It’s not new, offering a more car-like pickup is “wrong direction”? I don’t even understand how you think it looks like a shopping cart. The Ridgeline has been around since 2005 and between then and now has gotten longer by 4ish inches. The F-150 crew cab shot bed got 7ish inches longer in that time. (And you know what, I even lament the growth of minivans too since the 90’s!)
You’ll find here that real-life fuel economy is darn close - nowhere near 20% worse despite expected ratings. If you go look up the curb weights they won’t be that different either. They even share an engine. I understand the whole minivan “just use a tarp”, blah blah but this thing is similar in size (five inches longer) and I personally understand that there are use cases where an open, easy-to-clean cargo area can be a plus or something that won’t bottom out as much on a dirt track. (e.g. no trash removal, I’ve cut my weather stripping and scratched plastic trim in my crossover shoving in cut down 7’x3.75ish plywood, etc.)
Your post states: “This thing can’t be useful as a truck” - how so? Neither towing nor payload are poor. It can average MPG outside of the teens which is tough for it’s V6 classmates to hit on Fuelly. Plenty of pickup owners don’t tow or off-road much. I don’t think you mean to say that it’s “better” from a Fuck Cars perspective that buyers purchase a less efficient but more “useful as a truck” pickup?
“can’t seat as many as a van” - And? Does that mean a gas-guzzling 15-passenger Express van is the ideal Fuck Cars choice? (Obviously not)
Honestly you picked the wrong thing to clown here as an example of what’s wrong with pickups. A fraction of an MPG, five inches of length, identical width versus literally any full-size or the larger HD pickups.
Pick how tall trucks are getting, the (relative) lack of lift regulation, crash compatibility, pedestrian safety, the risk posed by wheel spacers (if you remember that Kia Soul being sent flying), headlight aiming - especially when towing or hauling, etc.
(But tbh I would prefer the Odyssey/Pilot/Passport/Ridgeline to be a couple inches narrower but that’s just me.)