Tiger Trucks has significantly expanded their product line since the company first began doing business in Oklahoma almost ten years ago. Although the company is primarily known for its small, runabout trucks which offer high fuel economy numbers coupled with good cargo capacity and a low initial purchase price, the company has also branched out into larger, longer vehicles with increased cargo capacity as well as passenger vans.
Tiger’s Champ 4500 can haul 4,000 lbs, gets 32 miles per gallon, and pricing starts at $12,995. Unfortunately, it’s not legal to drive on most U.S. roads…yet.
Their recently released flagship truck, the Tiger Champ 4500, is an excellent example of this new trend. The Tiger Champ is powered by a 4 cylinder engine making a maximum of 54 lb-ft of torque. While this number may sound small, it is enough to give the vehicle a cargo capacity of almost 4000 lbs – an impressive number given that the vehicle also gets 32 miles per gallon in highway driving. The Tiger Champ engine can also be configured to run on E85 Flex Fuel, which is a type of ethanol / gasoline mix derived from plant matter. The truck can be had with either a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission, and like all Tiger Trucks, it is completely legal to drive on most public roads in the state of Oklahoma.
The Tiger Champ 4500 has a few other unique features which highlight its utilitarian design. One of the most obvious differences between the Champ and a domestic truck is the configuration of its cargo bed. Tiger Trucks places the bed on top of the rear wheels, instead of in between, meaning that the vehicle does not lose any valuable cargo space to wheel wells intruding into the truck bed. This platform-style cargo area is further enhanced by a side-stake design which allows the sides of the truck bed to drop down 180 degrees, providing easy access for loading from any angle. This makes the Champ 4500 ideal for use with forklifts and other loading machinery. The bed of the 4500 is also much longer than that of a standard pickup – 103 inches long and 62 inches wide – which means it is more adept at handling oversized cargo, giving it more of a utility-truck feel.
These characteristics have made the Tiger Trucks Champ 4500 popular at construction sites, golf courses and work facilities. By combining an excellent cargo capacity with great fuel mileage, the Champ is extremely useful for jobs which cover a wider geographic area where fueling stations are few and far between. The ability to use the vehicle on public roads in the state of Oklahoma also places the Champ 4500 head and shoulders above more limited construction or industrial vehicles.
While the Champ 4500’s payload and fuel economy ratings are impressive, the price might be the most impressive stat of all. Are you sitting down? The Tiger Champ 4500 starts at $12,995. Now you know why we’re talking about it.
Stateside assembly assures buyers that Tiger Trucks is focused first and foremost on build quality, and that their vehicles will be able to withstand even the toughest use. The Champ is an interesting glimpse into the future of more ecologically friendly, purpose-built trucks which may steal away part of the versatile domestic pickup’s job description.
Popularity: 5%
