Why Americans love big cars
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2023
- It’s not just a consumer choice; it’s a policy choice.
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It’s no secret that big cars dominate American roads. But even so, some of the stats are staggering: Last year, 80 percent of all new cars sold in the US were SUVs and trucks. That’s compared to just 52 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, many automakers are phasing out passenger cars as consumer demand for them has disappeared.
Not all of this is a result of consumer choice, though. A huge factor in why SUVs and trucks are so popular in the US is hidden in a 50-year-old policy decision. In this video we cover the history of the SUV, and how its origin story and popularity is rooted in US fuel economy standards.
The Washington Post data visualizations are from this story:
www.washingtonpost.com/busine...
For more of Bob Sorokanich’s work on how regulation changed car design:
jalopnik.com/every-car-looks-...
I interviewed economist Mark Jacobsen, who studies fuel efficiency and vehicle safety:
• Mark Jacobsen, Economi...
For a history of fuel economy for both light trucks and cars:
www.pewtrusts.org/en/research...
This article explains how the footprint model made cars bigger:
www.thedrive.com/news/small-c...
Here is the study on pedestrian fatalities and big cars:
sci-hub.se/www.scienc...
Correction: 2:50 a label on the x-axis of a chart misspells “Australia.”
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This is our third of five videos on design trends and systems in travel! Check out last week’s episode on how the American rail system went from one of the largest and wealthiest in the world to ... Amtrak: ua-cam.com/video/von_IMi97-w/v-deo.html
And join us next week when Christophe is back on the channel to explain the skyscraper-sized boats known as cruise ships.
In 2023, 55% of new car sales in Australia were SUVs
The worst thing is Americans are exporting their disgusting car culture abroad and now many people in Europe are also buying SUVs, a lot of them American brands
SUVs and pickups must be banned in Europe.
Don't need, don't want.
Will you be covering e-bikes and micro mobility - including mono wheels?
I like the Blue VW wagon, I have a Blue 4 door Mk6 Golf. I can understand the appeal of a Toyota Land Cruiser for ultimate reliability and being able to drive anywhere with rugged looks, but I really don’t get the appeal of all the crossovers that look alike. I bet in ten years they will be uncool like minivans are now, or how wagons become “uncool” 30 ago.
The dilemma is people buy big cars for safety from people driving big cars. it's a vicious cycle.
The bigger your car is the more power you have
@@musclecargarage2875alr lil bro
Exactly, I drive a small car now and I want my next car to be an SUV simply for this reason
It won't be long until we bulldoze our cities again just to accommodate larger cars.
So the only way to stop the cycle is the government stepping in and allowing huge cars only for people who really need them.
When your goal is to reduce emissions but instead you end up making things way worse by encouriging everyone to replace sedans/small cars with SUV and trucks..
It IS kind of sad how much incentive and power the corporations have to simply avert regulations by seeking out loopholes, and literally changing the direction of human behavior. For the worse, as you succinctly pointed out.
The government & the auto manufacturers are not serious and care zero about the enviornment
@@timolaf2798 the society itself has some blame as well, many other countries will literally stop supporting a company to death. Which is why in some other countries companies take pay cuts and board members tend to step down when they mess up.
But the US can't pass up a good deal even if it means destroying their future and the future of those who come after.
This is the reason why it is not a good to have loopholes.
Just support workers directly, not by making a loophole for SUV, that gets used by everybody else.
general motors and ford:🤫
I hear a lot of people say they buy SUVs/trucks because they like to be able to "see further ahead" or what have you. Except now that everybody is doing that, thereby the view from up there is now blocked further.
Ironically, nowadays I can see a good 3-4 cars ahead of me when driving my Fiero by looking *under* the cars ahead of me.
I drive a Mustang now but used to drive a jeep, I couldn't see over anyone in my old jeep because that gimmick has died after everyone drives SUVs just like you said
My Car is narrow, long in modern terms...
But I can actually see in front by . Leaning towards the driver side...
I do this without even thinking about it...
It's a must.. to survive the day to day...
1968 Dodge Dart..
I drive it everyday and everywhere...
Cheers from Southern California 🇺🇸
I was really shocked when I went to NYC the first time. 80% of the cars were big suvs and trucks like Suburbans and Escalades. The rest were normal sedans. I almost saw zero compact cars. Meanwhile in Europe you see compact cars everywhere.
I read that the Escalade is 1.94m tall, which would make it too tall for some of my country's (Singapore) underground/multi-storey carparks (1.9m height limit or ~6'3"), though I saw 2 Escalade Vs parked at our Fullerton hotel last Sep during our F1 race weekend, without license plates but with an emblem I don't recognize. Maybe 1 of the monarchs from neighboring Malaysia was in town for a holiday (there were some Malaysian police Proton X70/Geely Boyue slick-tops parked nearby too)
A lot of those Suburban and Escalade SUVs in NYC aren't personal cars, they are usually private taxi services or fleet rentals.
As a German I can tell you: Never underestimate the questionable influence of the automotive industry lobbyists on policy and legislation.
When people question the logic of a certain US policy it almost always a situation of somebody profiting off of it and lobbying to protect their right to profit. It is why the most common type of millionaire in the US is a car dealership owner
Why as a German?
@@alex.g7317 Germany is known for cars and the automobile industry. If you think about Germany or German economics, cars are the first that should come in mind. They definitely dominate there and abroad
@@logan1769cars is defined not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Germany vehicle ingenuity. I think WWII, which is what fuel the entire thing...
Yes, yes and yes
The regulation that means bigger vehicles get less strict emissions is wild
yeah, the intention was that large commercial vehicles wouldn't be held to standards for regular passenger cars, since it was basically impossible for something like a garbage truck to get the same gas mileage as a passenger sedan. But what ended up happening is that it incentivized carmakers to make passenger vehicles that were the size of big commercial vehicles.
@MrDRSMAX the garbage truck example is a good point, I didn't think about vehicles bigger than a pickup truck.
@@MrDRSMAX It seems to me a prime example of why top-down regulations like this can often fail or have severe unintended side effects. Instead of the government stepping in and dictating fuel economy standards across the board, maybe we should just tax carbon emissions significantly more heavily, which would make gas cost more at the pump. This would discourage gas guzzling and encourage efficiency at all levels.
@@ulrichspencer The nail in the coffin was when they started making SUVs efficient, especially turning them into hybrids. I remember specifically in 2008 as peoples bank accounts tightened and gas prices soar, you saw way less SUVs out on the road over night. It cost so much when you got 15 mpg to get anywhere. Now, a friend of mine has a Rav4 hybrid, and gets 37 mpg. At that, we're doomed to SUVs because the pain is no longer at the pump.
@@jgj657 that will just have the same problem we see here with car companies starting to market cars as "undefeatable machines" with giganyic needlessly powerful engines for your trip to the grocery store (that you have to drive to due to the awful car reliance this country has)
As a dual US-EU citizen (US born/raised with French parents) I'm always impressed by the size difference between both countries. I grew up with a Jetta and Golf in the garage 😂 Here in Colorado we have a ton of SUVs. Really the only people who need those vehicles are those in the construction industry or who recreate deep in the mountains and need a 4WD vehicle to access rough dirt roads. Those categories are easy to spot with the latter having lifted bodies, winches and tow hooks, maxtraks etc, and 90% of SUVs in Denver don't fit either category.
Some people claim you need a big car to drive in the snow but after driving a Subaru Impreza and manual Fiat 500 I feel they are lying or don't know how to drive... winter tires are way more important than car size. Sad to see so many of these models go, the Impreza is thankfully still around and unrivaled as an AWD compact car.
The main advantage pick-up trucks have in winter is all-wheel drive and tyre size. SUVs don't even have that advantage. And apart from that, being that big and heavy equals poor handling and that is exarcebated in poor grip conditions. Really the worst of both worlds.
As a 100% French person I wish I had a multicultural upbringing like that, it just sounds so freaking cool (even though yes it probably doesn't seem like much from your own point of view)... Meanwhile I'm the only one in my entire family tree who even went to college and speaks English :/
I live in the the Ontario snow belt of the Great lakes. When it snows heavy it's always the SUVs that slide off the road and end up in ditches.
well yeah half the crossovers america sells are Fwd and made for people who “want to sit higher and feel safer” 😒
I drove a 2006 Impreza hatchback for many years in Salt Lake City! Handled like a dream in the mountain snow! It doesn't have clearance but it was never a problem while we owned it.
When she spoke about driving in a small car and not being able to see anything, that resonates with me so much! I even find the grocery store parking lot dangerous because, in my small car, I’m surrounded by huge SUVs and have to use extreme caution when pulling out of spaces to make sure no one plows into me. And don’t get me started on highway driving-I have to be so much more defensive because these SUVs have blind spots which drivers seem oblivious to. I think that feeling of “safety” makes SUV drivers more reckless.
Also, I have always preferred the handling and fuel efficiency of a car. Whenever I have a rental car these days, it’s usually an SUV and I hate the way they feel. My car hugs the road and of course it’s much easier to squeeze into limited parking spaces in the city.
I really hope cars aren’t completely phased out!
Thank you, I 100 % agree with you.
I drive a Mazda Miata in my free time and a delivery truck for living, and I think people are tail gating the small cars in their big cars much often.
My work... Half my week is delivering...
Streets to Freeway adventures...
In order to survive in the day to day Kaos of The other Humans in their Little House...(Car or SUV) ...
A world onto themselves.. oblivious to anyone...
Lane departure, blind spot, front impact,
The Car manufacturers have basically said.. look, we get it... You're far to busy with??.. to be burdened with having to stay in your own lane..
When you see a Old Classic American Car/Truck.. the original owners.. could drive!!..
It's what it takes to stay alive....
Actual Survival of the Fittest...
Like the comments here, I believe you all understand what I mean...
You have a skill beyond them..
Cheers from Orange County California 🇺🇸
Daily Driver 68 Dodge Dart...
Not reckless, just dangerous level of ignorance as to the size of the blind spots.
Plus all the driver assist features are actually NETT anti saftey as they are teaching drivers to be negligent.
I'm the same! I live in the UK where the car still is still fairly ubiquitous, but unfortunately the crossovers are growing in popularity. Our roads and carparks cannot take these bigger vehicles. I struggled to pull out of a parking space after I was flanked by 2 SUVs on either side. Making it harder to swing my car out.
I drive a SEAT Ibiza hatchback. It's so fuel efficient and nimble, and it handles really well making it fun to drive. It's perfect for me and my partner and long journeys are pretty comfortable. I wish people would realise that they don't really need massive vehicles.
As a European, it was interesting seeing most of the cars you listed as discontinued are still on sale and getting new models on our side of the pond
Only talking about sales to US market. A lot of the sedans and hatchback will now be export exclusive
I also found it sounded a bit like those models are discontinued world-wide, which isn't the case.
Same in Brazil. Although I believe we are moving towards bigger cars
Another factor might be that European cities are older than American counterparts in general. Your streets weren't made with big cars in mind, or even cars in general. Unless you're willing to tear buildings down, the streets set a hard limit for car size.
As an avid wagon fan and American, I am sadly well aware that enviable models continue production overseas and often never make it to the US
I can understand car companies starting to make SUVs because the emissions regulation didn't apply to them yet, but as the video says, the reason for that was vehicles of that size were mainly used on farms and construction sites. Once everyday consumers began driving SUVs, the regulations really should have been updated.
we all know govt lags behind on everything by the time a regulation does pass it takes years to impliment
exactly
But now one of the political parties believes environmentalism is a mind virus evil that needs to be eradicated so they actually modify their cars to emit MORE CO2. (Seriously, I'm not being hyperbolic, google the term "rolling coal".)
Lol taxes I understand, but to tax people just cause cars are big is ridiculous. No wonder Europe economy hasn’t grown since 2008.
@@abdiganiaden and america is on the verge of collapse
I really had no idea how big American SUVs and trucks were until I saw one in person here in Japan. Unnecessarily big, super inefficient and I'm sure, very costly. I thought the popularity of SUVs in Japan was getting out of hand but most of the SUVs here will be considered compact SUVs or crossovers in the US. I personally drive a Honda HR-V which is a compact SUV and is a hybrid. Fuel efficient and super practical without being 'big'. Really no point going larger unless you're transporting groups of people on the daily.
Big car look cool
Not sure about SUVs, but trucks, theres actually a lot of people who would prefer the smaller older trucks of the 90's compared to the monsters we have today. If Toyota could ever bring the IMV platform/Hilux to the US, it would be crazily popular. But I doubt that would ever happen.
IMO most modern U.S. pickup trucks are a colossal waste of money. Most Americans use their car as a “grocery getter” or only really gets driven to their place of work and back.
Hahaha, yes. I visited the US a number of years ago and after a week I had gotten used to all the huge vehicles driving around in LA. While I was walking down the street, I saw something and said to myself "it's nice to see a small SUV for a change!", as it came past I recognised it and burst out laughing, I had just called a Toyota Prado small🤣 This vehicle is known as Lexus GX in the US.
Interestingly when I wanted to rent a car in Japan for a holiday, it was either hatchbacks, or minivans & SUVs. Sedans were rare. Maybe because they're less space-efficient with their more streamlined rear
I love my sedan. The ease of sliding into a parking space without the need for adjustments. Navigating a roundabout and effortlessly overtaking trucks and SUVs is is something I like doing.
I switched from a CR-V to a VW Golf. I used to dread navigating traffic, narrow roads, and parallel parking, but that is all effortless in the Golf. I seriously don't get why so many people buy gigantic trucks as daily drivers.
The irony of safety in big trucks is that while you’re better protected in a lot of crashes, you’re at a bigger risk of getting into a crash, given the longer braking distances and poor handling compared to sedans.
You could say the same exact thing with Sedans and Coupes.
You're actually less protected if there's a roll over
SUVs and trucks also have a higher center of gravity so they are more prone to rollovers which can be deadly.
@@erichughes3987rollovers wouldn’t be as big as a problem with smaller cars because their center of gravity is lower compared to big cars which have a high center of gravity making them more prone to rollovers.
@@SCHMALLZZZno, because the weight difference between sedans and coupes are small compared to sedans and pickup trucks.
I am often told by people who love their giant trucks that i can just go buy a small car if I prefer, but it is increasingly frustrating that manufacturers literally are discontinuing those models.
US companies are the only ones to fully discontinue them. How had American culture shifted this much. I think it's safe to say Japanese luxury car brands are going to keep their sedans (well I hope so).
@@bilalrasool2318 Good luck importing a Japanese car to the US. Current regulations are that you can only import once it's 20+ years old
@@mposhI'm gonna guess they live in Japan...
@@mposhbuy a bmw then
It's infectuous, too. Sensible cars like wagons and vans are becoming less and less available as new cars. The first electric wagon, for example, was the MG 5 - a Fiat Tipo like small family car. Nothing like that from the established carmakers.
people buy bigger cars to be safe from the increasingly bigger cars without realize they’re the ones making cars bigger and unsafer
Americans should just drive semi trucks.
sisyphus
You are absolutely right my mom and my brother both cite this for why they have big vehicles and it’s a little infuriating but what are you going do😕
Well what can you do? It’s not like one individual can make a difference, if they don’t buy a big truck or SUV someone else will, and then they’ll be jeopardizing themselves. So may as well go big. This is coming from a European btw who is trying to understand their situation
I have a honda fit and a silverado 1500. I love them both. I do my hvac side jobs and haul all my camping stuff with my truck and daily drive my fit. What i dont understand is all the people who buy pickups to drive around in the city and never use them.
A manual station wagon that is also a diesel? She's a true car enthusiast.
Everywhere in the UK. More so 10+ years ago
@@leenevin8451 In the US it's quite a rarity.
Yes, but is that the VW TDI that cheats the emissions test?
@@Phrancis5 too old
As an european I cant imagine anything more boring to drive than a diesel povered VW. Those things are everywhere. Ok meaby a small manual econobox is more boring.
NotJustBikes made an amazing video on the rise of SUVs and trucks. Also this is practically a vehicular arms race that puts anyone not in an SUV at risk…
Based and orangepilled
@@user-ix5pi5nm5p Well, SUVs/trucks have more mass, so they couse more force when crashing to another car. Also there are so many suvs/trucks that there are always bad drivers
@@Alexander-jr8nwhahhahahha what are you on about? The GM Delta II platform was developed by Opel. It's used for Opel Astras, also weighing up to 1.5 tons. Opel is the last European brand I'd ever want to have.
@@user-ix5pi5nm5p Yeah I don't get why we have to have seatbelts in cars. There wouldn't be any risk if those drivers drove well in the first place. Society has the completely wrong mindset! /s
@@user-ix5pi5nm5pWhen an SUV hits a smaller car, the SUV is more likely to hit closer to the top of the smaller car, putting the passenger at greater risk of dying on impact.
Love those Mk4 Jetta wagon TDIs. Great fuel economy and usable space. Couple upgrades and they're pretty fun to drive, too.
Looks like a Volkswagen Bora.
Didn't know they called it Jetta in the US... 🤔
A manual Diesel is pretty cool tho! ❤
Loved this video! :D
Americans: why is the price of gas so high?
Also Americans: I drive a car bigger then some actual tanks.
Well light tanks but in the same range as Medium tanks of world war two.
also americans: blames biden for $4.50/gal gas while germany has to deal with €1.85/L (>$7.50/gal)
What tanks are you talking about? Or did you mean tankettes? Or are you talking about Armored Cars?
@@SCHMALLZZZit's an expression
@@SCHMALLZZZ Sherman medium tanks
The first thing I noticed moving from Japan to the US was the size of vehicles all around. I could probably fit 2 or 3 kei cars into the back of an F-150.
The first thing I noticed visiting Japan while living in the US was how compact everything was and the way space was used so efficiently. I wish we could have nice things like those.
I'm obsessed with Kai cars
And the fun part is that there are kei trucks with more loading capacity than modern US trucks
And at the gas station you can feed 3 kei-cars for the same money as one suv!
This is a little bit of an over exaggeration lol
I can totally relate to the feeling of not being able to see ahead of you or around you because you're surrounded by SUVs. I drive a hatchback and I experience the same thing here in Australia. I love my hatchback and don't see the appeal of SUVs; they are too big, they handle poorly and they can roll over super easily when hit in the rear. No thanks.
Hatchbacks roll over quite easy as well when you have a major accident. A few years ago I witnessed it happen for myself on the main road outside my house, it was awful. If anything hatchbacks are even worse than SUVs for this happening, because of them being smaller and lighter.
@@nunyvanstta135 Not sure about that. I've seen way more dashcam videos of SUVs rolling when hit from behind compared to hatchbacks. Maybe it's the case though and all the videos I see are just of SUVs.
This explains my recent car buying experience last year. I tried to find a hatchback a domestic hatch at that), and found that almost no one makes them anymore sadly. The hatchback was great for me for loading and unloading a wheelchair.
Yeah. I bought my Golf GTI in 2017 and kindof wish I bought a Sportswagen instead. They discontinued them in 2019. Frustrating.
I used to ask my Mom this all the time as a kid, why opt for such a large (and often, much more expensive) SUV when you can just get a nice sedan like an Accord or Avalon. Her answer was always something along the lines of bigger vehicles making her feel safer. My father would joke that she just wanted to feel more dominant by having a "larger road presence"
Papa was rite. Females are not strong. They need to feel strong.
@@danionescu988
1. misogynist
2. yes, some people need to compensate for something, mostly men buying pickups though
@@topapo3661what's misogynistic about asking questions?
@@wibs0n68i think the person theyre responding to was and theyve deleted the comment so we'll never know ig
@@espeon871i still see it. in case it got deleted for you, the comment i responded to says:
“Papa was rite. Females are not strong. They need to feel strong.”
which just screams misogynistic
I studied in the US and nearly got run over multiple times because drivers either refused to yield or could not see me. Some cars like the Escalade or some F150s were so big that their hoods were neck-highish, and I’m 5’10. Ironically, they were driven mostly by either old or short people.
Terrifying cars like the Landrover at 5:42 were built as work horses and are not towering yet can still clamber.
reminder that the cadillac escalade is bigger than the largest tank used in wwii
Yeah, it's absolutely ridiculous how little you can see in modern vehicles. And also how little American drivers think about pedestrians in many cities, outside of really major metros.
@@emma70707that's another topic that Vox has covered. Most US cities and towns are not walkable at all. They're literally designed to be driven, and even a short walk half a mile away will have you running across 4 or 6 lane roads and stepping over guard rails. US drivers are conditioned to feel like they're the only people traveling on roads. In other countries people in cars, motorcycles, on bikes, and walkers all move together and account for each other.
The correlation between short guys and big trucks isn't ironic, it's compensation 🤣🤣🤣
I hate the big car trend. I purposely looked for a small car
I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND WATCHING NOT JUST BIKES'S VIDEO ABOUT SUVS AND PICKUPS!!!!!
The number of SUVs is rising in Europe as well. But the reduced parking space in cities and higher fuel cost ist probably slowing it down
Somehow giant US-sized SUVs just stand out in a sea of sedans and city cars. Plus they usually don't fit in regular parking spaces.
It's a fad in Europe will probably go away as people start realising how much more expensive & useless they are plus the governments will probably start taxing them more however I can't see this happening in North America
They aren't useless. You can fit more people/cargo in a bigger car which is very practical in certain situations.
@@fosterslover1.2 people per car in mean. A 2 tons véhicule should not be driven as a everyday short range use, it’s non sens regarding oil security and climate change. Nicolas Meilhan on that.
@@fosterslover On average there will only ever be 1.5 people in a vehicle. VERY few people fully utilize weight and storage capacity offered by larger vehicles.
This arms race is nearmost entirely psychological driven by advertising and social conditioning then rational decision making
It's becoming a trend in the UK too. Estate cars are going out of fashion for larger, heavier, more inefficient SUVs and crossovers that give the illusion of extra room inside. The extra weight also means smaller cars are more unsafe if they collide with these SUVs
The UK is the America of Europe, after all
It's a trend everywhere. And mostly because of the safety. It's a vicious cycle that can't be stopped. People wanna get bigger car to be more safe from people with bigger cars.
So the UK is becoming american...
It also increases wear and tear on the roads they travel. The heavier cars are, the worse roads become.
@@Meg_A_Byte its ironic because its been proven that SUVs arent any safer - especially because theyre more likely to flip over and can also mount over barriers way easier
8:33 The size of new pickup trucks/SUVs are ridiculous. The hood is so high, it obstructs a lot of frontal view. Then all it becomes is an arms race to see who can buy the biggest/heaviest vehicle.
Pickup trucks are very rare in my county (Latvia) and whenever I see one, it looks comically large compared to everything else. Unfortunately, we are getting more and more SUVs here as well
I live in Florida. Quite recently, a car behind mine, a sedan, got rear-ended by a RAM truck. The momentum was so much that the sedan barely missed my car by an inch or so. To no surprise, unfortunately, the sedan became a hatchback, and the RAM just had its front bumper deformed, and a relatively minor dent to the hood. I'm glad no one was injured. This was at speeds of 10-15 mph. Sure, trucks are safe, but JUST FOR YOU. Once everyone owns a truck they'll want something bigger because damages will be proportionate.
maybe in 50 years we'll all be in literal tanks, electric tanks that is
When two of the same vehicles crash into one another, sedans are actually the safest.
Try hitting a traffic pole with your SUV and see what happens. SUVs do not have crumple zones, because they don't comply to the same crash test standards. They're making streets more dangerous to anyone using them, including themselves
@@CaptOrbitdid you not even read his comment?
@@CaptOrbit reread the last two sentences please
As someone from Ireland it was such a culture shock to see such large vehicles.
The old Landrover Defender and Toyota Landcruiser are smaller than their American counterparts and actually built to work
SUV's are fairly dominant in Ireland now too
It surely makes you feel like a kitten that got trapped in a dog shelter full of rabid pitbulls.
@@itsme-sn5gi I can clearly see it on the road
@@itsme-sn5giI wouldn’t call them dominant, but I see them more often than I used to. I suppose it might vary by region
edit: and like another commenter said, ours are definitely smaller than American ones
Thank you for categorizing the Subaru Outback as SUV and not a wagon. It had ceased to exist as a wagon over a whole decade ago.
And love your VW with a manual transmission!
I have a 2001 F250 and 2006 E150 for heavy duty jobs while my 1997 Camry being my daily gas saving car, but I then shifted to the SUV section because the mayors office and public works have not resurfaced our roads in years. Big potholes and flooding became a problem for my Camry. I have a 2016 and 2022 CX-5, but I still prefer the older Japanese cars especially the JDMs as they are much cheaper and easier to maintain compared to the newer models with so much electrical components on-board. I'm currently fixing up my Camry as it having issues.
Her wagon has more cargo space than most crossovers and SUVs, according to US News and World Report. Most people who claim they buy SUVs "for the space" would be better off with a wagon or a minivan if they really need cargo/people capacity.
Yes I agree and this is why GM killing Full-Size,Body On Frame,and V8 station wagons based off the GM B Body like the Chevy Caprice Wagon,Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser,and Buick Roadmaster Wagon is a COMPLETE MISTAKE!
i’m regularly surprised by how little space there is inside all, but the biggest SUVs
The only station wagons you can buy in the U.S. are European (expensive to fix/unreliable) or the Subaru Outback, which have questionable realiability but is much cheaper to fix. Minivans though have two good options, Sienna and Odyssey
@elfrjzno one would buy it in the US
@elfrjz i bet, but it looks hideous to us. The escalade is king, the plant that makes escalades is literally the most profitable plant in the entire world.
The "small" trucks we have now are actually quite large and the opposite of what we're trying to achieve with emissions, it's wild.
The new Ford Rangers are almost bigger than My 1995 F150.
It's definitely small for a "truck", but large for what people use it for which is "passenger car".
That's because to make a true small truck today in the US (like an old S10 for example) it'd have to be able to get 40+ mpg to meet fuel economy requirements. It's a lot cheaper for manufacturers to make their pickup bigger than double it's fuel economy
@@EcchierThe new tacomas are pretty much identical in size to your 95 f150
@@Ecchier It also has the same if not more horsepower and torque and probably tows the same if not more. Midsize trucks have gone full circle and are now full size truck sized and capable. Its weird
Great Video!
I've never been more proud to see a mk4 Jetta wagon then now
The sad truth is that most pedastrian deaths by SUVs are parents driving over their own children. You just can't see anything right in front or behind you in an SUV
This is a huge reason why I prefer small cars. The visibility is miles better than in an SUV.
Nothing more American than backing up over your child on the drive
@@leenevin8451 Doesn't these trucks have at least a rear view camera and display? Or Americans like to pay for humongous trucks but don't pay a couple bucks for rear view camera?
@@ittakir until recently rear view cameras were not required to be on these vehicles
@@DouglasWalrath and it’s not guaranteed that everyone will pay attention to that
As a person and car enthusiast who prefers to drive really small, low riding cars, I feel really jaded now that as a consumer I don't have many options anymore. There's less and less choices by the day. When I was a kid, there were lots of new cars I would have been excited to buy. Now, as an adult, there is not a single affordable car in the US market that appeals to me. It's extremely depressing.
True that. I bought a Hyundai Elantra NLine last year. I wanted a compact car with a small engine, a little turbocharger, and a transmission with actual gears (not a CVT). There used to be many choices for such a thing. Now, there are very, very few. The good news, at least, is that I love that car to bits.
@@newcarpathia9422 That's a great choice. I highly considered buying one of those as well to replace my Kia Rio. I test drove the N-Line and was very impressed. I wish we got the full N version here in the US (it's a more practical choice than the Veloster) but unfortunately we never get the fun stuff here.
Porsche, Tesla, BMW, lotus, Mercedes, Supra, I mean there are a ton of low car options out there
@@TheCrimsonBlade2 none of those are affordable to a normal person lol
@TheCrimsonBlade2 never put tesla in the same sentence with lotus and Porsche again. I've driven all 3 and the tesla is like a giant ipad
Fellow VW Golf/Jetta Wagon driver here. Makes so much more sense over suvs.
That was very interesting and informative. The same things is happening on my country, Brazil, although I don’t know the reason since we don’t have the same legislation. A bunch of car makers are abandoning the compact cars and only offering SUVs or expensive sedans, which is a shame because it leaves the consumer with less affordable options. Even the VW Gol, a classic that was the face of the Brazilian car industry for something like 4 decades was discontinued.
Auto makers make more money with bigger cars because people are willing to spend more while production cost is more or less the same.
You also don't need alter your factory that much to produce crossoveres because most of them are built onto a frame for a smaller car.
So, it is a no brainer to push for bigger cars.
So to sum up:
- people are willing to spend more.
- production cost are more or less constant.
- existing equipment can be used.
Essa tomada de SUV aconteceu porquê muitas ruas brasileiras são instáveis, por isso hatches e sedãs são incapazes de entrar nessas ruas. Se o brasil investir em melhorar essas estradas o cenário vai mudar.
It’s worth noting that none of these small cars have been discontinued, they’re only no longer sold in the US and Canada. If they wanted to they could bring back small cars but until then, people like me will have few options for compact efficient cars.
They could but it doesnt change the fact that US consumers overwhelmingly choose SUVs. I am kind of torn by this video trying to place blame on automakers, when americans just don’t choose small vehicles. The best selling vehicles in the US are pickups by a wide margin, and how many of those buyers actually need one. Studies show > 75% tow less than 1/yr, 70% off road less than 1/yr, >70% use the bed less than 1/yr
They are discontinued because Americans didn't buy them.
I live in Europe, and yes, the situation is very different here and you can still get hatchbacks, some sedans and station wagons, for different reasons, but anyway, the trend of SUVs and crossovers arrived here as well, and it growing and growing. There is no more any small station wagon sold no more, maybe apart of Dacia Logan. Instead of Fabia wagon you have crossover Kamiq, instead of Clio wagon you have Captur, instead of 207 SW there is 2008. Crossover. Ford Fiesta was completely discontinued, being replaced by crossover Puma. Citroen C5 sedan and wagon were replaced by C5 SUV. Traditional MPVs Renault Espace and Renault Scenic were replaced by SUVs bearing same names. New electric Megane is crossover, while the traditional one is hatchback. New Citroen C4 is crossover, replacing hatchback. There are talks that there won't be new Fabia no more,Big part of new EVs are crossovers and SUVs as well. Yes, we still have many traditional cars, but more and more of them are being replaced by trendy crossovers and SUVs, because thry are supposedly more trendy, more fancy, roomier (debatable, in comparison with wagons and MPVs they are often replacing), safier ans just better choice for "active family". It's a sucessfull marketing product, while car companies are getting bigger profits than from smaller traditional cars (both because they can ask more for bigger car, and because they made people demand crossovers and SUVs by marketing).
@@peterlukac8458 At least we are getting a new Astra EV estate and a new Passat, although like 99% of cars the Passat has grown in size compared to the previous model. At least most of the European SUVs are European size. I was comparing my Golf Estate to the equivalent SUV and there biggest dimension change was the SUV being 10cm ($@) taller. Meanwhile American Doug DeMuro referred to the Honda HRV as being a "tiny SUV" in a recent video. Bizarrely he was referring to the vehicle the rest of the world calls the ZVR.
@@johninsana313consumers overwhelmingly choose SUVS in part due to marketing. Marketing is very powerful, that's why the automakers spend millions on it. It's touched on in this video. If there weren't commercials making you think your crossover gives you off-road prowess and more safety, consumers wouldn't get all riled up by that
Because car companies convinced people to buy bigger cars. We are in an arms race.
This. They have a perverse incentive to market big trucks because they are not held to as high of mpg standards, and they are more expensive (therefore more lucrative)
from what i know the market wanted bigger cars since the 80s. the people wanted bigger cars and they delivered
@justayoutuber1906 A good parent would struggle and advocate for walkable cities and towns. They would demand more parks and green spaces. They would encourage community. But the propoganda, the near century of car centric high crime propoganda pushed by nefarious entities, has made that task verboten to modern parents.
@@ummmbye1228 But why did they want bigger? Answer: extreme levels of marketing
@@Merlincat007 that is included in the answer but thats not all of it
Nothing I love more then parking my Sedan, alone, in the grocery store parking lot only to come out 10 minutes later and see 2 unnecessarily large pickups now positioned on both sides of my car. Guess ill pray before i back out.
I love how people say SUVs are “safer” when the opposite is actually the case. It’s basic physics. If you have a taller car you’re more likely to be prone to accidents.
This is the main problem. People buy big cars because they are safer. The only thing they are safer against is other big cars. My VW golf is very safe on its own, but it wouldn't stand a chance against a Ford F-350. Everyone buys bigger cars than the rest, and it creates an infinite cycle of cars getting bigger and bigger.
@@defoj9282 Yes. Then it becomes an arms race to see who is “safer” (getting the biggest car)
I'm glad this topic has finally made it to the mainstream.
it always was
Blinding headlights on newer vehicles also has to be addressed and banned! Night driving is becoming more dangerous due to these lights.
My wife's car is a big SUV, and she loves it. I'm OK riding in it, but I hate having to drive it. Compared to my sporty compact car, it is slow, thirsty, and horribly clumsy because of the high center of gravity. A big station wagon would have been much better, but no none makes those any more.
They are made, but only sold in Europe. And importing them will be useless because of import levies. Good luck with your "free market" economy
get yourself an Audi RS6 u will thank me later
@@Illegallegaleagle Nah, it’ll break down too soon like any other new german car 💀
What? You are weird. Prob a euro. My Suburban was miles better than one of my friends goofy small Miata. He finally had a family and bought although not a Suburban, a Tahoe, which is close enough.
@@jordanplays-transitandgame1690 The Suburban was once considered a wagon, mostly the 70’s - 80’s variety which are my favorite generation of Suburbans.
I like that at 3:27 the example of a sedan, in a video about American cars, is a Soviet GAZ-24 Volga :)
These big cars not only waste more recources to build and drive. They also damage the streets more.
The trend has creeped into India where we have smaller roads... Resulting in already contested roads getting more congested
Having a ginormus SUV has just become a status symbol here.
@abbashaidari8313 What about har mauqe par maula ke juloos
That's great! The more traffic jam there is, the better
Currently living in Asia as well and yeah, the influx in SUVs on streets that certainly weren't designed for so many of them... massive headache.
bicycles ftw
A while back, I saw an F-150 get rolled over by a smaller sedan. Wasn't a head on collision, but the F-150 was T-boned at 45 miles an hour, and it was something out of fast and furious the way it flipped and spun. Guess that's what happens when you have a higher center of gravity.
On the other hand, we had a Forerunner run a stop sign and pull out in front of our Accord. Our car was totaled; his had a dented door panel.
@@crusherventhat has nth to do with vehicle size. That's just physics. The car at fault typically has less damage.
@@crusherven4Runners are smaller than f150s so that’s probably why it didn’t flip.
@@EcchierYeah I dont really think the newer 4runners are much smaller anymore...
@@crushervenThat is probably because many light trucks have a more rigid frame than proper passanger car, which is a bad thing. Car hoods are designed to crumple on impact (crumple zone) to absorb a lot of the kinectic energy involved in a crash. Without this crucial security feature crashes can become a lot more deadly, especially since heavier cars build up a lot more kinetic energy to begin with...
This is why I bought a subcompact crossover. I can still see, even though it's shorter than most compact cars so it's still very easily parkable.
Nice video - I agree that policy definitely influences the trend towards larger vehicles.
I think another important factor is that trucks and SUVs are more profitable for automotive companies, so they have a financial incentive to build more of them.
The US government is failing us by not changing the categorization of passenger cars to include trucks and SUVs. And the auto industry money going into lobbying politicians is awful for our prospects of changing it.
simple solution: become a urban designer and fix the problem. that simple
That is to pretect US auto manufacturers from foreign auto manufacturers.
Stop blaming corporations and big government. Consumers also have the fair share of blame. 😊
"government is failing us by not changing the categorization" There's a good reason for that...WE ACTUALLY USE TRUCKS AND SUV's TO HAUL HEAVY LOADS UP MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS MUDDY CONSTRUCTION SITES. USE YOUR BRAIN! Fool!
@@emypena because they make low quality and garbage cars😂
this is very important step to reverse the un-walkability in USA.
Agreed I wish your country luck
increased walkability will also curtail the obesity problem here
unfortunately the benefit of a company is cared way more than the benefit of anyone's well being here
but think of the big auto corporations! they wont be able to afford 7 yachts with walkable cities!!1!
Your biggest problem with walkability is a lot of people don't actually want to live in densely packed urban centers.
I used to drive that exact VW Jetta hatchback. I ultimately traded it for a Toyota Tacoma for construction work. I’ve since left that business and have an office job. The Tacoma now has 250k miles on it and it’s now my daily driver outfitted to be an adventure offroad capable rig. I still think about that VW Jetta. Small zippy 4cyl cars are fun and I plan on getting an MX5 in the future. Small cars can be super fun to drive but the functionality of bigger SUVs/pickups is something no sedan can replicate.
Informative
The CAFE standards sort of backfired completely in this regard. The tiny pickups of the 80's and 90's like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, while more fuel efficient because their size, can't fully meet both the standards and the requirements of a functional truck. So, what do automakers do? Make them bigger with WORSE mileage just to meet the rules.
Finally somebody who gets it, they didn't just choose to exploit it, they also had to in a way.
I love the ford ranger, but the new ones are just suvs with tiny beds that can't even hold a pallet.
@@Mark-te5bf Hey now, let's not pretend car companies were the victims. Who do you think WROTE the exceptions? It wasn't the environmentalists or the politicians.
@@Mark-te5bf Do Rangers still have an extended bed as an option at least?
@@dbclass4075 Just checked, they do not
@@Mark-te5bf I read a few prospective truck buyers are increasingly frustrated in the new truck market. To procure a more utilitarian truck, contend with long wait times, higher price tags, or settle with an old out-of-production truck.
I appreciate this focus on policies affecting car dependency and its impact on climate, safety, and what choices we have (and don't have) in our built environments. I work as an urban planner, and it's clear that there is increasing pressure to design cities to be yet more hostile to pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users as well as city finances in order to accommodate large vehicle traffic.
That said, I think work like this has really supported a lot of policy support for de-emphasizing auto-oriented design and making our cities more human-centric. As an example, Oregon recently sharply reduced the amount of off-street parking (some) cities can mandate, and the largest cities (e.g. Portland, Bend, and Salem) simply opted to remove mandates altogether. I don't think that would have been possible without policy communicators like Vox.
it’s strange how systems of decision making often push for and encourage the least desirable outcomes. in my world it’s the popup: everyone hates website popups but at least once a month, i have to heavily defend not using them in favour for better design/layout. weird
The problem for you all is that most americans like their cars and like driving around. I get frustrated when designers don't anticipate how big modern vehicles are. In a suburban neighborhood with big yards and no real constrain on how much space a house takes up (which is most of my state) why is it that most garages aren't big enough to accommodate even a midsized truck? Especially given that the Ford F-150 has been the best selling vehicle for 47 years running.
Seems like every designer should make sure their roads, garages, parking spaces, all fit the most popular vehicle from the year prior as that will be the thing most commonly using that space.
@@kyle8851 I moved from Asia to U.S. One of the biggest reasons is that I love driving around and hates public transportation.
@@kyle8851 The manufacturers shouldn't be making vehicles that large. and frankly, we shouldn't be encouraging it.
@@kyle8851 Why should everyone bear the costs of your consumer choices?
Same here in Australia and the UK, people go for SUVs and pickup trucks over sedans.
Great Video Vox. Very intresting. I didn't understand the Length and Width calculation for Foot Print get weaker rules. This is so interesting. What rules get weaker ? Also what is American Regulation Standard that I can look up on the details ?
I love the new teeny-tiny Microlino electric cars coming out that are inspired by the Isetta. I would LOVE to have one to zip around my small US city, but the threat of getting smashed up by a giant truck scares me. SUV drivers may *feel* safer, but in reality, they are making the streets more dangerous for themselves and for everyone else too.
just out of curiosity, what do you drive currently?
It's true unfortunately the statistics on this are pretty clear. Fun to drive but not really that wise of decision.
There are many people that desired the ability to haul large payloads wether it be for work or recreation, only a large vehicle can do that. Fyi
@@JETSETGIRLZ They are good. They have lot lower maintenance and fuel costs.
comfortable
when my french exchange sister came over to the states she said one of the most shocking things were single individuals driving in an SUV every single day while not really ever hauling anything or any other people
They spend more money eating out than on cars. New car purchases in France still a bourgeois thing.
@@serafinacosta7118 SUVs aren't expensive. They're just big, empty husks. Expensive cars tend to be sedans still--or coupes.
Most people even in Europe drive by themselves. The SUV in Europe has different connotations there than here. Likely she looked at them through a Euro POV while she was stateside. Flipside of that is plenty of families in Europe make a VW Golf work as a family vehicle, no Silverado, Sienna, or CRV required.
@@serafinacosta7118 buying a new car is just financially a bad decision in many cases for most people almost anywhere on earth.
Even my current company lease is for a used car, because the contract is shorter. If I'll ever go back to owning my primary car, it'll be a used reliable Japanese car.
And it's not because we're poor. We're certainly north of US mean household income.
@@spoenk7448 I think saying that buying a new car is a bad decision is overly broad. It really depends on the situation, especially the used market around said car. There are several cars for example in high demand where the used market goes for more than the used market, or the savings is not worth it. This is especially true with the sport car segment. Toyota Supras can easily go for more than msrp, or like 10% less than msrp with 50,000 miles on it. Teslas were like this for years, and still is to some degree. The subaru STI was like this, where msrp was 38k and you would find them used for 31k with 70,000 miles on them. It just really depends on the car.
I'm sick and tired of people hearing people complain about gas prices that drive a huge truck all the time.
Man that Jetta is SO clean. It’s sad because small cars are so fun to drive. I’d bet money that the Camry will always be around though.
I miss the mini trucks from the 80s and 90s. Even the new "small" trucks are not much smaller than their full sized counterparts and really are not much cheaper. The whole point of a mini truck was fuel efficiency and affordability. I miss the cheap basic cars.
Also part of the reason people jst get suv’s the price of a mini truck, compact suv or small van is jst as expensive as a actual SUV. So alot of people jst go for the full size trucks and suv’s.
Many days and nights spent in the back of a small Ranger or S10 folding chair😂
Ford broncos! ❤
Kei trucks also have been a growing niche here in the US
That's just the Ford Maverick
As an Italian, we have a lot of very narrow streets in a lot of medium/small cities (like the one I grow in) for “historical reason” let’s say (I know it’s putting it to simple but stay with me) so I grow with the mentality that smaller car are better for finding parking spots and are easier to drive, consume less, less breaking distance cuz they are lighter etc etc so tbh for me its interesting to see how America instead have this gigantic cars for apparently no reason tbh 😅
i’m irish and streets in ireland and all roads can be very narrow with lots of twists and turns. when i’ve been in the us, the roads are wide and parking spaces are giant. Ugh, i can’t imagine driving a huge car in ireland, would be tiresome
I read some Millionaire claim that the perfect car for using in Monaco was an original Fiat 500 convertible.
Let's be clear, It's apparently no reason untill you get to live there dude, then you understand why you need space and high clearance in places like TX or NM.
And also, the smallest car got the shortest the brake distance...not even close, that's b.s., there are different elements on brake distance, expecially tires, brakes, building materials of the platform and weight distribtion of the vehicle. Those are way more influent than car dimensions itself.
A longer car is not automatically heavier than a short car; jaguar sold for years their flagship XJ weighting less than the X-TYPE and S-TYPE because of the aluminium, yet it was way bigger.
Similarly a small car equipped with awd, automatic and a lot of extra optional features (like a small VW golf R DSG) is likely heavier than a bigger rwd sedan made with carbonfiber parts (like an alfa romeo giulia rwd).
I'm an American who loves small cars. This video is interesting because I've also noticed the SUV take over in the US.
One of the culture shocks that Americans have in Europe!😂
There are countless videos of it. The driver's license may also play a role. 😉
My 2001 Lexus LS 430 was a big car for its time but feels small in 2023.
My husband and I have one car that we share. Until recently we had no car because we rarely drove. We bike and use public transit to get almost everywhere we need to go. The only place we need to drive is into the mountains for camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing etc. In these situations a car with 4 wheel drive is essential and if it has clearance, even better. We actually had a Honda Civic for years that just sat there because I didn't feel comfortable driving it in the mountains, especially during the heavy snow we frequently get in Salt Lake City. So for us, it totally makes sense to own a light truck. It doesn't get the best fuel economy but we also just don't drive that often. Maybe it's because I live in a bubble but I have noticed a lot of my friends making a similar decision, even with kids. They share one vehicle, it's a "light truck" or crossover with 4 wheel drive for bike inaccessible places and they use e-bikes or regular bikes to go everywhere else. I admit that those of us mountain-types in Utah readily point and laugh at people who own trucks or SUVs that are not built for the mountains. Did you know that they make rear wheel drive trucks? They make SUVs and trucks without 4 wheel drive too! It will become very apparent when you are trying to drive a vehicle that only looks like its made for the mountains in the wrong conditions. I have seen countless cars, some very expensive and new looking get stuck in the snow or dirt, while I cruise by in my old but very capable car. Once a guy pulled up next to me in the parking lot. He had this really nice looking Bronco that was hoisted 5 feet off the ground on custom suspension. I overheard his relief that he made it up the canyon and admitted to his friend that it didn't have 4 wheel drive so after all that expense, not to mention the rollover risk, it's not mountain ready. Typically these people are from California, and we sure do like to make fun of people who drive cars like this from California. It always puzzled me why anyone would buy a big heavy car without 4 wheel drive but this video has certainly answered that question! The answer still doesn't make sense but at least I have an answer now.
Equally amusing are the fools who get 4x4 and leave highway tyres on and wonder why they get stuck in mud or snow. Snow and mud tyres exist for a reason.
My big issue is pulling out of parking spaces. Sure, there is the rear camera, and sometimes you have collision sensors, but I have to be halfway in the middle of the parking lot before I can see past the truck next to me and start to turn the wheel.
My car's rear cross collision warning is a godsend for those types of parking lots.
What's even more dangerous is pulling onto a busy street with towering SUVs parked on the side of the road blocking your view, almost a leap of faith every time even after inching out you're barely able to see anything. Proud owner of a small hatchback, ha.
That's been a problem as long as there's been cars and trucks.
very true - that's why when possible I park with my car facing forward - much easier to see cars even when blocked by larger cars. Sometimes I have to park further out but I think its worth it and less stress
Reverse parking??? There's a reason why it's recommended
I never have bought into the idea that a larger vehicle is safer. I've always preferred smaller, more nimble handling vehicles and that's actually saved me in a couple instances where I could maneuver quickly out of a bad situation. My current vehicle is a Nissan Juke, which to me is just a slightly larger hatchback with reasonable ground clearance. It feels plenty large to me, yet I'm dwarfed by those Emotional Support Vehicles that so many people seem to desire.
My Emotional Support Vehicle i desire is a Miata.
Larger vehicles are perceived as "safer" because car size essentially turns into an arms race. "Everyone has huge cars so I have to get an even bigger one to scare them off".
In the snow ice or rain they are way safer because of the drivetrain
You have a very neat vw Jetta, I really miss mine
Her tdi jetta is sick.. we se so little of them over here in eu.. i had a b7 a4 1.9tdi, sold it at 400k km, and its still going strong
This is such a well researched video. I love how they pointed out the difference between traditional SUV and the more modern crossover SUV.
But also not. All those discontinued cars are still produced in EU.
@@dbs5212 It's implied that this video is only talking about the US market.
I dunno, she drove around and interviewed like four people and had some slick graphics. Not that impressive. More about pretty presentation than deep analysis.
1:04 A manual wagon...respect!
She's a granola bar
Average car in Europe
Love those Mk4 Jetta wagon TDIs
That’s why I kinda take pride in exclusively driving small hatchbacks and coupes
I upgraded from a VW Rabbit and bought an older version of the VW Tiguan before VW revamped the line with ginormous Mexican built versions for North America. Its a nice "compact" SUV that is considered full size in Europe.
The sizing in North America is so odd.
Problem is, car manufacturers are getting rid of normal height hatchbacks for crossover SUVs.
Same here. Although I do need more space in my car, I might be looking at getting one of the very last station wagons as my next car.
I don't like the high sitting position of an SUV, it gives me vertigo.
Few coupes left on the market, manufacturers stopped producing them :(
Same
Any European who goes to the US is always amazed by the size of cars. They are stupidly big. I remember standing in front of one and the bonnet/hood was higher than my head. And I'm 5' 10''
as a Texan (Born and raised in the USA) even the new Ram 3500 mega cabs are bigger than my full four door tundra 4X4 V8, I honestly don't know how these people are able to see over their hood!!
But secretly you wished you could have one instead of the cramped little car forced on you
@@noName-kn1lxunlike the US Europe has good public transportation, so unlike the US cars are not enforced
@@noName-kn1lx i can't say i do want them. they're far too big they do not fit in properly.
no one is forced to buy a small car, suvs are available everywhere but most people don't choose to buy them. why would you choose a car that's less fuel efficient and doesn't fit in most parking spaces?
@@noName-kn1lx yeah. I really hated the new Mercedes that my friend was driving. 🙄😁
I bought my car Skoda Citigo specially because it was compact. I’ve been in several situations where having a small car has made manoeuvring easier
Look at the wall of the guy talking @7:06
A poster and a neon sign for Jeep
After needing a larger vehicle to fit four car seats simultaneously for our young children, the ford transit (basically a sprinter van), was the way to go. Full size vans can hold more passengers, more cargo, and can even tow/haul pretty good. Plus, vans have short noses, so you can actually see things in front of you to an extent.
I don't know that many vans with short noses, except for those old Econoline vans, lol. If I had to get a van I'd get one of them, the Econoline 😁
@@Montfortracing most full size vans have short noses, which is what gives them so much room inside the cab. We almost got an econoline, but the higher roof on the transit and better fuel economy really helped our decision lol
@@b.p.m.3660 I dig it. Not too many people getting a passenger Transit. My folks did it pretty unique when I was a kid. We had a 2003 VW EuroVan when I grew up. We took that van on many camping trips, but it sure was a mechanical disaster from day one.
They're not making Partridge Family buses anymore. You may have to find something a little more practical to carry around that litter you call a family. Might I suggest a Greyhound fleet auction?
You may also be able to import a double-decker bus from the United Kingdom as long as it is old enough.
Oh, and stay off of her.
It’s so weird looking as a New Zealander, because like our best selling cars are all big, but most of the owners live in the countryside. Most people in central cities don’t use them.
New Zealand people are arrogant
What are some popular makes/models?
IDK bro, plenty of Remuera Battlewagons out here, that never leave the city. It's not nearly as bad as the US, but I'd say SUVs are still creeping up in market share.
It's similar here in the US. _Most_ _people_ don't even live in big cities. Videographers just like to film in places that "show the problem".
When I visited New Zealand as a American it was so weird. So many car brands I had never heard of or seen before. All the work trucks were way smaller, like I think they are called kei trucks. So many cars I wish I could buy.
1:04 Is this lady driving a manual Diesel?
That's pretty cool imo! ❤
@1:42 that Subaru is more actually a stationwagen, not an SUV, just an FYI. But yes, your point still stands on big cars lol
12 yards long, 2 lanes wide,
65 tons of American Pride!
Canyonero! Canyonero!
This is especially a problem in my home state of Texas, where there's 3 SUVs and 4 full sized pickups for every single passenger car. The truck owners here also have a nasty habit of lifting their already massive pickup trucks. This has also coincided with the rise in pedestrian deaths and car accidents being less survivable.
This giant car trend has gotten out of hand and it has to stop!
Wrong comrade
Low speed impacts with trucks/suvs are mostly non-surviveable for pedestrians and bikes. They hit you so high on your body even at 15 mph they do lethal damage. Cars mostly damage your legs and throw you up on the hood. Your legs get broken but you usually live.
Yeah when the bumper of every other ram 1500 lines up with my face when I'm in a crosswalk it makes me wonder how many of those drivers even see me.
We need to hold drivers responsible for pedestrian deaths caused by unsafe lifted pickups. It's no longer an accident, it should be criminal negligence causing death.
@@noName-kn1lx Which is the right comrade?
I get recommended this as I'm about to sell my Mini Cooper for a Ram 2500. Love how spacious it is inside.
I immigrated from the UK to the US in 1975, engineering position. My first auto was a new Chrysler Cordoba, off the lot, $3,250.
Those were the days!!
As a Rhode Islander, it’s surprising that RI was the last holdout for suv dominance- I feel like the streets have been full of larger and larger vehicles for a long time. Such a recognizable problem, but no one wants it to be a problem because it makes them more money 😡
That surprises me as well, but I'm not sure how they factored that in. Perhaps Rhode Island is such a small market that the number of older sedans still registered and on the road affected the way the statistics were calculated.
Incorrect. The cause of this trend is narcissism. Make ME feel safe. Make ME feel powerful. At the expense of others and their safety/wellbeing/futures.
Although is makes a few people more money, it also makes more people more dead.
Putting high tax on bigger vehicles with high fuel consumption and emissions. Watch people start building and buying smaller ones.
...or extend the same emissions/fuel economy standards to all non-commercial vehicles, regardless of size. or apply that tax increase to petrol (like many other countries)...
They do this in Ireland. We pay annual motor tax that is directly related to emissions. We still have a lot of crossovers don’t get me wrong but the Ford focus is still very popular as is the Volkswagen Golf, Honda fit, Toyota Yaris, Nissan micra etc etc
The US already has a gas-guzzler tax. It's just the price you pay for having a capable or fun car.
Also tax vehicles more on footprint and weight.
@@bwofficial1776 Apparently, that gas-guzzler tax is not high enough
Still have my 92 Honda accord. But I also have a diesel ford excursion
Both are the best and timeless
Talking about cars that are no longer on road, loved the manual transmission on that VW!
I hope people come to their senses and actually buy a vehicle sized accordingly to what they really need.
Sick and tired of seeing empty quad cabs taking space in parking lots and in traffic
I need room for multiple car seats, a giant stroller, and a couple back packs. Plus we all want to be comfortable and not squished. I need a mid or full size SUV. Even my Q5 requires me to squish my driver's side chair almost dangerously close to the wheel.
@@mark.harvey the boot might hold a bit more but usualy SUVs don't offer that much more intenal space, sometimes even less.
@@mark.harvey A "Mini"-Van has more interior space than a traditional SUV
@@TheZProtocol maybe a midsize like an X5 or similar, but a Yukon or Tahoe has WAY more space. Most minivans have zero space behind the third row.
@@Megaranator name me one sedan with three rows. Obviously three row SUVS have more space...
I still don't understand why someone would willingly get a slower, bulkier, heavier, more dangerous SUV over a sedan which is more agile, more efficient, and seats the same amount of passengers. For normal everyday driving, a SUV or truck is terrible, center of gravity is too high making turning ability worse, the increased weight makes braking and turning ability worse, more dangerous to others while not increasing the driver's safety.
Why buy a car that does your usual needs but not your occasional needs? Get a compact but not be able to make it into work when it snows. Buy a car but not be able to tow the camper on the weekends. By the economy but not be able to bring home the plywood for the weekend projects.
SUVs have more room and are more comfortable. The occupants sit up higher so they have a better view and its easier to get into or out of. There is no bending over to load stuff into the back. They're more capable of handing bad roads and bad weather than cars. Payload capacity and tow ratings are higher. There are many good reasons to get a truck or SUV if you want one.
@@link10909 why bother paying more for occasional needs when you can just rent a car for those one or two times a year you need a truck
@link10909 RV rentals and trailers to carry stuff that don't fit in the car. Most cars can carry between 1500 or 2000 lbs in tow, so I don't see why purchase that much vehicle for a what if that statistically won't happen and will cost you more in taxes, fuel, maintenance and road wear.
@@AnymMusic Because renting a car mid snow storm is tough..... Depending on how often you move stuff or if you have a camper/boat trailer its not once or twice a year.
Also here in the Philippines where we have big cars like SUVs and Pick Ups and have no garage and small roads
UK here and my mums always prefer's SUVs now because she can see over other SUV's on roundabouts and stuff like that. Basically a cycle of everyone needs SUVs now because they are the standard size vehicle and anything smaller, you are at a disadvantage.