The Ridgeline's unibody platform and modest V6 engine give it relatively frugal fuel mileage and a comfortable ride that most traditional trucks can't match, and its thoughtful construction includes a long list of useful storage compartments and nooks to further enhance the utility of its five-foot cargo bed.
Lest you think that length sounds a bit short, it's actually quite competitive with the truncated boxes found on most modern full-size crew cabs. The original Dodge Rampage didn't have the same V8 firepower as the concept. In fact, when the Rampage debuted back in it couldn't even break horses, with its 2.
The tiny truck was based on the same platform found under the Dodge Omni and Dodge Charger compact cars. The following year the Rampage would gain a sibling in the virtually identical Plymouth Scamp, and it would also add a five-speed manual transmission to help corral those humble horses under its hood.
Sadly, the Rampage and Scamp combo were known more for their lack of reliability than their cargo hauling capability. Also known as the Rabbit Pickup, the Volkswagen Caddy was exactly that: a version of the VW Rabbit hatch with a pickup bed in place of its rear seat and trunk.
Built in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Caddy first went on sale in and was motivated by a meager four-cylinder engine that couldn't handle all that heavy of a load. The Caddy has become an icon among Volkswagen fans, but it didn't exactly set America on fire when it was originally on sale.
Although production would continue globally for two more decades, by the mid-'80s the U. Sign up for more restomod content to add horsepower to your inbox. Here are 5 front-wheel drive pickup concepts we never got, and 3 we did. Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept The Hyundai Santa Cruz has been intriguing pickup fans for several years by hinting that the Korean giant was going to get involved with the American truck market.
Dodge Rampage Concept Yes, that name is a familiar one, and we'll be getting to the original Dodge Rampage a little later on. Honda Ridgeline The Honda Ridgeline is by far the most successful front-wheel drive pickup of all time. By the end of , both had left the market. Volkswagen Caddy Also known as the Rabbit Pickup, the Volkswagen Caddy was exactly that: a version of the VW Rabbit hatch with a pickup bed in place of its rear seat and trunk.
More From Driving Line Think front-wheel drive pickups are weird? Try high performance minivans! SALES: Used Car Motor Mall.
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That's why most cargo vans and trucks use rear wheel drive instead of front wheel drive. It also handles better when towing. Also, it provides better handling. The weight of the driveshaft is spread across the entire length car.
So there's a better weight balance with RWD vans. The steering is more predictable in low traction conditions ie. No torque steer. In FWDs the front wheels handle both the steering and the powering of the vehicle.
This can result in torque steer, meaning the influence of the engine torque on the steering. FWDs can pull to one side when you're accelerating heavily.
Better turning radius. The drive shaft joints are less complex, allowing you to turn them further than with front wheel drive, giving you a smaller steering radius. They're also easier to maintain. FWDs cramp a lot of parts into a tight space, meaning you need to disassemble more components to reach the parts you're doing maintenance on. This can definitely be a pain in the butt. RWD is mechanically simpler and everything is just easier to reach.
Because of this, the driveshaft parts have more room and are mostly larger, making them more durable. Generally, rear wheel drive is the better option for heavy duty applications and intensive use than FWD. Traction is the grip of a tire on the road. The amount of traction is determined by the amount of weight on the wheels, in combination with the amount of power send through those wheels. The more weight on the wheels, the more traction it has.
A good rule of thumb is that the most heavily loaded wheels should power the car. Whenever you tow trailers around, the weight of the trailer is put almost entirely on the rear wheels.
Since you get better traction with more weight, rear wheel drive offers the best towing capacity. But FWD isn't all bad. In fact, it has some clear advantages over rear wheel drive. Yes, you heard me. RWD does have some disadvantages. The driveshaft is longer, making it heavier than FWD.
This means higher fuel consumption and less available payload. It also offers less load volume. Front wheel drive vans are lighter than RWDs.
The driveshaft is much shorter, reducing the overall weight of the vehicle. So a FWD offers better mileage per gallon. And it also offers better payload, since the driveshaft isn't eating away at it. Also, RWD requires some load for good traction. Since the rear wheels power the car, traction gets better when the rear axles is loaded. Rear wheel drive only makes sense if you load up the van.
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