I have an SUV but have on very few occasions needed to put something big in it (like a patio umbrella stand, for example). For me, with a 50 mile each way commute to work 5 days a week, a pickup truck would not be practical or necessary. As it is with the SUV, I’m filling up every other day or every 2½ days, at around 25 bucks each time. With a pickup truck, there’s no telling how much gas would cost. Where I park at work, the spots are narrow so they get as many spots as possible into the small lot behind the building. I don’t think a pickup would fit into the spot, and it would be almost impossible to back it out.
A compact car would be just fine for me except I wanted the SUV for bad weather. For 99% of the people in my area (NY/CT rural and commuting), a car or SUV is just fine.
My neighbor does lots of gardening and she has a tiny compact.
On the rare occasions when I’ve gotten new furniture (IKEA, new mattress, etc.) I have a friend with a small van help or I can always rent something if I needed to. Buying furniture is so infrequent that it wouldn’t pay to keep a pickup. I have a Honda CRV and the back seats fold down, so it’s quite roomy enough for large items.