Agree on keeping it small; the new Ranger and GM "small" trucks seem a bit too large, and I think there's a strong market for something sized like the original S10.
Light weight, 4-cyl & V6 options, 2WD & 4WD, 2 door & extended cab, 5 or 6 ft bed.
Entry price under or at $20K and relatively simple & basic, but attractive.
For years, I had 67-72 El Caminos, which were very handy for most tasks, though they had small brakes.
It seems incredible to me that pickups are $40K and up nowadays, and gigantic & overly heavy.
I think there's a big market for those who don't want/need to pose as a Paul Bunyan/Terminator caricature.