The 2000 Chevrolet S-10 long-bed pickup truck with regular cab is a true work horse but retains some of the comfort features more commonly seen in a car. I have the basic five-speed manual stick shift model with rear wheel drive and a tow hitch.
The four cylinder 2.2L engine has a horse power of 140 that is sufficient to pull a small boat. However, the S-10 isn't very fuel efficient; the specifications indicate 17-23 mpg for short town driving and 22-29 mpg on the highway. I have never driven faster than 60 mph in the truck because it gets too noisy, as if the engine is straining, yet I've never had more than 20 mpg.

As a female truck driver with young children, I do appreciate a couple of the interior features. The front seats are fabric upholstered--with a tough, dark colored fabric nonetheless, but the fabric makes driving more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. The model I own also has two small fold-away seats behind the front seats; these are ideal for young children for short journeys. Without kids, there's plenty of room for tools or packages.

The exterior is compact yet rugged looking and the truck bed is big enough to perform a number of heavy duty tasks: I've saved a lot of money on delivery costs when I've needed to transport furniture and large items, or mulch for the yard.
Despite the S-10 coming with standard safety features like driver and front-passenger air bags, 3-point safety belts, anti-lock brake system (ABS), reinforced safety cage and front and rear crush zones, the crash test safety results from tests carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are not great overall. Reliability ratings for this model are only moderate to good.

I have owned a Chevrolet S-10 for five years and other than the issues I have with engine noise and fuel efficiency, for a MSRP of $13,006, I think this model is a good buy.