The race for US automotive dominance heated up in the first half of 2024, with Ford unexpectedly emerging as a strong contender alongside the traditional titans, General Motors and Toyota.
While Stellantis saw a significant sales drop, Ford maintained its momentum, particularly in the crucial truck segment. The iconic F-Series continued its reign as America’s best-selling large truck, while the newcomer, the Maverick, cemented its position at the top of the compact truck category.
Ford’s dominance extended beyond trucks, with the Mustang leading the RWD coupe market. This success has sparked speculation about potential retaliation from competitors, particularly in the burgeoning compact truck segment.
The recent revival of the segment, fueled by the Ford Maverick and the updated Hyundai Santa Cruz, has left the door wide open for new entries. Whispers of potential compact truck offerings from Toyota and Subaru suggest a battleground shift, with Ford facing a potential challenge to its newfound throne.
In the compact truck segment, Japanese manufacturers are cautious about competing with the recently successful Toyota Tacoma. But what if there’s a surprise contender? Digital car designer Dimas Ramadhan of the YouTube channel Digimods DESIGN has brought back the GMC S-15 Sonoma, a forgotten nameplate.
The S-15 Sonoma, launched in 1982, was GMC’s version of the Chevrolet S-10, the first American-made compact pickup by the big three automakers. The Sonoma even spawned a performance variant, the Syclone, in 1991. While this digital revival isn’t about raw power (despite the quad exhaust), it hints at a potential comeback for the GMC Sonoma in the compact truck arena.
