I understand that's part of the reason why truly small pick-ups have disappeared. Why bother trying to meet high targets with a small one when your large trucks nearly or already meet theirs.
That story is quite misleading. Cars have been growing as long as I can remember. I know they were once ginormous. I am helping a friend rebuild a '66 caddy convertable, that he'll drive a few hundred miles a year. Small trucks are really small percentage of the market. Cafe isn't killing small trucks, buyer preference is doing that. What About the Little Guys? Small Pickups Snubbed in Detroit - PickupTrucks.com News In other words, small truck buyers are in the market because they are cheap. If you make them expensive you won't make them buy a large truck, they will buy a inexpensive crossover or car. Small trucks will continue to fade with or without the size portion of cafe.
