this thing looks terrible to actually work with, hauling trailers or trucks, heavy loads in bed as well as off road? doubt

Yep. When I have to use a grappling hook and rappelling gear just to get in the truck, I'm not going to find it practical...

This is a thorough and accurate assessment. If you include the "van" type vehicle, which is essentially the same as the little truck with a roof, you get the added benefit of being able to lock your goods and tools away. And then there's THIS.

I'm in Tokyo right now, and absolutely nobody drives a big truck. I would estimate 80% of cars in the city have 660cc engines.

they both seem too large, are there any smaller ones?

I am a fragile piece of human, and I have slammed into a bull moose before.

I'm an intact fragile piece of human because I was in a Toyota Tundra, a Japanese truck.

Get the vehicle that suits your needs and tastes.

The most important thing for me in a car is safety, and clearly a car that small without a front engine will have much higher injury/mortality rate in a crash.

Agreed though that excessively boosted cars are dumb, and probably most people who drive a truck don't need one in the first place.