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1989 Jeep Comanche

For those keeping score, 2014 represents a low point for compact pickups in the U.S. With the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon on hiatus, only Honda, Nissan, and Toyota currently offer vehicles in this class.

What’s more, there’s reason to question just how “compact” the current crop of small trucks really is. The current Nissan Frontier, for example, stretches as long as 220 inches, and weighs in at a substantial 4400 pounds in long-bed crew-cab guise.

A quarter century ago, Nissan’s compact pickup—then dubbed simply Pickup—stretched no more than 190 inches, and came in under 3200 pounds in its heaviest trim.

Here we’ll travel back 25 years to a time before small trucks were sold in crew-cab body styles, to a time when shoppers had no fewer than 11 choices in the category. If you’ve owned or spent time with one of these honest little machines, we’d love to hear about it.

The Japanese Luxury SUVs of 1996

5 Discontinued Trucks You’ve Completely Forgotten About

 

Chevrolet S-10

1989 Chevrolet S-10
1989 Chevrolet S-10

Base price: $7874

Base engine: 92-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 125-horsepower 2.8-liter V6

Optional engine: 160-horsepower 4.3-liter V6

Fun fact: Rear antilock brakes became standard for 1989

More on the Chevrolet S-10

 

Dodge Dakota

1989 Dodge Dakota
1989 Dodge Dakota

Base price: $7879

Base engine: 100-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 125-horsepower 3.9-liter V6

Fun fact: The Dakota Sport convertible was introduced in 1989, and remained available through 1991.

More on the Dodge Dakota

 

Dodge Ram 50

1989 Dodge Ram 50
1989 Dodge Ram 50

Base price: $7919

Base engine: 90-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 109-horsepower 2.6-liter 4-cylinder

Fun fact: Assembled for Dodge by Mitsubishi, the Ram 50 was a mechanical clone of the Mighty Max (see below)

Check out all of our used pickup reviews

 

Ford Ranger

1989 Ford Ranger
1989 Ford Ranger

Base price: $8093

Base engine: 100-horsepower 2.3-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 140-horsepower 2.9-liter V6

Fun fact: Extended-cab “Supercab” Rangers started at $10,749

More on the Ford Ranger

 

GMC S-15

1989 GMC S-15
1989 GMC S-15

Base price: $7927

Base engine: 92-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 125-horsepower 2.8-liter V6

Optional engine: 160-horsepower 4.3-liter V6

Fun fact: Apart from a $53-higher base price, very little separated the S-15 from its corporate cousin Chevrolet S-10

More on small GMC pickups

 

Isuzu Pickup

1989 Isuzu Pickup
1989 Isuzu Pickup

Base price: $7908

Base engine: 96-horsepower 2.3-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 120-horsepower 2.6-liter 4-cylinder

Fun fact: The Isuzu Pickup boasted standard 4-wheel disc brakes

More on Isuzu trucks

 

Jeep Comanche

1989 Jeep Comanche
1989 Jeep Comanche

Base price: $8111

Base engine: 121-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 177-horsepower 4.0-liter 6-cylinder

Fun fact: Comanche shared its basic architecture with the Jeep Cherokee

More on used Jeeps

 

Mazda B-Series

1989 Mazda B-Series
1989 Mazda B-Series

Base price: $8068

Base engine: 85-horsepower 2.2-liter 4-cylinder (B2200)

Optional engine: 121-horsepower 2.6-liter 4-cylinder (B2600)

Fun fact: Mazda B2200 models came only with rear-drive, B2600 models only with 4WD

More on the Mazda B-Series

 

Mitsubishi Mighty Max

1989 Mitsubishi Might Max
1989 Mitsubishi Mighty Max

Base price: $7864

Base engine: 90-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 109-horsepower 2.6-liter 4-cylinder

Fun fact:Extended-cab versions of the Mighty Max were officially branded “Macrocab”

More on used Mitsubishi trucks

 

Nissan “Hardbody” Pickup

1989 Nissan Hardbody Pickup
1989 Nissan Hardbody Pickup

Base price: $7799

Base engine: 106-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 145-horsepower 3.0-liter V6

Fun fact: The Nissan Pickup was available with power sliding rear glass and a pop-up sunroof

More on compact Nissan pickups

 

Toyota Pickup

1989 Toyota Pickup
1989 Toyota Pickup

Base price: $8248

Base engine: 103-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 116-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder

Optional engine: 150-horsepower 3.0-liter V6

Fun fact: With an available 150 horsepower, the Toyota Pickup was the must muscular of the Japanese-built pickups

More on used Toyota pickups

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