I think a new effect can be added for smaller vehicles... Personally, I like the tank explosion, save for a lack of flying metal shards, a la FH1 - to enhance it and make bombers proud of their handywork.
But for smaller vehicles like trucks and hanomag, I think a small mushroom cloud will be nice... Not like an a-bomb, but y'know, a fireball
And yes, I definitely feel that some wrecks are too pitch black... Sure blacked at some points especially close to where the fire is, but NOT pitch
and yes, by all means, more smoke to go with the pineapple explosions of tanks.
*If the fireball is done very well, I think even the jeep could use it without appearing overly-dramatized