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I live in Germany where people usually drive reasonably-sized cars. Something like a Škoda Karoq SUV is already considered unreasonably large.
Then I saw someone drive a Ford F-150 past our house. That thing is almost 1m (~3 feet) longer and 30 cm (~1 foot) taller than those SUVs. In its smallest version. How the hell do Americans live like that?
Mate, each time I go into even small suburban areas I see people driving RAM pickups, G-Wagons and other enormous SUVs.
This is a global problem, maybe it’s not as bad as it is in the US but it’s still there.
Yeah, I’m starting to see Dodge Rams and similar vehicles here in Germany, too. People are such assholes.
The cheapest cars start at like $25k anyway and depreciate much faster than a truck/full-size. Plus fuel cost is massively subsidized. I’ve seen even eco-conscious friends of mine get FlexFuel F150s because it just doesn’t make sense to buy a small car unless you don’t need your car to hold value
Yeah; I think economics is the real reason. Large trucks are massively subsidized (fuel, the truck itself, the insurance on it, and the cost to store it). Without these subsidies; they largely wouldn’t exist
Indeed. Also, “compact,” what is this, 2010?? Don’t exist anymore. You can either choose between fuckhuge trugg or fuckhuge sedan. Even our compacts are bigger than 90s four-doors (and sold as either top-spec luxury sports models or tin cans on wheels that nobody should be driving)
Thanks, I hate it
That last one is actually legitimate. My wife was rear ended twice at a red light. Her physiatrist, recommended she gets a slightly bigger car because it would change the angle of impact if it happens again. The lower more reclined angle could potentially kill her if she’s hit again.
She went from a car to a compact SUV. Small change, but she is now in a more upright seated position.
The vehicle size arms race. Large cars force other cars to become larger just to match their mass in an accident. Still doesn’t mean if you buy a large vehicle that you’re not making the problem worse
It’s ok, tramp is going to teach them about frugality, lol. They can eat military parades.
I wouldn’t call a Honda HR-V large.
That’s really bad, sorry, yet that extra safety also makes it more unsafe to spot e.g. children crossing the street (better to have a higher tilt angle in that case)
A Honda HR-V is not very big and has plenty of visibility.
My local roads are shit, the SUV prevents me damaging my vehicle in all the potholes / construction zones.
I would totally rock a Slate, though.
Did Jesus even want to not get caught? Im pretty sure a God cant be worse than a big car in any situation
The last one is a significant concern. Huge trucks and SUVs are so prevalent and they’re so big it seems like the drivers aren’t as aware of their surroundings. I’d love to see us move to taxing based on vehicle weight/mileage since it’s the true measure of how much wear a vehicle puts on the roads. You want that insane Hummer EV? You’re paying 20x what the guy in a Civic is paying.
The “light truck” exemption is a huge problem, and needs to be repealed.
Big cars also reduce everyone else’s visibility.
I feel this so much in my 90s hatchback :'(
The SUV plague is a european phenomenon too.
Probably this effect:
and this https://carbuzz.com/news/the-abrams-m1-tank-has-better-visibility-than-a-ford-super-duty/
Interesting that they referenced the infographic multiple times but couldn’t be bothered to put it in the article.
American, here; can’t stand large cars. Which is why I plan on driving my 350Z forever.
pecuniary emulation drives consumers to spend more on displays of wealth and status symbols, as opposed to more useful commodities.
aka, Keeping Up With The Joneses, Conspicuous Consumption.
Giggling in hatchback at this.
Nothing at all in this about how few actual cars are still being sold. Because the NHTSB have made it so that passenger vehicles require a certain number of safety features and fuel efficiency, bigger vehicles means more money for auto makers and not having to produce vehicles that are as fuel efficient or safe as their larger counter parts.
FR though the one in the upper right corner is a real thing. When I inherited my grandfather’s truck I swear suddenly everyone in the family needed something moved. I get asked at least once a month to help move something or lend it out lol.
At least once it’s your truck you can say no. When you’re a tall teen and dad/grandpa have pickups, suddenly you’re getting voluntold to be a furniture mover on a Saturday morning.
The biggest reason that was never mentioned is …
They need a vehicle that can accommodate and carry a 300lb human.
I have a friend who is over weight, his wife is over weight and their for teenage children are all overweight.
One of their previous vehicles was a small car and it looked like a clown show to see four of them stuff themselves into an average sized car and watch the suspension dip.
I couldn’t believe they got a newer F150 that they paid about $50,000 for … a used vehicle! It’s a great truck and they got it just to fit four of them comfortably. They parked next to my 2010 F150 and theirs like like a transport.
And when they step into the truck, they look normal and you no longer notice how big they are because their truck is huge.
Most smaller cars are designed for 150lbs * 5 people plus a little cargo. So around 800-1000lbs.
Four 300lb people = 1,200lbs. The suspension on that little car was fucked.
The F150 is rated between 1800-2300lbs depending on the model. They can even squeeze in a 5th person into that setup.
I was exaggerating about my friends weight … they aren’t 300 lbs but they are pretty close and probably average about 250lbs … although their oldest son is over 6’ and looks long and large and probably does weigh close to 300lbs
Whatever their weight … they really put a lot of stress in the car
My Subaru Forester is not a tiny SUV. I was parked between two pickup trucks the other day, and my roof was only slightly higher than their hoods. The Simpsons’ Canyonero is no longer a parody.
I drive an Outback. Have you seen the
new 1999 Ford Explorer2026 Outback? The things even Subaru is doing are, just, BLEH.I have, and I’m disappointed. It was going to be my next Subaru, now I’m thinking Crosstrek, as long as it doesn’t get upsized.
Why not save 10k and get an Impreza instead? Literally the same car with less LARPing plastic cladding and a lift that kills mpg
CAFE standards base fleet fuel economy targets on wheelbase. It’s cheaper for manufacturers to produce large trucks and SUVs, which don’t have to meet as stringent a standard due to their large wheelbase.
Those are also classified as light trucks, which means they don’t have to comply with the higher safety standards that “passenger cars” do, another reason they’re cheaper to produce.
How do we sell those? Marketing to make people think they need them.
The government naively assumed the auto makers wouldn’t notice the gaping loophole in the CAFE standards and then did nothing while trucks grew to outlandish sizes.
