in my city. I’ve somehow seen it twice but never got a pic.
4 door Jeep Wrangler made into a two door pickup truck.
Jeep should have made a 2-door version of the Gladiator.
I would have purchased one if they did. Instead I purchased the best condition and most loaded Comanche I could find. It perfectly fits my needs of a small truck that can do tough truck stuff and drive off road.
Volvo 240. Give the Hilux a run for its money.
What Car Would Make A Great Pickup Truck?
Maybe a Cybertruck?
But in all seriousness, how about an ID Buzz? That’s almost FC right there.
or something panther platform?
or the new Maverick makes me kinda want a 1970s Maverick-truck conversion.
I hope when you wrote FC you mean a Jeep FC, because now I can’t get the image of a new Jeep FC out of my head.
That would be wicked!
Yes. Exactly
Yes. Exactly.
I just commented in the other article that the Fairmont Futura would make a good ute. It wouldn’t need an extension or anything, just a transformation between the side panels and behind the driver’s seat.
Tesla Model 3.
(Oh – Wait….)
Nissan Sentra
Honda Civic
VW Golf (That’s been done, I know)
Mazda 3
Subaru Impreza
These could all use the Ranchero treatment.
Solstice and Sky to make up for the pathetic trunk, Miata, S2000, Mustang (any year), Tesla model 3 and model X.
I always figured an Accord Camino would be a pretty solid vehicle
Tesla Model 3. Let people decide between the horrific Cybertruck and a (barely) more conventionally styled truck vehicle.
More serious answer: Mercedes G-wagon. There are more than enough people with poor taste and big pockets to make this a good seller for Mercedes.
Ford Focus. Oh I forgot, this one is called Ford Maverick.
Those oddball Cadillac flower cars don’t count?
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/you-dont-bring-me-flowers/
For some reason, I can’t get the Journey out of my head as a suggestion, but that also sounds pretty dumb.
I’ve always wanted to make a Lumina Z34 like mine into a truck, there was a concept done in the 90s but obviously it never happened.
Chevrolet Chevelle.
Oh.
Wait.
Not my first choice, but a new Lexus GX truck surprisingly works… https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/gallery/2024-lexus-gx-550-might-be-ideal-for-a-pickup-truck-derivative-because-of-tnga-f_1.jpg
This is twice brilliant because a) it works and b) building it would force the Tacoma down-market to more appropriate pricing
CT5-V Blackwing & only available with the 6 speed.
Caprice would have been a good candidate.
Remember the GMC Carbarello? That was actually the only car-like vehicle GMC produced, but again I am not sure if it was a rebadged El Camino….
Caballero?
Yes. Maybe it may not be the correct spelling, but I will bring it when I have the time..
It was a rebadged El Camino.
https://silodrome.com/gmc-caballero/
I knew it. Thanks for clarifying my point.
GMC could not waste its time on cars….so this seems to be obvious…
Happy to lend a hand!
An S-Class would be pretty cool. Or for that ultimate statement of American goofiness, a Roller.
But in a practical sense, it’s a shame the Panther platform never got a Ranchero variant. Being body-on-frame it was a perfect candidate.
And we coulda had a fancy-pants Lincoln variant instead of the Mark LT.
Now you’re veering into Lincoln Blackwood territory.
My initial answer was the Model Y but recently a 8th gen Civic pickup showed up in my social media feed and it was perfect. So cheerful yet useful.
Last generation HR-V.
It feels wrong but I’ve seen one and it shockingly works.
Toyota Sienna.
Hear me out.
It’s large so would make a useful size vehicle for those who pretend to need a truck.
It’s rather posh on the inside with a nice ride so stacks well against current crop of trucks, but would happily take your comfortably and quietly down endless American Midwest highways.
But counter-argument is than a van (minivan) is already a far more useful vehicular format. And so many current truck owners could have been far better served by having a minivan in the first place.
Not crazy. Ugly AF, but not crazy.
Toyota Previa.
Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, just so you can call it a Crewe cab
Honestly, pretty much none of the current crop of cars. But. If VW (and Ford) or Peugeot or even Renault would mind considering properly modifying a Caddy, Partner or Kangoo into a utility format then I’d applaud their courage.
Otherwise, thankfully, Australia is not short of ute-like vehicles.
In an alternate UTE-ified US I like to think that Rancheros moved to the Fox Platform until the Taurus came along and then they moved to the Panther and ran until the end of the Crown Victoria.
This might be the actual best answer.
If only because it seems most of the internet thinks any truck needs to have a frame and a V8, so why not use the relatively small body-on-framed Crown Victoria as the base?!
….. Could you imagine one powered by the Marauders V8 too?!