1986–1992: Jeep Comanche

At its launch, the Comanche boasts three engines, three transmission options, and a seven-foot, four-inch bed. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder with throttle-body fuel injection and 117 horsepower is standard, while a Renault-sourced 85-hp 2.1-liter turbo-diesel is optional. (Yes, a stick-shifted diesel Jeep truck was a thing, though it came during a time when most Americans were still choking on thoughts of GM's terrible diesel cars.) A GM 2.8-liter V-6 engine with fewer horsepower than the 2.5-liter four (but greater torque) stands at the top of the range.

Happily, this mess of engines is cleaned up over time, starting in 1987 with the phase-out of the diesel and the replacement of the sad V-6 with the now-legendary Jeep 4.0-liter inline-six. The six puts out 173 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque, and later it is bumped to 190 horsepower. The 2.5-liter four receives more advanced fuel injection in 1991 (for a boost to 130 horsepower), and Jeep adds a short-wheelbase body style with a six-foot bed to the lineup in 1987.