Overview:
This weeks Chevrolet 2001 S10 Crew Cab pickup is something I could find 1000 uses for. Recently I took a trip to Tecate, Mexico for a weekend house-building jaunt with 100 other folks from Pasadena Christian. It was a productive and interesting weekend and I really wanted to take a Crew Cab but the only one out at the time was the Nissan Frontier.
Nissan doesn’t allow their vehicles over the boarder so Chrysler was kind enough to provide a truck for this worthwhile project. It was a “real man’s” truck – the Dodge Ram 2500 V10 magnum. We built two houses there but even though that V10 could pull a house, you could only carry 2-3 people to the job site. I also stopped to fuel up more often than I wanted to. I should have guessed I’d have to spend a fortune on gas when I noticed they didn’t publish gas stats. I calculated about 14 mpg for that trip. Surprisingly this Chevrolet S10 doesn’t do much better, but if you don’t need a 4X4 you’ll do a little better on the fuel consumption.
Gas prices are destined to continue their climb. The rest of the world pays up to $4.00 per gallon and if that trend infects the U.S., I suspect sales of SUV’s and trucks like this 4X4 will fall sharply. I predict they will begin their sag in the coming year because you’ll start to see advertisements directed at commuters who will begin to buy cars like the Chevy Metro at 36 city and 42 highway mpg or the new Honda Insight Hybrid, which I’ll be talking more about next week. Honda brags 61 city and 70 highway mpg.
No matter what the cost of gas, if you have a need for a truck this is one to consider. Not only do you get the pickup utility you also get the comfort of a passenger car. The short truck bed could be a problem for some, but it is perfect for my needs. I was able to use it to mend some fence at the ranch and we had enough room and comfort to go out on the town after a hard day in the sun.
Chevy Xtreme Nissan Frontier Crew Cab
Handling & Performance:
This is a new generation breed of truck that doesn’t require a kidney belt to drive. But because you don’t have the stiff suspension you can tote less than 1200 pounds. Because you get so much comfort, quiet and smoothness of ride you forget you’re in a truck. You’ll also be impressed with the power you get from 190 horsepower V6.
Styling:
Looks much like the Nissan and I like them both. The S10 has a little more conventional look, and the tubular “running board” on the Nissan is useless and only gets in the way in my view.
Fit and Finish:
Commonplace for a car, but extremely good for a truck.
Conveniences:
Car-like features that give you the comfort of a sedan with the convenience of a light duty truck.
Cost:
Not bad considering you get the comfort of a car with utility of a pick up to boot.
Recommendation:
As with anything you buy, it has to have a useful application. It reminds me of the saying, “A bargain is something you buy now and find a use for later”. So it may not be a bargain but if you have need for a light truck that accommodates more than two or three people at the same time, this Crew Cab is great. If you’re a GM fan, finally you can have a true 4-door utility truck from a US manufacturer.
The Competition:
Dodge Dakota $13,910-22,370, Ford Ranger $11,580-19,785, GMC Sonoma $12,763-25,083, Isuzu Hombre $11,360-20,100, Mazda B-Series $11,795-23,840, Nissan Frontier $11,699-24,399, Toyota Tacoma $11,528-24,378.
Good News:
Super utility, comfortable, quiet, roomy front and rear, and moreover I couldn’t come up with much to bitch about.
Bad News:
Lousy gas mileage, especially important at today’s prices, Nissan provides a sunroof and supercharger for about the same money.
Standard Equipment:
4.3 liter V6 190 horsepower engine, 4-speed auto trans., 4 wheel drive, cruise control, power 4-wheel anti lock disc brakes, dual air bags, AM/FM stereo with CD, air conditioning, power windows and locks with remote keyless entry, power mirrors, tilt wheel and daytime running lights.
Gas Stats:
15 City and 18 Highway MPG.
Pricing:
MSRP: $24,809.
