5. Dodge Dakota
As one of the top industry leaders, Dodge noticed that the full-size truck buyers didn’t always need all that power and space. They also noticed that some compact-size truck buyers didn’t always require more power and usability. So, the solution was a model of smaller dimensions than a full-size Dodge Ram that would feature an optional all-wheel drive. It would come with ample towing capacity and payload as well.
Dodge got it right, so in 1987, sales spiked significantly after they introduced the Dakota. It was the first mid-size truck on the market that was both affordable and usable. Also, it had better fuel economy than the bigger models. The Dakota wasn’t the only model on the market, but it was the most successful. However, Dodge retired it in 2011 without a replacement.