While there are plenty of obese SUVs and trucks to scorn, there are also many that have the same footprint and similar MPG as sedans like the Honda CRV and Acura RDX (same as the Civic), Toyota RAV 4 (Corolla), etc., etc.
These are practical and versatile vehicles and it's no surprise that consumers favor them.
4
There were once these things called station wagons. Subaru still makes one, although they refuse to call the Outback that. Buick imports one from Germany. The European manufacturers still sell them. The basic idea of a car with more space for stuff still works. It doesn't have to be tall and inefficient. I like my Ford Escape, although the fuel economy estimates are optimistic to say the least. The next vehicle will be a wagon. The American manufacturers are making a mistake and are giving their home market a lesser range of choices than the rest of the world. Treating your customers as if you think they are stupid is a bad business decision.
8
There is no doubt when gas prices spike and suv and truck sales go down, American car manufacturers will beg for another government bailout.
84
The article refers to the fact that some car owners prefer traditional sedans as opposed to the much more popular SUVs and pickup trucks. And then, as a throwaway line, the article states: "Car holdouts . . . include people who put a priority on smaller footprints."
This in a nutshell is why I have little hope that humans will behave in a way to forestall disastrous climate change. Those who consider environmental impacts when purchasing a car are presented as eccentrics. What "normal" people do is purchase the vehicle that is the most "fun" or the most prestigious.
And thus, sales of SUVs and trucks continue to soar, to the peril of our environment.
132
@Pam Shira Fleetman
Well said. Thank you.
10
@Pam Shira Fleetman
I think you may be missing out on the true culprit here. Most if not all SUVs exceed the mileage that conventional sedans were reaching just 15 years ago. And President Obama's plan to raise CAFE standards were going to continue to push the boundaries (alas our current administration sees otherwise). But that notwithstanding, it isn't the SUVs and trucks that peril our environment - it's the burning of fossil fuels at all. And, with that in mind, the investment in alternate fuel vehicles that the American manufacturers have begun may actually help to save the environment. It's not the size of the vehicle anymore - it's the source of the power that is the problem. Don't forget in Europe where they drive more sedans, they burn far more Diesel fuel than here - and their air quality is, in many cities, far worse. Again - look to the power source before condemning the vehicles.
13
Tesla is one manufacturer that is banking on sedans. They make one high-priced SUV model, but the popular ones are sedans.
3
I don’t get it either. Why would Americans buy a vehicle that is harder to drive , less safe , lower gas mileage than a sedan/hatchback. Sedans and hatchbacks look better in my humble opinion. And one cannot compare the nimble , fun to drive nature of a sedan to a truck/SUV. And SUVs are more expensive to buy and maintain. Don’t take my sedan/hatchback away please!
110
I’ll put my nimble Audi SQ5 up against your sedan for comfort and handling any day of the week. And if the road is slick I won’t be the one sliding off into a ditch because I have all wheel drive. I wouldn’t touch a sedan.
6
@Arun Raajasekar SUVs are easier to get in and out of and have more space for cargo. And all SUVs offer All Wheel Drive, which most passenger cars don't.
3
@Arun Raajasekar
Americans demand 'command seating' (Mr. Galholtra's words) because every other car on the road is an SUV. Doing the responsible thing (getting a smaller, more efficient vehicle) is very dangerous because you can't see the SUV and the SUV can't see you - the driver of the SUV feels like he can scroll on instagram while driving because he has 'command seating.' And when the sedan driver and the SUV driver collide, guess who wins.
15
For all those championing SUVs because of their expansive storage, have you ever seen a hatchback or station wagon? I can put the more stuff in my Mazda3 than most small SUVs and I have a smaller carbon footprint, less dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists, and can pretty much maneuver without relying on a ten point turn.
146
@Jen I totally agree. With my VW Sportwagon I can haul a bunch of stuff to the recycling center, haul skis and bikes, and the sporty ride is great. The best part is that on the highway I easily get 35+ mpg, and it's a breeze to park. Oh, and with snow res I never ever have had a problem (and I drive in Vermont and Northern New England). In fact, what kind of cars are generally off eh road and stuck in the snow? SUVs!!!
23
@Don
And VW is stopping import of the SportWagon because of low sales!
6
I have carried an eight foot step-ladder in my Honda Accord. Oh, that is with trunk closed, doors closed and windows up.
9
Isn't anyone interested in what's happening to the environment? Shouldn't we be seeking out vehicles with better gas mileage, rather than poorer? SUV purchases move us in the wrong direction. Isn't anyone paying attention? Are we all asleep at the wheel?
164
We are not asleep at the wheel. Small crossovers rival sedans in mpg. And their are plenty of SUV hybrids out there.
11
The United States is huge compared to France and the distances often involved in driving within and between states make a truck or suv a far better choice for comfortable long drives. It takes me at least 5 hours to get to the coast of my own state-longer to get to Florida. With multiple kids, a dog, and all of our luggage, a Mini Cooper or a VW Bug just isn’t going to cut it.
I’m doing my part for the environment by driving instead of flying us everywhere. Let me know when all the celebs, royals, business moguls and politicians stop flying on private jets (or when private jets are outlawed to save the planet.) That will be my signal that it’s time to cut back. Until then, it’s all hot air!
12
@dadou Yes, many of us are concerned about the environment (and our pocketbook) when purchasing new vehicles. As one who has owned "practical" vehicles for almost as long as I can remember (minivans, station wagons, hatchbacks, crossovers, but no actual SUV), my latest purchase is a small hybrid "crossover" (more like a slightly taller wagon) that gets over 50 mpg. It provides easier access (important to these old legs), very good mileage, and does not have the limitations of a fully electric vehicle. I have never been a fan of the large vehicles and there are now more smaller vehicles that have the room people are looking for.
8
Detroit can't sell cars if it doesn't manufacture them. Attractive cars still sell well and it's no surprise that the bland Ford Taurus and Chevy Impala didn't attract consumers anymore. This whole'consumers only want SUVs' narrative is nonsense and typical of US automaker groupthink.
4
Nobody has ever gone broke by under-estimating the intelligence of the American consumer.
6
@ArtMurphy - "Nobody has ever gone broke by under-estimating the intelligence of the American consumer."
Well, that's not entirely accurate. Check out Donald Trump's multiple bankruptcies.
4
@Marie
Excellent point.
2
It's more important to focus on going electric than to try to change people back to buying cars instead of something different.
An electric F-150 pickup going on sale in 2021 will have a bigger impact on cleaning our air than trying (unsuccessfully) to get the average buyer to switch back to cars.
We should do everything we can to incentivize electric vehicles, no matter their body style or size.
1
So many misconceptions here in the comments about the term SUV.
This is NOT the 1980s where the only SUVs were Jeeps, and probably the huge Chevy Suburban.
Today's SUVs cover the full range of vehicle sizes, features, and price ranges.. and they mimic sedans in almost all cases in terms of environmental footprint (ie: MPG), price points, features, etc.
Their main draw vs sedans are two: 1) more cargo utility features... combining good passenger seating and the ability to quickly reconfigure for cargo that no sedan can match. 2) the driver and passengers ride higher as it is a higher profile vehicle, which improves visual safety, as well as being more comfortable to get in and out of.
People need to get with 2019 if they are going to smack talk SUVs.
Now.. pickups.. while they too have improved, they do in fact offer a much larger environmental impact and as such deserve criticisms for being used as a general passenger vehicle (as opposed to their actual intended purpose... as a light commerical utility hauler).
5
@Chuck Your beloved SUV's created the problem that you assert they solve in item 2) of your list. It's the tall vehicles on the road that make it difficult to see forward. Once everybody is driving one you won't be able to see forward any better than you did when everyone was driving lower slung sedans and coupes.
14
This SUV vs car dichotomy with regard to the environment is becoming mute. Many of the new "cars" the author indicates auto manufacturers are bringing to the show rooms are, in fact, actually SUVs. They come in front or all wheel drive configurations and, with small turbocharged engines, increasingly get very good gas mileage. The SUV designation (often perceived) comes from form and function not necessarily size or powertrain. My daughter's Subaru Forester is actually a small wagon while my wife's Chevy Equinox would, before, be considered a hatchback. Both vehicles get 30+ mpg and both are SUVs. Many readers would be surprised to see on the "Body Type" sections of their vehicle registration cards to find they are, actually, driving "Trucks". So long as the "Fast and Furious" franchise is alive and well, there will always be those who prefer sitting 10 inches off the ground in a car. For many others, SUVs with their ease of entry, cargo capacity, and ability to engage all wheel drive traction in bad weather will be their choice. With smaller, fuel efficient engines or, hybrid/electric performance, neither needs to be considered environmentally less desireable.
5
@Charles
Absolutely correct Charles.
@Charles Not sure why you consider SUVs easier to get in and out of. Our Lexus RX 350 'LUV' was too high off the ground for my 4'10" wife; even awkward for me at 5'6". We switched to a sedan and are very happy. I just worry about collisions with the all the flying fortresses folks are using for milk runs to the grocery store while talking into cell phones that should be on blue tooth.
7
The responses seem to reflect the geopolitical divide. I live in central PA, or as some may refer to as Pennsyltucky. Here you almost feel unsafe in a sedan and completely outnumbered by SUVs and trucks. I grew up in NJ and California, and would have laughed at the thought of driving a truck. But when most of your neighbors have a pickup truck and and feel squeezed on the highways, I didn’t think twice when I traded my wagon for a truck.Now, I feel like I belong here! Most of you who comment in favor of sedans and microcars, I’m certain are from cities and foreign countries. Just like how you couldn’t possibly understand and fathom how Trump got elected. Come and spend some time outside of the cities where you dwell, and you will understand the F-150 loving, rest of America that loves Trump at the same time.
3
Give us a break from the sanctimonious tirades. Their are plenty of small, 5 seat, SUV crossovers out their that are fuel efficient, nimble, safe, with good interior room, not too high a profile, and can haul your dogs and cargo.
11
Americans are driving those SUV's straight to Hades. Climate change is upon us, yet we demand vehicles that guzzle 4 times more gas than the average French vehicle. 10% of the planet has already breached the heat limit, and we're busy building vehicles, pipelines, and other infrastructure that will propel us further toward catastrophe. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-world/
Any parent who buys an SUV needs to look their kids in the eye and tell them point blank that they couldn't care less about their future. No, you can't fake facts or shirk responsibility with a Sharpie!
4
@Deborah. Give us a break from the sanctimony. Their are plenty of small, SUV crossovers out their that are fuel efficient, nimble, safe, great in snow, with good interior room, not too high a profile, and can haul your kids, dogs and cargo. Mine is a hybrid. Has good gas mileage. Don’t tell me I that I dont care for my kids future.
8
@Deborah It is possible to simultaneously believe that something needs to be done about the environment and to think that driving a hybrid or EV will not change anything. Look at your data, changes in consumption are not enough. Carbon capturing is the only hope.
If the price at the pump was the actual cost of the fuel we'd all be driving smaller cars. Exxon, Chevron, BP, etc. all get by on government subsidies and unpaid externalities benefiting consumers and shareholders at the expensive of taxpayers and the environment. Commuting in that massive Yukon or Escalade wouldn't be an option if Chevron needed a navy, Exxon paid real world royalties for oil pumped from public lands and/or roads were totally funded by gas taxes.
12
The American consumer is much "monkey see, monkey do" in their choices - if someone else has one they want a bigger one. It's all about keeping up with or surpassing the Jones's.
No way do they take into consideration climate change or their responsibility as a consumer to buy with the climate in mind. And yes, we have a responsibility - we all share this planet and each should do their part in protecting it to the best of their ability.
The car makers watch the bottom line and build accordingly. It would take a law to stop them from producing vehicles that are far too large for parking spaces or many streets, to say nothing of those who are just not capable of controlling and driving safely a large vehicle. A law would protect them from themselves, but they wouldn't see it that way.
9
There's something fishy about the news. This article indicates that automakers are pleased about Trump's order to freeze EPA gas mileage requirements at 37mpg. But I thought last week most of the automakers were fighting to make California's standard be kept and perhaps a nationwide standard.
3
When fuel prices rise (as they inevitably will), my Chevy Spark will maintain its value. Its a great car....zippy, cute, comfy and great on fuel. I've had an SUV...and never again. I love little cars.
7
How much of the giant vehicle trend is the result of drivers' preference vs. sales and marketing? Or am I to believe car salespeople will push the environmentally favorable vehicle over the one that brings the largest commission?
I find many of the justifications I've heard for having a huge, view blocking vehicle to be more cognitively-dissonant rationalizations than meaningful reasons. My favorite is still the slight woman who needed the extra large model so her (also huge) dogs didn't have to share a seat. Yeah, addressing that inconvenience totally offsets the double (triple?) gas usage and pollution. /s
6
Why does the article not mention 'climate change' even once? Americans are greedy consumers; cars are just once example. If larger and heavier cars were not available as an option, the buyer would have no choice but to rein in the American obsession with "bigger is better" and be satisfied with a smaller electric, hybrid or other vehicle that reduces fossil-fuel emissions.
11
I don't understand where a lot of these comments are coming from. Not every SUV is a gas-guzzling pig or an Exxon Valdez in the form a land barge.
Many (and a ever growing number) are nimble crossovers that are cute, agile, and efficient. Why don't people choose minivans or wagons? Hon, the ship sailed on those relics a long time ago - most people do not want homely vehicles. If people wanted them, the carmakers would make them. Even the vaunted German and Japanese cartels don't push them.
I just bought a Cadillac XT4 and I love it. It gets great mileage, and its footprint is that of a compact car. The cargo hatch is commodious, and the vehicle is fine-looking. Cadillac plans on electric models in a few years. I see this as the future of the SUV, which is here to stay.
4
@Tom Great mileage? not every SUV is a gas guzzler? On what basic? If you compare 30MPG to 22 MPG that's 8 miles different or 27%. That's the huge difference.
5
By that logic everyone should be required to buy a Nissan Leaf.
2
@KJ
leaf has and air cooled battery, not good.
TESLA, CHEVY VOLT, HUNDAI, KIA and Jaguar, EVs all.
Modern SUVs, actually "crossovers" which are blend of the best features of both a traditonal SUV and a car, span all vehicle classes, sizes, and provide comparable fuel economy and features as their car counterparts. In fact.. in many cases, they are simply a different chassis on a car powertrain and vehicle platform.
They are popular precisely because they compete well with cars, and offer some advantages of an SUV... such as better comfort, riding visibility, and safety.
That said... I'm not sure the automakers that are abandoning car production are making a wise move. Consumer taste can and do change.. and to lock yourself out of market rather then finding ways to compete in the market is short sighted.
Take Honda for example. Honda has managed to maintain it's market share and sales volumes on subcompact, compact and midsize sedans even as they continue to grow their subcompact, compact, and midsize SUV product lines. They do this by making smart design choices and being very in tune with both the car buyer market and the SUV buyer market. They also base both their SUVs and sedans on the same exact platforms for each size category.. and offer very similar features, fuel economy, and price points. They win because they have optimized their engineering practices to serve both markets and continue to sell well in both sedan and SUV markets.
2
SUV's are large vehicles requiring additional skill to safely operate, and drivers should be required to have a special license similar to a chauffeur's license in order to own and operate one. Otherwise, they will continue to be a dangerous menace to pedestrians and other drivers. Not safe at any speed.
1
@CV Danes
Sorry.... but the SUV market now covers vehicles of all sizes and price ranges. From subcompact all the way to full size.
In particular, the subcompact and compact SUV markets are BOOMING for automakers. They also drive and handle like regular cars to.. with similar fuel economy, features, and price ranges.
4
@Chuck
This mantra keeps getting repeated but it’s simply not true. The extra weight and height of an SUV makes it intrinsically less efficient than a comparable car, and they’re handling will always be worse. I’m sure a Porsche Cayenne will run circles around a Focus, but using comparable vehicles the car comes out on top except for cargo space and long range viability. The trend in the market is wasteful, that’s the problem. Engineering resources make the cars better and better, but the automakers steer us into larger, heavier, faster vehicles with increased technology to manage the deficiencies in the design. If we kept size and horsepower the same, we’d be getting 80 mpg out of tiny 1.0L engines and paying half as much for them. In a hatchback, I at least would still have enough room for my stuff and my dog
2
As one writer said, "The solution is equally clear. Tax gasoline at the EU level".
Gas taxes are ABSURDEDLY low--we should be adding at least $1 of new tax per gallon to use for environment, public transportation, and infrastructure--. Americans are spoiled by cheapness, which is really more expensive in the long run.
23
I bet you live in a big city and not out in the burbs. Just a little reminder, French President Macron did exactly what you suggest and what he did is get bashed by the *yellow vests* and had to wave his political white flag and take the taxes off the table.
3
I don’t have kids but when it came time to lease, a small crossover suv made the most sense. If I just need to get myself around, Uber or Lyft are easy, cheap, and I can drink at my destination. If I am buying a car it’s because I want to be able to transfer the occasional piece of furniture or other large object or bring friends along. Most younger people I know do their actual daily commute via mass transit.
2
Detroit has a basic problem of market perception. Even when Detroit builds a competent upmarket sedan or coupe, status seeking Americans prefer European models. When they build a competent car for the middle market, Americans presume that Asian models offer high quality and better value. And for some equally meritless reasons. Americans assume that Detroit makes better trucks, except as one moves up into the luxury SUV market, where its back Porsche, MB and Audi.
For the time being, it makes sense for Detroit to make what it can sell. That strategy, however, leaves them exposed, especially to the regulatory rollercoaster we will be on if the progressives ever come to power. Trucks and SUVs will be the first target in their sights, followed by anything that has the word luxury in its title.
1
@AR Clayboy
read CONSUMER REPORTS. The data is there to make an informed decision.
@Rick Tornello - "The data is there to make an informed decision."
I am astonished even that subscribers to Consumer Reports don't understand the built in bias to their "data."
First. Their surveys only go out to their subscribers. That is not a random sample. It's sort of like sending a survey out to Opra's readers to ask if they like the book of the month she recommends.
Second. They surveys are subjective. The question, that hasn't changed in all the years I've gotten the survey, asks the reader to report on problems that "they feel are serious". That they feel? Really?
I've literally had people tell me that the transmission or suspension or other expensive failure on their Toyota wasn't serious, it couldn't be, they are good cars. CR says so. It must be a fluke. Unusual. But the slightest problem with their American car was evidence, just as CR says, that American cars are junk. (For some reason Toyota et al still have repair facilities at their dealerships where everyone isn't just sitting around or doing oil changes.)
Third. The surveys produces inane "data". Such as "rust" being average or below on cars that have fiberglass or plastic or aluminum bodies. Or there are more than two levels of ratings differences on something like "body hardware" or "paint" on the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder versions of the same car - not engine or transmission which would make sense.
What myopia! In the future compact and mid size sedans will dominate the market and the American auto industry will be non competitive. It is typical of an industry based on short term profit models rather than a long term comprehensive program analyzing the future driving needs of the public in an era of likely global warming and mainly electrically powered vehicles.
3
GM makes and sells more vehicles in China than they do in America.
1
The love affair of the American public with SUV's is borderline insane. Some are so ugly that the Onion must have contributed to their design. All of them promote size over consideration for the future of the earth. Americans enjoy low gas prices. Have they no idea what their tailpipe does to the Earth we live on?
I drive a 23 year old Honda with good mileage. But for any small trip, I bicycle. I live near a major city; those who don't are forced to drive a lot. There is no good solution to the car for most rural Americans. For the suburbanites driving 2 ton carbuncles, there is only one word: shame.
In less than a generation, the earth will pay dearly for the vanity or heedlessness of the US auto market. Those who were complicit should endure the scorn and contempt of future Terrans.
11
@eric williams
I drive compact SUV (a Honda CRV) which gets 32 mpg (combined city and freeway driving), and has all the features and comforts of a sedan at very similar price points.
What exactly is your point here? Because you seem to be very narrowly focused on the large SUVs only.. and they are actually a small part of the total SUV sales volumes in North America.
2
@eric williams Well your just better than the rest of us
1
@dan not only is it better for the world to manufacture fewer cars that last longer, but it is wise to use the contraction 'you're' when that is what you mean. The pronoun you used does not stand for you are. My vehicle, driven carefully, gets 32 mpg. I do get passed on the highway by larger cars (with 17-20 inch tires!). The low profile, very wide tires that are so common in large vehicles are a serious flaw that the article did not address. A narrow tire has many virtues in bad weather.
Unless you live in the mountains or on a ranch, driving an SUV is a selfish act of conspicuous consumption, pure and simple. They waste fossil fuels, and they put other drivers in danger. I can't wait for gasoline prices to go up again, the higher the better, to a level that truly reflects the cost of driving on the environment and land usage.
11
@Riley2
My compact SUV (a Honda CRV) gets 32 mpg (combined city and freeway driving), and has all the features and comforts of a sedan at very similar price points.
So... what exactly is your point? You do have a bone to pick with drivers of large size Suburbans and other super large gas guzzzling SUVs... but take that up with the number one customer of said vehicles ---> the Federal Government.
4
One can only hope for $6 a gallon gas to get Americans to ditch oversized vehicles if they really don't need them. We need to get our excess fossil fuel consumption under control before we send ur climate into dangerous territory.
6
It's simple.
We subsidize and produce enough gasoline to keep it cheap, so larger vehicles are still relatively inexpensive. Europe doesn't subsidize gasoline but does subsidize public transit, and people use it. You are forced to 'see' other people face to face ... Yikes !
Our transit systems for the most part are in need of much investment ... Oh No, that would be ... 'socialism' ! You have to see other people on trains and busses ... God Forbid ...
I notice when I get on an elevator if I look at people, if they are not already staring at phone often they do ... Sometimes I say, with humor ... 'Better check that text again !' ... Oh, a picture of my friends's big mac that he had for lunch ... So important, so interesting, such avoidance.
It's funny, but sad.
8
The same reason people buy SUVs is why they vote republican, they are scared, selfish and ignorant. The perception that SUVs will keep you from harm when you hit that telephone pole while staring at your phone is amazingly stupid.
When fuel prices spike and Ford goes bankrupt because of their short sighted decision I will not cry for them and will speak out against a government bailout.
BTW I primarily ride a motorcycle and when it rains a old Miata.
5
@Paulie pretty sure that old Miata gets worse mpg than a modern crossover
1
I don't know why so many people buy pickup trucks. I'd guess that 90% of pickup truck drivers don't need them. Unless you're actually hauling something like plywood, hay bales, cinder blocks or the like, along with a tool box, they're ridiculous vehicles. All that wasted space in the back for what? Especially stupid are those trucks with four doors and a tiny 4' bed. What are you gonna haul in that? Groceries? I call those people "all truck and no tools."
28
US manufacturers prefer, as demonstrated in this article, to portray their truck monomania as simply a matter of responding to consumer demand. But vehicles are not only bought, they're also sold. Detroit has been hard-selling drivers for years on the idea of waddling around the streets in a 6,000-lb globe-warmer — simply because these road locomotives are vastly more profitable than an efficient, well-engineered sedan, even though both the planet and most drivers actually would be better off in the latter.
5
If you drive sedans / cars, like I do, you are not going to spend your hard earned money on an American auto when you can get one from a Japanese manufacturer. When I got my Honda, 10 years ago, there were 6 Chevy Impalas in the Lot and the one Accord. That tells you all you need to know.
2
I remember a time in the late 80s and early 90s when the Ford Taurus competed head-to-head with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and regularly outsold them. Ford ignored the Taurus and sales fell. Purely from a business perspective, I don’t understand how Honda and Toyota can sell so many cars and make money while Ford, GM, and Fiat/Chrysler cannot. As a 65 year old who prefers a sedan, abandoning an entire market sector seems a bad idea for long term success. These companies are giving up on me as a potential customer.
11
@Bill
Yep... and 20+ years later Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys still dominate sedan sales in the US.
In fact.. while every other car maker (including Toyota) continues to lose market share and sales volumes year over year in the midsize sedan market.. Honda continues to maintain sales volumes and actually is growing in market share as they steal sales from the other car makers. Detroit automakers walking away from sedan manufacture is simply giving the market to the Japanese companies... who by the way.. produce their midsize sedans in factories in the US, using US autoworkers as their workforce.
4
One reason to purchase a SUV is the conditions of US infrastructure. With a SUV you can choose a heavy duty suspension option.
10
@Rudi
Nonsesnse. Most SUVs today are built on car platforms, and many are not even AWD vehicles. They are sedans for all intents and purposes, with some features of an SUV.. such as better visibility and a bit more utility.
4
@Chuck
A used Russian T72 will take care of the infrastructure issue in more ways than one.
In general:
In all respects if you live in a back road area then you will need a truck like vehicle. Or if you live in a potholed urban area you will need your own alignment system and probably spare rims especially if you are running low profile tires on that truck.
One subject left unmentioned is that SUVs no longer seem to be as big as they once were. They are more and more just glorified cars. For example, how many body on frame SUVs are sold as a percentage of all SUVs and crossovers? about 20 years ago I bought a Durango. It felt and drived like a truck. Now Durangos are much smaller. I think that it is very much the case with Jeep Grand Cherokees, Chevy Blazers, Ford Explorers and others. They are a shadow of what they used to be. Yes, Yukons, Denalis and Expeditions are very big. I wonder why a crossover would even be considered a light truck. They really drive just like a car and get excellent mileage.
5
@aggrieved taxpayer
I wouldn't say Durangos and their ilk are smaller. They are car-based now (unibody), so they certainly handle better. But CUVs in that class are still gigantic and the once-small CUVs like the RAV4 and CRV are basically midsize now. Highlanders, Pilots, etc. are all enormous vehicles and not as space efficient as a similarly sized Minivan is. Ah well.
5
@aggrieved taxpayer said: "SUVs no longer seem to be as big as they once were"
This is true. My (smallish) 2016 Mazda CX-5 gets 39mpg on the highway, which is better than my gf's 2015 Camry (35mpg).
3
@aggrieved taxpayer
I have to agree with you. I have a Chevrolet Malibu and a Chevrolet Equinox. Both seem to share the same chassis configuration and virtually every mechanical part is interchangeable. And with highway mileage of over 33 mpg (both of them) the choice really comes down to more interior room or not. Definitely not like my ancient Ford Explorer-based Mazda.
SUV's violate the laws of physics. As a scientist, I find their appeal incomprehensible.
8
That is probably because you are not 83 years old and can’t climb in or out of a sedan or sports car. Or maybe you don’t have horses, goats or sheep to feed as I do. But then my XC 40 only gets 31 mpg while my 1969 Cameroon got all of 11 and I had the 2 bbl carb.
6
I hate autocorrect, I typed Camaro and got Cameroon.
2
We are all used to $2.50-3.00 a gallon for gas--it's still relatively cheap. Until prices start escalating, SUVs and trucks will predominate.
I now drive a small SUV and regret it. Everything about it is expensive (I was quoted over $1,100 for 4 snow tires!). I miss my Honda Civic (made in America)… I have had three Civics and they were gems... my first reached almost 200K, second one 160K and the third one I traded in too soon. All inexpensive to drive, maintain and always reliable... and snow tires for about $100 apiece.
6
@Emlo
My Honda CRV is a dream to drive, gets excellent fuel economy, and the maintenance costs are identical to a Civic.. with the exception of the occasional rear differential service ($90) every few years because it is an AWD compact SUV.
Not surprising really.. since the Honda CRV compact SUV is built off of the Civic platform and has been for years.
1
As a 20 year old in 1968 I drove a TR3. My father had great difficult getting in and out of the vehicle. Today at 71 years old I own two SUV's because I can get in and out of them without difficultly.
6
As a consumer who make the mistake of buying a Chevy Impala, I will never go back to GM, no matter what they produce. In any case, I am much happier in my Honda CRV.
6
@Roger
Yeah I mostly agree (all Toyotas (family total upwards of 12+) and Subarus (6) ,with the occasional BMW (4), and here's an exception, the BOLT I have is a hoot to drive, has a hatch big withthe seats down and the important info display front and center, which is why I didn't get a TESLA 3. Locally I can get just under 300 miles on a charge. It seems to be comfortable for me and NO GAS!
I wonder if this data reflects the new car sales. Where I live, only about 1:20 vehicles are SUVs. Its rare to see trucks.
4
I sure wish car manufacturers still made full size or mid size station wagons...
16
@Canadian, my brother has a Subaru Outback. Not sure it would be called a station wagon. The seating is at a convenient height, and it doesn't seem to be as bulky as a typical SUV.
3
@Karen Lee I agree that we need wagons. The Outbacks are now pumped up like SUVs. only station wagon I could find is made by VW
3
@Canadian
Volvo XC70 (used), V60XC,V60,V90,V90XC.
Practically any Subaru except the sedans.
Chevy Equinox , ETC.
None of them are actually called station wagons. But that’s what they are.
1
I’ll stick with a sedan, thank you. If I wanted to drive a truck, I’d become a truck driver.
18
We still want bigger. We still want more stuff. We still need to pack a load of stuff for “vacation”. No “sport” here - this is serious.
6
I will never buy an SUV. I like a car. The fuel efficiency is better. Driving on the roads with all the SUV's make things difficult. You can no longer see the traffic ahead because of the SUV in front of you. Driving involves being able to see ahead. I have been a loyal GM buyer for 42 years. I love my Cruze but I will buy a VW or Volvo when it is time to get a new car. They are short sighted. And they lost me as a buyer.
28
So it's nothing to do with the obesity epidemic, right? I assumed that the SUV became popular because the average American can't fit into a sedan any longer.
58
@Laughingdog
I love my Audi TT and I'm not bothered by the low seating position, but my 5'4" friend raves about the great visibility and seating position of her Nissan Rogue, which she feels safer in than her previous Sentra. She's not overweight, either.
2
@Laughingdog Spot on. I own a mini cooper (the real one, not the large clubman or that hideous SUV looking thing. None of my inlaws can fit into my mini. Y'know what they all drive...Trucks and SUVs.
4
@Todd
private time in your vehicle, how grand!
2
In a divided America, it makes sense that the car makers would create two wholly separate product lines. SUV's and full-size Trucks for the red parts of the map; Electric cars for the blue parts. Just as there is no more middle class in the US, so there's going to be no more middle-class cars (e.g. the "bar of soap" sedan).
10
Then sales of cars wouldn’t be 20 percent of the market. The sheer number of assumptions made in these comments is astounding.
4
"In 2019, S.U.V.s and pickups are grabbing a record 70 percent of the market"
Great.
That means parking lots and garages that were designed for cars will be filled with even more obese vehicles. These obese vehicles will most likely be driven by people that can't handle the size and girth of their obese vehicle...frustrating the vast majority of us luddite "car drivers" who can zip in and out of these situations with ease.
20
@John
That's certainly true of full-sized SUVs, but the biggest sales increase has been in "crossovers," which tend to have a footprint no larger than a sedan. And even when I lived in San Diego I appreciated having AWD during the rainy season.
7
The rate of change in sedan sales is striking. I think it has less to do with a feeling of safety, and more to do with ease of access for an aging population. Most modern SUVs are crossovers with a step-in height not much greater than a sedan. However, the higher cabin means no leaning forward to get into the seats. More limber younger buyers, say the 20 to 33 age bracket, won't feel this as much and will be perfectly happy with the lower cabin of a sedan or coupe. However, that younger demographic doesn't have the purchasing power as the older generation, or live in cities and don't need a car.
7
I'm glad I bought the 2019 VW Alltrack wagon. Looks like they are discontinuing the wagon line-up all together, which is a shame. They are every bit as versatile as a small SUV, but much more fun to drive. My wagon also is a manual transmission which, unfortunately, also is an endangered species here in the U.S. I guess I'll have to take care of this one because there really is nothing else to replace it with.
5
At home I carpool or take public transportation as much as possible. My Honda Accord does fine for this family of four. I just finished four days in Vero Beach FL for a family situation...driving a Toyota Carolla rental.. I was shocked at the number of large cars everywhere. The number of moms driving super large SUVs (Denalis?) and then struggling to get them into parkings spots was comical. (For the record..I could NEVER drive one safely.) And in every instance it was either mom alone or in a car with a single kid. It was sad...an entire county built for driving...and driving large vehicles.
23
I take transit and haven't owned a car in almost three years. I do rent cars occasionally.
Now, I'm considering getting a car, for convenience and because I really don't like standing outside in the sun, waiting for the bus that only arrives every thirty minutes.
I'm debating whether to get a sedan or a hatchback, like a Subaru Impreza or Honda Fit.
I can't get an SUV, because then I would feel compelled to have two Golden Retrievers to place in the back. :)
7
RE: the tall stance and “command seating,”
This is little different than the first people to stand up at concert. And they are typically in the front rows - who then force everyone behind them to stand if they want to see anything.
People are comfortably sitting - but then the people in front of them stand so they have to stand and so on. Translate that to the road.
22
@Marie
What's that got to do with a shortish driver that really appreciates the visibility of the better (and safer) higher seating position?
2
The manufacturers killed the sedan market with their styling. With their egg-shaped roofs and low ride I find it almost impossible to get into the car. I wouldn't even attempt the back seats. And just try getting into a sedan from the curb.
We have a small SUV which is so easy to slide into. No contest
4
@Don, last weekend I rented a Toyota Corolla, which was quite easy to drive and comfortable to get into.
As I'm considering buying a car again, I did some research. Sure enough, both the 2020 Corolla and the Mazda 3 are now lower to the ground. Why? Don't the manufacturers realize that people like me are the people who consider driving a sedan? :)
1
@Karen Lee
Why lower? To improve aerodynamics to meet CAFE fuel burn standards, which is also why spare tires are gone (less weight); why we have expensive to repair turbocharged engines and 8 speed automatics. CAFE is the cause of the movement to SUVs..
3
Except that SUVs also have those features you absurdly claim harmed car sales.
1
Why a sedan? They are quieter and handle better than most SUVs and they generally get better mileage and are easier to park. During the 70s, the Japanese carmakers took the long view by improving small sedans and came out ahead. Ford would be wise to remember the past and rethink their decision. Ford's sedans are practical, affordable, and fun to drive vehicles. Buyers can usually customize the options (unlike most foreign cars). It is a shame most Ford sedans may be discontinued.
20
@Gracie L., I have owned a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Honda Accord. All were easy to drive, had good MPG, and lasted for years.
After mostly taking transit for almost three years, I'm considering getting a car again.
Thinking about a Subaru Impreza or, if I decide to not drive on the highway, a Honda Fit.
2
Ever watch a show that takes place in Europe? All the cars are BMWs, Mercedes', Toyotas, even a Subaru here and there.
Fords, GMs, and Chryslers never leave cross the oceans. Most of them, 30 years later, are still junk
3
@george eliot
Ford is still pretty popular in Europe. Until recently, GM owned Opel/Vauxhaul, which they sold off to Peugeot. Chrysler has basically zero presence except for a few niche models sold under Fiat brands.
1
@george eliot - "Most of them, 30 years later, are still junk"
out of date and ill informed opinions continue to drive the market. It is astounding how MAGA and American First people, as well as those who believe in America, are among the first to hate on American workers and American products.
I had my beloved American V8 powered car for 17 years from new in 2001 and only didn't buy another only because ill informed buyers stayed away enough so they stopped making it (I had to go to Europe to replace it). My other American car, a V8 sedan, I am still driving daily is 15 years old with 125K miles.
Both American cars got better than twice the mileage as the forebears while making the same or better power.
1
@george eliot
Fiat Chrysler is a European (Italian) company.
I believe Ford sells a lot of cars in the UK.
1
European vehicles are smaller because they’re driven in cities built in medieval times with extremely narrow side streets. Think about the SmartCar, the Fiat 500, the Mercedes A. At European rental car dealers, a Corolla or a Civic is considered “full size”.
11
Who would imagine such an approach....innovate to win!
2
As usual American Big Auto is playing checkers while the Asians are playing chess. We focus on quarterly sales and they focus on a five year plan. Just the statement that American builders don't see gas prices rising so big is better tells me how out of touch they are. Toyota and Tesla aren't stupid. They're busy building battery giga-factories around the world preparing for the e-car revolution while America builds giant cars that are usually driven by one person but never hauls anything, but they look good. I hope Fords E-150 works and Ford has the engineering worked out. Maybe then the other builders will wise up.
12
The Big 3 are only building what their customers want. Not the other way around, meaning they don’t force people to buy large suvs.
There was a time when even most autos were body on frame behemoths like today’s trucks and suvs. Americans are only continuing what they’ve been doing for decades. I wonder if they built a large body on frame sedan today if would it be successful. Somehow I think Ford could have kept updating the Crown Vic and it would still be successful.
Article fails to mention the significant difference in the cost of fuel between the USA and Europe. Last year I was paying 15.66 SEK for a litre of diesel in Sweden. That works out to $6.16 per gallon at today's exchange rate. Big surprise, the cars in Sweden are smaller and get driven less. Due to abundant, inexpensive electricity from hydro-electric many there are embracing EV's.
11
Driving a sedan surrounded by SUVs is a death wish in the age of distracted driving.
9
@Andy Deckman statistics to back this up?
1
@Kevin
Consumer Reports: "In car vs. SUV head-on crashes, the study found that the odds of death were 7.6 times higher for the car driver than the SUV driver." I'm sure deep in the bowels of the internet there's contradictory data.
Per the article, Americans want 'command seating' because they have better views and safer ... and necessarily leave sedans with poorer views and more risk.
8
@Andy Deckman
Mass wins, it's pure physics.
My 1995 Jeep Cherokee Sport got 12-15 mpg, had a 4L V6 with 195 horse power. When gas prices spike to over $4 a gallon, I was this close to buying a motorcycle and relegating my jeep to camping, backpacking and skiing trips. Fortunately prices didn't stay that high for long. However when I sold that car I did buy a sporty sedan. With it I would get 19-28 mpg (it seemed to really very with the outside temperature). It was a 2005 VW Passat GLX 4Motion with a 190-hp 2.8-liter V6, About 4 months in I regretted it. While fun to drive on the highway, it just was not nearly as versatile of a vehicle. When I finally sold it, I got a 2015 Cherokee Trailhawk. Which I still happily drive today. With it I get 25-27 mpg It has 3.6 L V6 with 271 horsepower. While I know I could get even better mpg with a modern sedan, I would not have the off road or towing capability. And as this article pointed the mph is significantly better than SUV's 20+. With much better performance to boot.
1
@Still Waiting...
Still, the engine on that 2005 Jeep was a straight 6, not a V-6.
1
@Still Waiting...My 1974 Bug is still running--bought iy when gas prices spiked!
1
@javierg
You are definitely right, my bad.
You know what I call the SUV?
A poor compromise of a minivan and a sedan.
I own a minivan and a sedan. The minivan is superior to SUV in terms of cargo space, seating comfort for 7 adults (better ingress and egress), and driveability. I can fit more in my minivan than all but the biggest SUV. I can fit more in there than even the F150. Don't believe me? Do some research.
I own a sedan because it is far more nimble than a SUV with better fuel efficiency and better parking prospects everywhere I go.
SUVs are the worst compromise ever and have gone way beyond their original intent: Sports UTILITY vehicle which means 4x4 on primitive roads, snow, towing, etc.
And for those who think that 4x4/all-wheel-drive will somehow make it better for driving on slick or snowy roads, I'll challenge you to driving against my sedan on slick roads or snow any time. 4x4/all-wheel-drive means bupkiss if you don't know how to drive on slick surfaces.
33
@Richard - :) Are we talking Seattle snow (2") or midwest snow?
2
@Richard
Well now I know how to drive on snowpacked slick roads and I’d rather do it with all wheel drive than just two wheel drive.My previous car was a Volvo XC70 with AWD and currently I drive a fwd with studs all ‘round and carry chains which are a lifesaver. My next car/suv/truck will be AWD.
If Ford would set an example by creating or remaking a car similar to the 1953 Mercury and its Woody station wagon with AWD option they would be creating a tool that someone doesn't have to do a deep knee bend to climb into. That is the problem with the low riders. You can't see, the potholes are deeper than the ground clearance and you have to be 4' tall or less.
1
The import tariffs on SUVs has been much higher than those on sedans for years. That's obviously one reason why foreign makers tend to favor sedans. How did that not get mentioned?
6
No matter how hard they try, there is simply no way to make a boxy-by-nature SUV into something as stylish and elegant as a well-designed sedan or coupe. Cars like my Kia Cadenza and others create a professional, upscale proflle that SUVs and trucks cannot muster. A truck is still a truck, and an SUV is still, well, dad & mom's station wagon.
6
And just last week the NHDOT commissioner Victoria Sheehan was on the local NHPR radio show advocating for increased bicycle travel. For transportation no less were currently about 0.3% of the population commute by bicycle.
So this is where we are: Traffic volume is up. Traffic speed is up. Distracted driving is up. And now even the actual vehicle size is up.
Good luck Victoria!
11
When Harry Truman was president, ordinary cars were roughly as tall as today's SUVs. Then Detroit started pushing "longer, lower,wider" and we wound up with cars that you had to duck to get into. The popularity of SUVs is just us rediscovering the benefits of height. Besides, car enthusiasts have for years been lambasting Americans' disdain for station wagons and hatchbacks. Well now we are all driving what amount to tall station wagons with all wheel drive.
3
Regardless of advertising claims, most SUVs, even compact ones, don't exceed 25 MPG average, compared to compact sedans that average 40 MPG. The SUV design, with more space for battery packs than typical sedans, is ideal for hybrids technology, but only a few makers offer Hybrid SUVs...wonder why!
6
Yes, we are totally out of step with overseas markets. Have spent a fair amount of time overseas in several countries and one does notice how rare it is to ever see a pick-up or SUV. Most of the pickups and SUV's sold in the US are not because the owner's occupation requires it but mostly will ferry them to work, the store etc.
It was sad to see how many small cute cars there are overseas that aren't even sold here. My car is a subcompact and it is dwarfed on the road.
38
@Greenie
Sadly, in spite of much higher gas prices, Europeans are also switching to SUVs at an alarming rate.
"Europe's SUV sales boom despite flat market in 2018"
https://europe.autonews.com/sales-segment/europes-suv-sales-boom-despite-flat-market-2018
A mistake to short the sedan market but Detroit is well known for its quarterly profit vision only. They leave the market and the ability to return later is seriously diminished. Some people especially in Urban areas do not punch doggies needing a pick up truck and a SUV when it mostly has a single occupant. Not keeping a small presence in the market is a error from the group that created the Corvair and Edsel.
6
Re: Asian and European rivals see things differently.
Every larger SUV and Pick Ups are driven by Americans because
a) gas prices are a fraction of those in the EU
b) the US automative industry pushes pickups because
their domestic production is protected by a 25% import
tariff. As opposed to passenger car production, 2.5%
that both GM and Ford are ending - unable to compete
with low wage countries
The consequences for the global climate are horrendous.
Transportation is the largest source of CO2
Here are the numbers, CO2 metric tons per capita , annual
US 16.5
UK 6.5
France 4.5
The solution is equally clear. Tax gasoline at the EU level
The Obama passenger car mileage standards were laudable but failed, because American drivers switched to gas guzzling pickups
Here are the top selling US modes, 2018
1. 909,330 Ford F-Series
2. 585,581 Chevy Silverados
3. 536,980 Ram Trucks
The first passenger car showed up as No 7
Toyota Camry - 343,439
Again, the solution is available. But no President, nor Presidential Candidate, with the exception of Ross Perot
has ever advocated this market based solution to lower US automotive green house gas emission
Could a moderator ask one of the Democratic Candidates tonight ?
Data
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/en.atm.co2e.pc
93
@Woof
I totally agree, with one small but significant caveat; raise the gas tax significantly, BUT use the revenue to lower the payroll taxes by an equal amount. That way it is not a regressive tax on the poor, and arguably not even a true tax hike, so conservatives won't necessarily fight it that hard.
12
@Woof
The top-selling models are all trucks in part because there are many fewer truck models than there are car models. The car market is divided among very many models, giving each lower numbers due to the smaller share.
That doesn't tell you anything about the relative sizes of the pies between trucks and cars. Just that one is sliced into a few large pieces and the other is divided up into lots of tiny slices.
4
Big engine for straight line performance - that has been the dominant strategy of the US automakers for scores of years. Whether in sedans or SUV's, that's what they sell.
We have an SUV because no car was available that sat seven, but it sits forlornly 90% of the time because the two drivers in the house fight over the Prius C - 50-60 mpg, fits in the smallest parking spots, narrow to get around people making left turns, etc. The SUV will endure until the kids are out of the house and then we will only buy replacements for the Prius C when a vehicle with a significant improvement in MPG is available.
Guess we won't be buying a US car anytime soon, then.
9
Why do you ever need to carry 7 people in one vehicle if you have two cars and multiple drivers? We just take two cars on those rare occasions. Yes I could only take 4 kids when carpooling, but usually it’s one person in the car at a time. Buy a car made in America, even if the corporate owner is Japanese.
2
It is amazing to me that there is not room within the US market for both well designed sedans and SUVs. I own a newer Chevrolet Impala, which has been an excellent car. I have always owned Chevrolets. Yes- I am very particular about vehicle maintenance. I owned one Chevrolet SUV. Frankly it did not perform nor ride nearly as well as the Impala. A thought here- why not bring back the American station wagon which rode and handled like a sedan but had space for do-it-yourself project needs or luggage. I have this nagging sense that the US automakers, after learning their lessons may just blow it again.
12
@InstructorJohn
It’s here today: The Ford Flex is lower to the ground, room for seven, shaped like a giant bread box, available in 2 or 4wd. Bad news? 16 city 23 hwy with only one V6 available. But hey, gas is cheap.
Trust Detroit to do the wrong thing.
7
“Our Santa Fe is great, but nobody says it’s ‘fast’ or ‘fun.’"
Well, no... it's the furthest thing from either. But the Dodge Durango, Ford Edge, Jaguar E-Pace, and plenty of others prove that an SUV can be a whole lot of fun if you do it right.
The Santa Fe is the vehicle you get from the rental company that makes you appreciate whatever you normally drive.
5
SUV’s not nimble; not fun to drive; gas conscious? Clearly you have never driven one. Poor knowledge doesn’t excuse your post.
7
@DENOTE REDMOND
I've driven SUVs at 85 mph on highways, around town in big cities and small towns, and on logging roads in rural Maine. They are NOT nimble or fun to drive.
Where have you ever driven an SUV?
It is sad how shortsighted most of the "domestic" automakers are. They keep surrendering market share. GM used to have 50% market share in America- now its about 17%.
The next time gas prices surge (and they inevitably will) they will lose customers to the European and Asian based automakers. When gas gets cheap again, they will have a very hard time winning them back.
They need to focus on making an affordable and very reliable sedan. Prove that the quality is good by offering a better warranty. Worst case- export it to other countries where gas costs a lot more.
5
I literally just bought a used 2016 Civic yesterday after 12 years with my Hyundai Santa Fe. I wanted zip and better gas mileage than my SUV. I'll keep the aging SUV for snow days but that is it.
Detroit lost me years ago with climate change denial, shoddy production (my Neon and Cavalier both did not last much past 100k), and recently by moving away from fuel economy standards.
My coworkers can't believe I went back to a sedan from an SUV. Some of us will buck the trends and try to limit our carbon footprint, but we are a minority.
35
Why do Japanese car manufacturers succeed in making both sedans and SUVs at the same time? These are popular and
successful. Can't American car makers do this? Perhaps U.S.
product quality isn't up to snuff.
14
Doesn’t ford sell more F150s than all of Honda’s cars and suvs combined?
1
Let's make a difference between what the car makers are selling in the US and elsewhere. For instance, forget about trying to sell big hulking SUVs and pickup trucks in Europe. Europeans DID decide that it was a good idea to save our planet and to impose very restrictive regulations on mileage, pollution and weight. Drive around in Europe and you will see mostly small hatchbacks. If you are driving a big SUV or pickup then you probably have to park it somewhere outside of town in the fields because parking does not accommodate big hulking vehicles. If US car manufacturers want to keep competing in the European market then offering only big SUVs and pickup trucks is not an option.
26
The SUV is a misnomer, there is no sportiness in them unless you get into generally unaffordable models offered by Porsche, Lamborghini and others. For that matter there was not much driving pleasure in many of the sedans offered by Detroit, they were largely underpowered for their size and their soft and smooshy rides were meant for an advanced age group. Enter the German and Japanese manufacturers of small, agile and responsive sports sedans. Cadillac tried to counter this move, but the customer already had expressed their preferences to the imports. Europe and Asia will continue to build them with America's only contributor the Tessler. Their future is guaranteed from an environmental point of view as well, as their light weight is very suitable to electrification that allows greater mileage limits. Light trucks may well price themselves out of profitability as mileage standard improvements will demand a large transition towards electric powered and hybrid models.
In the meantime I thoroughly enjoy my 18 year old stick-shifted BMW 325xi, much preferring over my wife's over-computerized Volvo xc90 that I only drive when its large cargo volume is in demand.
9
@Rudy Ludeke
The sport isn't the vehicle but that it allows you to engage in sport (however you define it) outside the vehicle and to haul your stuff to do so whether camping or fishing gear, balls, hunting stuff, rackets, hiking, etc.
2
@Rudy Ludeke - My Mazda CX-5 has very good acceleration, is sporty and handles very well! Zoom Zoom!
1
People want larger vehicles and Congress provides the incentive by having lower fuel economy standards for SUVs and refusing to increase the fuel tax.
It's really not that hard a situation to understand.
This being said, many people drive their lumbering large vehicle as if it was a nimble sedan, hence the large number rollover accidents for large vehicles.
7
SUV and trucks are becoming ridiculously huge. Taking up more and more public space and becoming deadlier in crashes. Some sanity needs to come back to the auto sector. Lets start with paying more for parking space. And then paying more for the damage to roads and the air.
78
@Scott D
Good luck with that. In the United States the only thing more sacred than having a parking space is having a gun.
16
@Andy Deckman A few weeks ago, a man in our suburb was murdered by a neighbor over a parking space.
1
Whatever happened to the station wagon? My family of 5 lives in the US and spends the summer in Europe. I own two cars: a Toyota Highlander in the US and a Peugeot station wagon in Europe. Both seat 7. I prefer the station wagon hands down because it is so much more enjoyable to drive and park. The interior design of my Peugeot is so much more efficient, I don't feel like I am giving up any roominess and I can still fit a ton of stuff in it. I would be very happy to trade in my SUV in the US if I could find a good station wagon here.
57
@Niki
That's just the thing. Today's "SUV" IS a station wagon with AWD. It just sounds more macho. Even the first "SUV" was a wagon, called the Jeep Wagoneer. My dad had one of the first ones and it was used for Cape runs, hunting and fishing as well as family duty.
6
@Niki
In the 1960s some station wagons could seat nine. No bucket seats in station wagons back then. I do not know how well adults fit, but I know that in 1966, in a cross country trip, there were nine -- mostly teenagers -- in each station wagon. This was well documented, as the driver of the lead station wagon ran a stop sign in the middle of Montana, and the six in the middle and rear seats died.
6
@Niki SUVs are basically tall station wagons.
8
The Hyundai strategy seems sound. They offer a quality stable of sedans and SUVs. Also, quality sedans remain popular - BMW, Audi, Mercedes. Maybe people just didn't like the boring Fords and Chevies....
2
@RBodge Hyundais are great, as are Kias.Really want an EV, but the price! Kia has a new Soul, but costs nearly as much as a Tesla
1
Referring to US only : SUVs will win in the long run! Look better and more attractive, ride better, more comfortable and roomy, and after all is said and done, SUVs are probably a logical step up in the car industry, after 100 years of 'normal' cars.
Sure, a lot of people will buy cars too, but many more will go for SUVs, as the statistics mercilessly shows.
And the gasoline price is unlikely to be an obstacle there. You never know, but reasonably speaking what we have today will under normal circumstances vary +/- 20 to 30% which is still perfectly acceptable as far as the gallon price.
3
@ss
Your prediction may well be right if Trump stays in power through 2024 and his heirs beyond. By then the environment will be so polluted and our remaining protected lands so ravaged by mining and oil interest that our attention will only be focused on our immediate survival.
9
Brian Smith is Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Motor America and he doesn’t get why Americans are walking away from their sedans? Maybe he needs to get out more and talk to his customer base! I was tempted by the Hyundai Santa Fe but ultimately went for the rival Honda Pilot and am glad I did. A car company that is ambivalent about suvs probably doesn’t make a particularly great one.
I walked away from my sedan because of the room an suv affords my kids and me. When we travel we can throw everything but the kitchen sink in there and still be extremely comfortable. I like having a larger, higher vehicle from a safety perspective and my gas mileage is satisfactory. I can fit up to seven people in my vehicle and all three rows have comfortable seats and lots of leg room. What’s not to like?
3
@Katie
What's not to like? Um, fuel efficiency? An SUV's carbon footprint compared to smaller cars?
20
@Katie: "What's not to like?" Maybe that you're emitting large amounts of toxic pollutants into the air. You could meet your needs using a vehicle that has a lower carbon footprint.
20
@Katie
The resistance to the slightest inconvenience (sacrificing any comfort, the need to lug all possessions around at all times in the back rows of seats, etc) has led to the arms race of SUVs (in the words of Mr. Galholtra, the need for 'command seating') because no one can see or feel safe because everyone is got themselves a big SUV. It's a terrible cycle, and the US needs some adults to mandate smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles. We're contributing far more to climate change than other developed world peers as a direct result.
33
If you reside in Texas there is only the pickup. I have had big cars; foreign and domestic; expensive mostly; and none of them are as comfortable on the road in town or on long trips as a nice SUV. Cars are in the past.
5
In most cases a SUV is simply a station wagon that sits higher than wagons used to. I call my Explorer my car, not my SUV.
9
@Thomas B - No, the higher center of gravity in a SUV makes them more prone to rolling over and block other drivers' view of the road.
5
@Len Charlap
No? You mean that a SUV doesn't sit higher than wagons used to? Or what? As for rolling over, IME most modern cars will slide when out of control, not roll over like a 37 Plymouth in High Sierra. I intend to keep my car under control regardless of oversteer, understeer or rolling. And the view of others drivers is their affair, not mine.
@Thomas B - I Am not sure what "sits higher" means. I meant just what I wrote. The center of gravity of the avege SUV is hgher above the road than the average station wagon.
"SUVs had the highest rollover involvement rate of any vehicle type in fatal crashes -- 36 percent, as compared with 24 percent for pickups, 19 percent for vans and 15 percent for traffic cars."
And I should have guessed you have no consideration for others or, indeed, general road safety.
PS the reason a lot of SUV slide rather than roll over is that because of the statistics on rollovers, manufacturers have been equipping SUV with tires that do not grip the road so well. Of course, this leads to other problems.
1
After an entire life spent in sedans and low-slung sports cars, I went full America and bought a pickup truck.
The reason?
I was tired of seeing the blue ovals and black bowties of other drivers at face level while I was sitting in my car. I simply didn't want to be the one who lost the game of "physics" should it ever come to that.
So these days - thought I don't tow a single thing - I consider my truck to be a rolling life insurance policy. I pay more for more metal, sitting higher up, with worse gas mileage, simply to stay on the same level playing field as most other American motorists exist on.
4
@Chris Most crashes are single vehicle crashes (55-60%). Large vehicles have a much higher death rate in single car crashes compared to sedans/hatchbacks. Unless you are commuting long distances on high-traffic stretches of highway you are actually less safe.
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@Chris
I agree with Campbell. I've seen in my area that it's the SUV drivers - who think they're safer because they have more metal around them - who roll into ditches during ice storms, etc.
It's the driver, not the vehicle, that makes things safer.
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@Chris
Is it true that PU trucks because of their classification as trucks have to meet a lower manufacturer's standard of crash "protection" than automobiles? That saves weight and manufacturing cost.
“I can’t answer why some people would walk away from cars,” Mr. Smith said. “Because I don’t get it.”
Because the crossover has supplanted the sedan for most people. Its been happening for years, and anybody paying attention to what is being driven on the roads knows it. Any car manufacturer that has a guy in charge who doesn't "get it" like Smith is a manufacturer that needs new leadership, because he obviously is out of touch with the public.
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@mpound - "supplanted the sedan for most people"
I wonder if it is an indication that we are poorer?
When I was growing up I knew several families that had a car and a "truck". In those days the truck might be a new or old pickup or a small what would be called a SUV today like Jeep, Blazer, or Bronco. The car would be used for most things unless some hauling or trips to the woods was needed and then truck would be put to use. Now people buy one compromised vehicle to do both duties.
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