I personally have owned and driven:
1994 Chevrolet 1/2t regular cab 8ft bed with a 5 speed manual. It was the color green you picture in your head now.
2002 Dodge Dakota SXT, 5 speed manual, short bed regular cab. I loved this truck. Reliable and fun but not practical.
I've driven:
Everything Chevy and Dodge have to offer from 2014-2019
An old lifted truck
A new lifted truck
2009-10 Nissan Titan
2014 Big f'n diesel Ford
A diesel Dodge with all of the EPA stuff stripped out with a double clutch and mods
The most fun:
The diesel Dodge with a stick, diesel, and mods. It wasn't a quick accelerating truck by any stretch of the imagination. It drove with a super heavy clutch and was best driven double clutching. It was like driving a big rig and that made it soo soo much fun to drive.
The most practical:
Crew cab long bed pickup. Tons of space for people and cargo. Not the most efficient. That's what I'd own if money weren't an issue. Specifically a Sierra Denali 1500 with a diesel.
The best, and most reasonable for me:
I would have a Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger, Jeep Renegade, or Toyota Tacoma with a crew cab, leather, and a 6' bed. The big selling point for me would be the price of the truck and being able to get a crew cab with manual transmission. I believe that leaves the Tacoma or Nissan Frontier in that class. I would have to have leather added aftermarket because the manual transmission trucks that are on the market do not come with leather as an option. 4WD is a must.
