I have things to haul about once every few years when I move. Occasionally if I need to haul something I ask a friend/family with a truck to help me. I think when people complain about these trucks being gas guzzlers it’s mainly pointed at the trucks people buy when they don’t need them and just want a big vehicle that they don’t actually use for hauling. They effectively buy a truck to use as a car, which is dumb. If your work demands hauling big things a truck seems completely necessary. If your hobby involves moving big stuff, like woodworking or my friend that is really into home improvement, it makes sense to have something with hauling space.

I drive an Altima, what I’d classify as a “salesperson” car because it gets decent highway mileage and has enough storage space for personal belongings/luggage for long drives in the trunk and paperwork in the front. Outside of moving I think the biggest things I’ve needed to move in my car are people, a computer tower, and camping/sports equipment, which can get a little snug but is usually fine.