Americans seem to hate small cars. How big of a role does our obesity epidemic play in that?

[NickB79]

I can't count the number of times I've been told that small cars just aren't comfortable enough, that whoever I'm speaking to just needs that truck or SUV to fit them just right. Almost every live person who has ever told me this was plus-sized. Some were tall and large, others were short and large, but the common theme seems to be their weight. I know only one guy who is both skinny and tall who has ridden with me in my smaller car and felt uncomfortable. To be fair, he's 6'4" and I'm 5'8".

I get that there are a lot of different reasons why Americans love their big trucks and SUV's; I heard them all when I became the only guy at the factory I work at to buy a Prius. And it wasn't even a regular Prius, but the Prius V station wagon, so it's slightly bigger. How can I haul a jet ski (don't own or want one), how can I impress women (already married and my wife isn't impressed by big engines), how can I drive in the snow (been doing it in small cars since I was 16), how you gonna take the family on vacation (only have one kid, not having more), etc. A year later, and it's still a favorite joke among my coworkers. Personally, I don't give a fuck what most of them think, as half of them barely graduated high school and pass their nights with a case of beer on the couch. But I digress.

Still, GM's factory closures of small model cars got me wondering: if the US consumer is averse to small cars in part because we're on average physically much larger than the rest of the world's drivers, yet auto companies are trying to build global car platforms to save money by selling across a wide range of nations, and those other nations have much stricter fuel economy standards than us, how does the US auto industry survive? A range of gas-guzzling models only popular in the US and nowhere else would be a hindrance over time, would it not?

[SharonAnn]

1. I'm a slender, tall (5'10") woman. Taller with high heels. Small cars are very uncomfortable.

I like large American sedans. In a pinch, large, American SUV's.
And as I've gotten older, back problems that make my back less flexible mean that I can hardly get into some smaller cars since the seat isn't low enough (or the roof isn't high enough).

[LBM20]

2. Many still like small cars, but the US companies don't want to compete with the foreign cars.

They make more money with SUV's and pickups. And SUV's have certainly become more popular. People like all wheel drive, space for gear, and driving up higher.

Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are tops in the small car market.

[Hugin]

6. Yeah, when was the last time you saw an American car company advertise their sedans on the TeeVee?

I can't seem to even remember when.

Lots of truck and SUV ads, though.

[LBM20]

72. Yup. It's too bad. I have a Dodge Dart which they discontinued, and it was selling ok. But it has

become all about market targeting and maximizing profit. The Chevy Cruze and Ford Focus also sold well, but not as much as the SUV's and not as much as Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas, so they have bailed. I think it stinks. The Big Three do still make smaller cars for foreign markets.

So, those of us who do like smaller cars have to either get small SUV's or foreign brand small cars like Civics, Corollas, or Subarus. I can say the Subaru Imprezas are made in the U.S., and Toyota Camries and Honda Accords are made in the U.S.

[FakeNoose]

128. It's all about profit - let's not kid ourselves

The American manufacturers make a lot more off the urban assault vehicles (SUV's) than any of the compact or subcompact convenience cars. They could make the small economy cars just as luxuriously comfortable as the larger vehicles - but they WON'T! They don't want to sell those economy cars and they don't want our tastes to ever change.

[Mosby]

151. +1

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Probably not much at all.

Your co-workers gave you plenty of reasons for why they like bigger cars.

[Bettie]

4. I don't like not being able to see

what's going on around me because my small car's view is entirely blocked by minivans and SUVs and trucks.

[LiberalFighter]

39. I hear you. I bought a slightly bigger car.

Can get in and out a little bit easier.

[Codeine]

43. I like small cars, but I also like a high seating

position. Luckily small crossovers are making this a bridgable gap.

[Bettie]

50. We have a minivan

that is my husband's company car, a Honda civic hybrid, which whoever is driving farthest takes, and a Traverse, which is huge, but pulls a trailer when we need to.

[Freethinker65]

5. Grew up as a kid with station wagons

First cars as an adult were smaller hatchbacks and economy sedans. Got a Subaru Forester in 2006 and now I admit I really prefer sitting up higher off the road. As I get older, I also have an easier time getting out of something that sits a bit higher up.

I would consider an electric or hybrid in the future though if available.

[kcr]

135. I wish station wagons would make a comeback

Sedans just don't have the cargo room I like, but I hate driving big, honking SUV's and trucks, and I don't need a minivan.

[MontanaMama]

7. I'm not a big person at 5'2"

and I’ve driven all kinds of cars...my last two cars have been suv crossovers - Hyundai Santa Fe’s. They’re big enough and sit high enough that I feel safe and I can see over the dash board. I don’t feel safe in small/compact cars and I can’t haul groceries, kids and dogs in them. I was badly injured in an accident in 1993 and will never go back to a compact car.

[SallyHemmings]

8. I love my Tacoma

I can’t remember the last time I owned a car. I am in sales and spend a lot of time in my truck. It rides very nice on the highways & the cops leave me be.

I am 5’8 and wear heels. The bed is perfect for my bike & my hubby’s baseball gear (yes baseball). We are an active middle aged couple.

[shanny]

52. I have a 2002 4-door Tacoma.

I want to be buried in it.

[GulfCoast66]

65. We have a 2005 Tacoma.

Looks like shit runs like hell. 230k miles. Routine maintenance.

Also a 2014 Tundra to pull the boat. Replaced a 2001 with 270k miles. Loved it. But after the boat pushed it thru a yellow light even with trailer breaks needed something a little bigger and heavier. Will have it for another 10+ years.

Also a Camry. Cause mileage. But hate driving it. Can’t see anything.

All three American made. Granted, not Union made which I would prefer. But I figure the best thing I can do for the environment is drive a vehicle for 10-15 years if not more. It takes a shit ton of energy to build a vehicle.

[elleng]

9. Yes, a hindrance, but

it's their job to figure it out. It's a big world.

[ProudLib72]

10. I'm with you on this, but I also think there are other contributing factors

One is that small cars are often not so great on the highway. I remember trying to do 70 mph in an automatic Corolla. The auto was a three speed, and at 70 mph the tach was around 4,500 rpm. That was certainly noisy! Plus it kind of defeats the purpose that most of us see in a small car: fuel economy. Another reason is what I will call "road comfort". Most small cars have equally small wheels and tires. You feel every little bump in the road, and they tend to get caught in those grooved concrete sections. Add to that the road noise. Now this is an interesting one. My theory on this is that manufacturers tend to equate "small" with "economy". In order to create that "economy" they don't sufficiently sound deaden the body. That makes the car lighter (fuel economy) and keeps the cost of production down.

I do agree with the obesity argument to a degree. A lot of Americans grew up with huge cars they could sprawl in. So a smaller car feels confining, and you don't get those sofa seats like you get in a luxury sedan. Now, part of that confined feeling I put down to us being fatter, but part of it is down to the luxury we are used to in our homes and offices. If we have a ten piece sectional with extra plush padding at home, we don't want to crawl into a tiny vehicle with rock hard seats.

[Pope George Ringo II]

11. I'm 5'11" and 155 and it's the open road which makes the difference for me

Many smaller cars have really tiny armrests, but a "full-size" has much better padding. Add in the longer wheelbase, and a 100-200 mile drive is much more comfortable in a larger car. Given where fuel economy has been going, I don't feel nearly as guilty as I once would have.

Also, smaller cars don't seem to be designed for people with knees. And smaller cars frequently skimp on the sun visors: Scoot the seat back, and it's often going lower, so drive blinded by the sun. And the little visors on small cars often don't telescope to cover the side window for taller drivers.

[NurseJackie]

12. There's that... and Costco.

It's not always easy to fit bulk-sized items in the back of a Prius or Smartcar.

[csziggy]

28. My Prius has more space than the Buick Century I used to have

Maybe the cargo space in the Buick trunk was equivalent but it certainly was harder to get stuff in and out than in the 2006 Prius hatchback I just sold (when the third set of batteries fried the computer I gave up on it). The 2014 Prius V I bought last year has slightly more space - but only if I pack it to the roof. Both Prius are easier to pack than a standard sedan.

Both Prius have much more leg room in the back seat than the Buick sedans I have been in - and more leg room than my 1999 GMC Suburban's rear seat. Of course, if I wanted to haul large quantities of stuff home from Costco, I'd take my Suburban - but last year when I bought a 65" LG TV it fit into the Prius after we put the back seat down so I didn't have to make a separate trip.

[spooky3]

31. Agree. Have also fit a 65 inch TV in mine--no problem. Nt

[csziggy]

37. The only complaint I have about the Prius is no space for my needlework in the front

We're planning a cross country trip in a couple of years. The last one we took I worked on needlework while my husband drove - finished the project along the way. That was in a 1978 GMC Suburban.

I've tried stitching in the Prius - no room for my scissors, much less anyplace to put threads. Next winter we'll be buying the vehicle we will take cross country and that will be part of my criteria - room in the front passenger area for me to stitch!

[spooky3]

29. A Prius is much larger than a SmartCar. Have had one

For almost 12 years. I can’t fit my bike inside it, and can’t always get as many bags of peat moss or mulch as needed, but I would think that most of your Costco purchases would fit with the back seat down.

[ecstatic]

13. I'm petite and I'll never buy a small car again

In addition to the safety issues (any hit can turn into a totaled out car), the space issues force you to rely on others for a lot more things. Once you go SUV it's kind of hard to go back.

[Buckeyeblue]

14. For the most part Americans are a society of space

With the exception of big city people, we have yards. We gave decent sized living rooms. We don't like to feel stuffed into a car. I had a civic hybrid. My wife hated driving it. And I have to admit that a few SUVs later, I don't really like getting into smaller cars.

[Marie Marie]

15. I prefer a car over an SUV or truck. They are much easier to maneuver

and I can't help but notice that far too many people seem to be driving vehicles that are larger than they can comfortably handle. I know that maybe some drivers need a bigger vehicle to meet their needs for hauling or whatever but there are also those that see them as status. The more huge SUV's on the road, the more others feel the need to buy them just to be able to see around them. I know that I hate being behind these giant rolling bricks because I cannot see any traffic in front of them. Hummers? No one will ever convince me that anyone needed to be driving these gas guzzling behemoths. Glad to see that they went away.

I guess it is the right thing for auto companies to do - get rid of what doesn't sell and focus on what does. But I for one, hate to see the demise of sensible cars over expensive, wasteful SUVs. JMHO. I'm sure many will disagree with me and that is OK.

[llmart]

58. I agree with your post.

I find it disconcerting that on DU we have so many posters who on the one hand consider themselves environmentalists/conservationists but then are all into big vehicles that are not energy efficient. Also, have we all forgotten the days under G.W. Bush when gas was $4 or more a gallon and the gas guzzlers weren't so desirable then?

I would sum it up with one sentence - Americans like everything in excess, which includes food which brings me back to the original post speculating that it has something to do with our obese population.

[Qanisqineq]

69. I'm with you two

Americans like big things. I had an SUV, now own a smaller car. I would prefer a smaller house than the one I have (which isn't huge at 2000 sqft) and a smaller yard. I'd prefer a smaller fridge and to live closer to the markets to shop more often..

It isn't that my family has gotten smaller either. I now have a four-year-old. I think it's because I lived in Asia for almost a decade. I preferred living smaller. Plus, the environment is a huge concern for me.

[llmart]

90. I'm not trying to be critical of your post but...

if your family is just you and a four-year old, then I wouldn't consider a 2,000 square foot house not huge. In most of Europe and Asia, that would be consider a mansion. I live alone and my house is 1650 square feet and I consider that larger than I need. I really, really like smaller houses but it is almost impossible to find a small house that's been updated inside. Local ordinances are in place in many communities preventing you from building a small house. Some of the houses being built around my area are absolutely ridiculous in size. Family size is so much smaller these days compared to when I grew up, so whenever I see these monstrosities I shake my head wondering why anyone thinks they need that size house.

I had to get a new fridge about two years ago and couldn't believe the size of today's refrigerators! I got the smallest one reasonably possible for my kitchen and still it's almost always half empty.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

76. Bingo.

People seem to fall into the nonsense of buying a big vehicle they don't need just because that's what everyone else has.

Really? Why not buy the vehicle that suits your personal needs?

And you are absolutely right that almost no one needs to by driving the gas guzzling behemoths.

Personally, I have always owned gas-efficient vehicles, starting with my very first car, a 1959 VW Bug. It didn't even have a gas gauge, but had the reserve tank thing, so that if you got really low on gas you'd flip a switch and have another gallon or so to get you to a gas station. And if you didn't flip the switch back, well it was a problem. The only time I ever ran out of gas involved my not having flipped that switch back.

Oh, and it was a convertible. When I told my sons that, after they were grown, I got a lot of respect. "Mom drove a convertible? Cool!"

[Coventina]

95. "If you can't park it, DON'T DRIVE IT!" has been my mantra

and I've yelled it at people a few times...

I see SO MANY jerks with huge SUVs and pickups take 2 spaces because they can't park the darn things!

It irritates me to no end.

[fescuerescue]

99. You yell at random strangers?

About their vehicle in the parking lot?

[Coventina]

131. Yes, I have a few times. n/t

[fescuerescue]

132. I may have seen you on youtube ;) n/t

[Coventina]

133. *shrug* I don't know. Maybe?

I've never noticed anyone filming, though.

[Ohiogal]

127. Coventina,

My sentiments exactly!!!

[Squinch]

134. Or if you can't drive a two lane road without taking up both lanes.

The bigger they get, the more ridiculous the driving.

[RocRizzo55]

154. I'm right there with you

So many people do not know how to park those behemoths. Some don't even know how to drive them.

[McCamy Taylor]

16. I think it is a safety issue. Many people are afraid of being squashed on the road

by trucks. Sort of like guns. The more of them are around, the more people will buy them for defense.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. I'm 5'. #115 And drive a MINI Cooper, a pretty small car.

[tosh]

48. I'm 5'7 and I LOVE my MINI!!

Granted, it's a Countryman so a bit more cargo space, but I'll probably drive MINIs for the rest of my driving days.

[SammyWinstonJack]

64. Ooo, Countryman! Envy here. Love my MINI!

[phylny]

18. My car is my office and I'm in and out of it many times a day.

I have a much easier time at my age (60) getting in and out of my GMC Terrain SUV. It doesn't hurt my back and gives me a comfortable ride. My husband has a Chevy Impala and I can't stand getting in and out of it, although it rides fine. If I only had a morning and an afternoon commute, it might be different, but with my job, a sedan would not be my choice.

[Hotler]

19. Another example of "The Man" trying to control us.

besides there no room for my big ass feet in smaller vehicles. I had a Jeep Cherokee rental and the metal seat track on the driver side floor kept digging into my calf has I drove. 3/4ton full-size pickup (k2500) works very well.

[Pope George Ringo II]

20. I have started viewing modern Jeeps as physics experiments

They're big-ish on the outside, but there's not enough room in the front seat, there's not enough room in the back seat, they don't give you enough little stowage compartments, and the cargo compartment at the rear is too small to be useful. No idea where the space went, it just disappeared.

[nuxvomica]

22. I had a Mazda Protege for years and it was the opposite of that

Very spacious interior for such a small car. It was like a clown car, or the Tardis.

[Pope George Ringo II]

25. My Fusion is along those lines.

But I have no idea what Jeep has been doing, or why. Every time I rent one I am tempted to ask for an upgrade to a Fiat 500 or something similar.

[Hotler]

40. A Corvette story.....

One day while waiting for my truck to be serviced at the Chevrolet dealer I was wondering around the show room looking at the stuff and came to a very cool Corvette. I have never sat in a vet before so I said what the hell. Getting down in there was easy enough, get up and out was a different thing. It was to low and am too old to climb up. I had to roll out like Ricky Bobby on fire on to the floor. I looked up and there was five people staring at me.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

21. marketing

Vehicles are designed for maximum profit; marketing drives design.

There's no reason to design 2 ton machines to haul 1 person around, except for marketing. You don't have to have a truck masquerading as a car just to have elbow room while commuting or getting groceries.

As a now-defunct example of going to nearly the other extreme:

[fescuerescue]

98. Totally agree on marketing

advertising and marketing drive our behaviors far far more than most people realize or admit.

But there is some reality that we have to deal with as well. While I agree you don't need a massive car/truck to haul 1 person, you do need quite a bit larger machine to haul 5 people. And larger to haul cargo. And Larger to tow a trailer.

Unfortunately, even 1 person machines (i.e. motorcycle) represent a large investment, so few of us can own a perfectly sized vehicle for the moment when we have 2 people in the car, or 3, or 4, or cargo or trailer.

So what do we do? we buy one vehicle that can suit our largest need.

It would be really cool and magical, if one could push a button and your motorcycle could expand, transformer style into a machine capable of hauling 5 people and 27ft boat, but that's the realm of fantasy. Hence the guy who hauls his boat a few times a year, is also the guy driving to work 5 times a week by himself in a large vehicle.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

100. or, have a commuter and a vacationer

Last time I looked, about 80% of commutes fall within the range of an electric vehicle based on 1960s flooded lead-acid batteries, and that's a converted electric. Take a modern battery pack and a car built from the ground up to be electric and you have enough spare range to handle extreme weather as well as distance.

2nd vehicle can be the one used for unknown distances and loads.

Or, just design a modular vehicle -- cabin connects to propulsion unit and payload unit. Swap as needed. That's similar to what some people do now. They have a converted electric car or truck and a "pusher trailer" that runs a gasoline engine for long trips. That need disappears as soon as recharging stations are as ubiquitous as gasoline stations.

[nolabear]

23. I'm pretty zaftig and drove a Mini for years.

I recently switched to a Subaru Forester, which serves a purpose but I don’t love it as I did the Mini. I have a grand baby and I have old knees. But the Mini was my love.

I think Americans generally like big things. Safety, kids, long drive times, hauling stuff...we do things.

[kskiska]

24. I'm 5'2" and am perfectly comfortable in a sedan.

I'm almost always alone and have no need to drive a bus or pay to fill the gas tank.

[liberal N proud]

26. The bigger the vehicle, the smaller the woman driving it

Inversely, the bigger the person, the smaller the car they are driving.

This is all based on personal observation and has no scientific relevance.

[BlueSpot]

67. It's also sexist as hell

[Squinch]

83. How is that sexist?

[liberal N proud]

123. There are a lot of small framed females driving Escalades and Hummers

Every time someone talks about women, it isn't sexist. It was an observation that I notice it when a smaller woman climbs out of a large suv. It is also noticeable when a very large person is sitting in a Chevy Sonic. And doubly obvious when two large people are sitting shoulder to shoulder.

[BannonsLiver]

147. The OP is just an excuse to fat shame

Why not throw in a little sexism as well?

[guillaumeb]

27. The power of advertising is that advertisers can convince us that a big vehicle equates with a big..

gas bill.

[crazycatlady]

35. or a small...

Never mind, not going there!

[guillaumeb]

42. Exactly. eom

[Yavin4]

30. Small cars are great when you're traveling small distances

If you have a long commute or need to travel great distances every day, a larger automobile provides more comfort.

[JoeOtterbein]

32. I love small cars, my 2004 Acura RSX has taken nothing more than routine maintenance at 290 k miles

and still fits me like a glove and runs like a charm. I'd imagine that a nice small Ferrari, Lamborghini or even a Corvette would be really nice and comfy for me at 5' 11" and 180 lbs!

[crazycatlady]

33. I see it more as a safety issue

I'm 5'6 and have no problems getting into small cars. I drive a midsize one now (Subaru Legacy).

When I was 19, I was driving a Ford Escort. I was rear-ended by an Expedition. The trunk was hanging onto my car with a coat hanger until I could get an appointment to get it fixed (happened the day before Thanksgiving). To this day, I can still feel the effects of that accident on my neck and it impacts the way I sleep.

When a small car is in an accident with a large SUV, it's obvious who wins.

[spooky3]

34. I think the main reason sedans and coupes have lost so

much market share is that they are not nearly as versatile as SUVs. These come in many sizes these days. I wish that more small ones had nicer interiors and rides though. I agree with the poster who commented that the auto companies need to decouple “small” with “economy.”

[Ron Green]

36. The replies in this thread tell the story, don't they?

Americans want their comfort and convenience, and really don't care as much about the overall issues of CO2, land use sprawl, congestion, pedestrian and cyclist deaths, etc.

I'd expect this response from a RW site or even a cross-section, but it's sad to see the numbers from DU.

[llmart]

59. Thank you for this post.

I responded up thread about the same thing. I find it disconcerting to say the least.

[GulfCoast66]

66. I guess I could move to a more urban area.

Sell my home and move to a city. Stop fishing and sell the boat. Sell my retirement lot in a small gulf coast town. Stop going on weeklong hunting trips hauling all the coolers/cookers/supplies I need for that. Stop doing landscaping projects on the side. Stop taking friends and their kids(godkids) to the coast for weeklong fishing trips. Friends that can’t do that cause they live in cities and have small/no cars and no boat.

But I would stop being me. We drive our vehicles for and average of 10-15 years. I have a fuel efficient vehicle I use often when commuting to work. The wife and I spend extra time at work often so we can car pool 3-4 times a week.

But some of our lives demand more than small sedans all the time. That in no way makes us Right Wing. Oh, and I also wear wranglers, cowboy boots and a hat at times. Social Democrat to the core.

[Quemado]

70. Thank you

I drive a Prius because my overall goal with car ownership is to burn as little fossil fuels as I can. Safety is important also. I feel safe in my 2018 with all of its safety features.

[Kaleva]

73. If people cared about the enviroment, many could go without cars.

Use public transportation, shop on line, move to within walking or biking distance of work. Switching to small, fuel efficient cars won't stop climate change. It will only delay the day of reckoning.

[crazycatlady]

91. That is not always economically possible

ONe of my biggest criticisms of the environmental movement is that it is very classist. Sure people could leave a low COL area with a longer commute and move to a city where they'd be living in a shoebox. Sure people could stop shopping sales at mainstream stores and shop at Whole Paycheck or the organic co-op.

If you work in a major city and have an hour commute, housing costs will be MUCH cheaper if you make the commute than live in the actual city. Plus cities are not for everyone (I couldn't live in a city myself).

Many areas don't have any public transportation, or it is very inefficient (ie a bus that's hours stop an hour before you get out of work) or unsafe.

[Kaleva]

106. I was just trolling those who think people who don't drive small cars are fat, lazy, anti-enviroment

They themselves pollute an by not much of a lower level then the rest of us. Maybe I'll send you a link to a thread where I tried to reduce my carbon footprint to the most minimal I could. I doubt many here who look down on those who don't drive small cars would do what I did one winter.

[wasupaloopa]

112. A person driving a small car on a long commute pollutes more than a person who

just drives a SUV around town.

This thread is like the anti SUV threads some years ago.

[Marrah_Goodman]

103. Unfortunately many of us cannot do without a vehicle

Our infrastructure in most places is not set up for it. Not everyone can or should live in a city. Electric vehicles are going to have to be the answer. It will take a while to switch over and for used ones to get into the price range for the poor. Right now they are a pipe dream for many of us. Also they need to find a way to switch trucks over in a way that allows them enough power for hauling/towing.

I think we will get there.

[Squinch]

86. This. I'm kind of disgusted reading this nonsense.

[wasupaloopa]

113. I know why some call us elitists.

[BannonsLiver]

145. I guess we can add sanctimonious to the list of responses.

[Codeine]

38. Meh. California is one of the least-fat states

and I see plenty of big vehicles on the road around here.

It’s just a cultural preference. We have wider streets and more parking compared to much of the world so we never had to develop a small-car mentality.

[Spider Jerusalem]

41. The cheapest gasoline in the developed world has a lot more to do with it (n/t)

[erpowers]

44. Perception of Safety

Many people, especially women, likely buy larger vehicles because they think they are safer. I was once told that 50% of Hummer H2 drivers were women and that an even higher percentage of H3 drivers were women. Some people likely think they are safer in a big vehicle if they get in a wreck.

Some of it is just culture and towing. Some people in certain states just like big cars and trucks. Some of them need trucks in order to run their businesses. Also some of it is about weekend towing. You cannot tow a 8,000 pound boat with a Prius.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

89. I have been in at least two wrecks in the past five years ( out of a total of four - and none

Of them my fault) that I would have probably been killed, or at least seriously injured in if I had been driving one of those adorable, sexy little Minis I would love to buy. Buys I just don’t have the courage. The only person I ever knew who did drive one was killed in a wreck in it.

[Delarage]

45. I drive an old Corolla

with 350,000 miles on it. I'm a 5'8" guy and it fits me perfectly. Great fuel economy for an oldster (it's gotten over 40 mpg on long highway trips) and very well-built. I'm a low-frills, point A to point B kind of person. It serves all purposes. We also have a small pickup that we use for mulch, moving big stuff, etc. It's also old but well-kept.

I've driven friends' bigger cars/SUVs and anything bigger than a Forester seems kind of excessive to me and overly difficult to park (esp. parallel parking).

My only complaint is that I can't always find my car in parking lots when it's surrounded by big-ass vehicles.

[Codeine]

61. I got my old Corolla up to about 350,000 as well.

Loved that stupid car.

[appalachiablue]

46. It predates the American obesity explosion of the last 20+ years.

There have always been large Americans, and tall to in relation to other countries.

Bigger people plus a very big country, with lots of roads and driving opportunities.

Personally I love travelling by train which I did in the US as a young child, and later throughout Europe.

But we've largely been an automobile culture, and it will change in time with self driving vehicles. No rush.

[ellie]

47. I drive a Beetle

I love it! It zips around in traffic. I am 5'4" and normal weight so I fit in it. If I was taller I probably wouldn't like it.

[NutmegYankee]

49. I'm a big guy and I have driven a Jetta for 13 years now.

I do want a truck as a replacement, but it's the needs to move equipment and dirt for my gardening hobby that make me want that. I'll miss the handling of a sedan. The only beef I have with cars is that the headlight systems are getting brighter and the glare closer to the road is getting worse.

[TexasBushwhacker]

51. I drove small sedans for years

But Houston is notorious for it's pot holes and I switched to small SUVs about 20 years ago to get a bit more ground clearance. Being up a little higher makes me visible to all the big ass trucks and SUVs that everyone else hear drives. We also have a lot of street flooding here and having a couple of extra inches of ground clearance is good for that too.

[zipplewrath]

53. Unfortunately, Europe too

They've been able to put restraints in many ways on the trend in Europe. But I've noticed for years the increasing level of SUV type vehicles in Europe (they are vastly smaller than the US), especially in the suburbs/rural areas. The reasons are varied, but it would be worthy to truly study the influences almost on an anthropological level.

[Adrahil]

54. I'm a fat guy....

I'm driven small cars that are comfortable and big cars that aren't.

Design matters.

[Moostache]

153. Amen...I am "big boned" (my bones weigh at least 250)...

My comfort is largely determined by the design and materials and layouts chosen by the manufacturer...had a GREAT experience with a Mercedes-Benz SLK230 (tiny) and a crappy experience with a Ford Expedition (huge)...the Benz was a little sports car / convertible and while you felt the road in it for sure, it was totally designed to make that acceptable and part of the experience, loved that little thing and cried a little when my daughter drove it with a leaking head gasket, panicked when the red stop engine light came on and drove it 30 miles with the warning flashing to stop...when she did stop, the engine block was cracked and the entire thing scrapped.

The Ford was a boat, handled like a boat and bounced along on potholes and crummy roads enough to make you sea sick! Something about size and motion of the ocean comes to mind perversely....

[Adrahil]

159. Yup. I have had similar experiences. NT

[obamanut2012]

55. Americans love small cars

Kias, smaller Hyundais, Honda Fits, Versas, etc are all over. Almost everyone I know how one of these. I have a Kia, love it -- small, sporty handling, and it sits a little higher than sedans, and I have room for my bike in the back. And no, it is not an SUV.

on edit: I am a tad short, medium frame and weight.

[Kaleva]

56. It probably doesn't play much of a role at all.

Price of gasoline plays the biggest role. If we were paying European prices for gas, we'd be driving less and there'd be many more fuel efficient vehicles on the road.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/221368/gas-prices-around-the-world/

[Marrah_Goodman]

116. If we paid what they pay in europe I would be in trouble

I live on a very low fixed income, I have just enough to get to doctors visits and into town for food. I have nothing left for visiting friends and family.

[Kaleva]

120. On 1158 a month SSDI, a vehicle is just a dream.

I can get rides with family members, use public transportation, walk and use the DAV for transportation to the VA hospital.
for

[Marrah_Goodman]

121. I get a bit less then that

But I live in a really rural area where walking or public transportation is not an option. So I have an older used truck and pay as little as possible for insurance. It sucks, but it would suck more if gas prices went a lot higher. I live in the North east where living in the city is far, far too expensive.

[Kaleva]

122. Yeah, I live out in the boonies too. 45 miles to the nearest town that has a variety of stores.

I can do much of my shopping on line. Interesting though that both of us prove one can live on little. Kudos to you for being able to survive on not much at all. Ever consider a scooter for good weather transportation? I have a Kymco 125 cc scooter. Gets up to 60 and I get about 70 miles to the gallon.

[Marrah_Goodman]

125. That might be something I could think about in the future

Kudos to you too.

[kimbutgar]

57. All over in Italy they drive small cars

And the people are not obese and they walk a lot. The smallest car I have ever seen was in Italy a 1 seater almost like a bike car. They love those small cars in Italy but drive like maniacs.

[Kaleva]

62. Liberty in Naples was exciting. Promise the taxi driver a big tip if he drove like a maniac.

If the Italians had fought WWII like they drive in Naples, we'd all be speaking Italian now.

[kimbutgar]

68. +1

[dembotoz]

60. I see a car as an appliance, much like a fridge

Prefer smaller cars .. currently a Mitsubishi lancer.
Cheap to keep, cheap to run
Just like my fridge.

[Codeine]

63. I drive an old Lancer I bought a decade ago

for $4000. It’s coming up on 250,000 miles and has been a largely stress-free car. It did need a new transmission at one point, and I have to dig under the dash by the gas pedal and shift a very resistant gear/wheel/switch thingie to change from heating to AC, but beyond that it’s been bulletproof.

[Marrah_Goodman]

71. Love my Nissan Frontier

Mid to smaller size pickup. I can haul firewood, take the trash to the dump, tow things when needed, 4 wheel drive, etc. If I lived somewhere more urban I would probably have bought a Prius or something of that sort.

I did graduate HS and I rarely drink.

[icymist]

74. F - U

[Stellar]

75. I'm a 5'9" woman, the average weight for my height...

I've been driving in an SUV since 2001, so when I'm in a car, I feel as though my butt is dragging on the ground and all the trucks, vans and SUVs around me makes me feel as though I'm driving/riding in a hole in the ground, it like being in a subway.

[lambchopp59]

77. I love my SMART car

However I still have my old Pontiac as well, for bigger shopping trips or recreation with the dog.
I bought the SMART primarily for my work commute, and for when I need to take trips to MD appointments in the city where parking is at a premium, but seldom an issue in the SMART. It's efficient, has a great sound system, and anyone I've given a ride in it tends to get over their pre-conceptions about it.
In the heat of summer, the A/C has the cab cool as a cucumber in a minute, compared to bigger cars who are still sweat-boxes struggling to cool down until they've been driven several miles or run through the automatic wash bay.
I plan on retiring in a motorhome in a couple years, travel around the country snowbird-style and see family here and there. That's the best advantage of the SMART car of all: A small trailer will efficiently provide my grocery/notions shopping vehicle when camping at the hot springs and other campsites.

[Raine]

78. Safety plays a bigger role

I don't want to be crushed in some sardine can of a car.

[The Genealogist]

79. I'd prefer a smaller vehicle than the one I have

I have an old Chrysler Pacifica (the SUV, not their new van). Previous to that I had a Taurus, but it was falling apart. Because the Great Recession wrecked my credit, I couldn't buy a car. My option was a well-to-do relative buying a car for me and me making payments to her instead of a bank. She would have no part in paying for anything but an SUV or a van. So, I took what I could. That was six years ago, and I still can't afford a different car. Thus, I am stuck with a big old honkin' SUV. I'd much rather have a smaller car. I never have liked hatch backs, but a small sedan would be my choice.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

80. I am 5'2" and while I weigh more than I'd like, I'm not really obese.

I have always driven small cars and I vastly prefer them to the stupid oversized SUVs that too many people prefer.

My very first car was a '59 VW Bug. Convertible. No gas gauge, but that emergency tank thing. Oh, and it had a manual choke, which was truly wonderful. I could control the gas mix, and never stalled out. I sort of still miss it.

More recently, I drove a 2004 Honda Civic until a month or so ago, and happily replaced it with a 2017 Honda Fit. I'm still in awe at the improvements in technology in the past decade. But more to the point, most people who drive large cars don't actually need them. For one thing, the cargo capacity of a lot of SUVs simply isn't that great. Heck, my Civic had a two, possibly a three body trunk. You laugh, but it's true. It had more space than the trunk of the Accord which was a larger car. Weird, but true.

For me, gas economy and reliability have always been the determining factors in what car I drive. Back when I first started driving, in the mid 1960's, American cars could not begin to compete in either of those two areas. More recently they do, but I am firmly committed to the Japanese cars that are vastly superior in those things. I am not about to suggest that those of you who happily drive something else are doing it wrong, but I will point out that smaller cars, no matter who makes them, are often a better choice.

I can only speak for myself, and I'm shorter than average, but I honestly don't think that the American preference for larger cars has to do with being larger. I think it has to do with brain washing of consumers that larger cars are better larger cars are better larger cars are better. People have been bamboozled into thinking they need a larger car, or that larger cars have more cargo space which often is not the case. Again, my Civic had a two, possibly a three body trunk, and I never ran out of cargo space when going on cross country trips. And I just got back from a half cross country trip in my Fit and had tons of space for my needs.

Actually, the only time cargo space got a bit tight was when on a long road trip in my Infiniti, a G-20 which they sadly no longer make. The first part of the trip was me and my two sons, and after a couple of weeks my husband joined us, and at that point I had to be a lot more efficient in stowing luggage, but there was still sufficient room for all of us and our stuff.

Another point is that I drive a manual transmission. They often have far better acceleration than an automatic transmission, especially in a small car. Oh, and while I'm on that topic, I'm flabbergasted that most people who drive an automatic (and don't get me wrong, I get why people might prefer them) who are completely oblivious to the fact that there is a gear other than Drive. And so they get stuck in slightly crappy road conditions, where if they downshifted (what a novel concept!) they'd get out of that place just fine.

And people don't understand why I continue to drive a stick.

[Squinch]

82. Lots and lots of advertising slogans in these replies.

"Big cars are safer!" (No, they're not!)

"You can't transport anything in a small car!" (Name a small car on the market where you can't fold everything down to make a large cargo space!)

"A big car rides better!" (No, really it just drives sluggish and is totally wasteful!)

My favorite: "I need a big car so I can see over the other big cars!" I envision bigger and bigger cars as people one-up each other until the roads look like something out of doctor seuss.

Here's the deal kids: the planet is dying. You all are helping it on its way.

[wasupaloopa]

110. Nice guilt tripping

[Squinch]

115. Its the simple truth. If it makes someone feel guilty, they probably are.

[wasupaloopa]

117. No it is not. It's your view of it. Nothing more.

[Squinch]

118. Kay.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=121353

[kcr]

136. A bunch of people riding around single use in cars with the seats folded down is somehow better?

I don't like SUV's, but that argument is dumb.

[Squinch]

137. No. But the trend is to get the monster truck or the huge SUV as the family car. The family

car is used for hauling things - it seems the concern is about the ability to haul mulch and firewood - only a small percentage of the time.

My point about that is that the excuses being given for buying the monster truck or huge SUV as the family car are pretty much directly lifted out of advertisements ("You can smugly pull your neighbors cars out of ditches when they drive into them!" "You can haul your yacht back and forth to the beach!" "You can haul all those cords of firewood you need for heating your house in the suburbs that has both oil and gas heating systems!" "You can take that alpine off-roading route to your dentist appointment!" )

Those reasons are also, pretty much, bullshit.

You can haul mulch a couple of times a year, lumber for making 10 foot tall bookshelves, twin mattresses, Christmas trees, minor landscaping equipment, etc, in a Civic. Then you can put the seats back up and it is a perfectly functional car for a small family. I say that from experience. My sister, with a larger family, manages fine with a slightly larger car. You really don't need the monster truck or SUV.

[kcr]

138. Yes, arguing for the daily need for wood hauling in the 'burbs is silly

But we're talking about the trend away from small cars. Arguing that foldable seats make them usable kind of takes away from the whole point of moving to smaller cars in the first place. You might as well let people have cars with more cargo room if it means fewer cars on the road/less car usage. Scale down until you're talking folding seats. Folded seats mean more trips/cars on the road.

[Squinch]

139. I'm not following you. A family car only needs to do that a few times a year. Unless your mulch

buying is a big family togetherness event, it's not an issue that a couple of times a year you fold down the seats and haul your mulch. By yourself or with one companion. For the rest of the year you have a much more efficient and task-appropriate car. I don't see how that makes more cars on the road.

[kcr]

140. How are you not following? No one is talking about mulching.

But small cars have tiny-ass trunks that barely fit a few grocery bags. If you do get groceries for the week along with the kids, got to take them back home and unload before you go get anything else. If you have a dog larger than a pomeranian, guess you aren't ever taking them anywhere along with the family, and certainly not if it's a sedan.

And that's not even talking about having to sit in the back seat if you're tall. My six foot tall teenage son can barely fit in the backseat of our crossover. He had to sit in the back seat of a small car rental once and his knees were under his chin, which can't be safe. We simply could not have a car like that.

[Bengus81]

141. My dad had a first generation Saturn.......

Gripes,at 6 ft I could hardly get in the thing,he was several inches shorter. Hell...for what a car costs to buy and maintain peeps should get what fits their lifestyle and what THEY like.

I still drive a Chevy G20 cargo van around--although I'm retired so about 75% less than I used too. I LOVE it! You set up high,I could probably put a Prius behind the rear seats and I can haul anything I want. Yeah..it only gets about 13-14 mpg on a good day but I drive it alot less.

I also drive a Infinity G35 coupe. Great gas mileage but a trunk you couldn't put a vacuum sweeper in.

[Squinch]

146. So basically you are telling me that the monster truck or SUV is the only possible option if you are

tall or have a dog?

No, all small cars do not have tiny ass trunks that barely fit a few grocery bags. On one shopping trip last month, my Civic's trunk fit 6 large pumpkins, 8 medium ones and about 10 grocery bags. We put the three new boxwood bushes into the back seat in the same trip. And Civics are considered quite small. So what car are you talking about?

This "I must have a huge car" nonsense is not worth any more of my time. I will, once again, let Eugene make my last comment on the subject:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=121353

[EllieBC]

143. The family car also had to change. Car seats.

We are smarter about kids and car seats and as a result, you need a bigger vehicle to keep kids in 5 point haernasses until 5 or so and then a booster until 9. And of course rear facing the super littles until they are at least 2.

There was no way I could do 1 rear facing toddler, a forward facing 4 year old in a 5 point harness, and an 8 year old in a high back booster in a sedan. At least not comfortably.

[Kaleva]

149. Where is your data to support your claim the trend is towards "monster" trucks and "huge" SUVs?

The data I see is the trend is towards crossovers which are small SUV-like bodies built on a car frame.

[Marrah_Goodman]

150. There are plenty of options between tiny and huge

Most cars and suvs I see are mid sized. My truck is medium sized.

[betsuni]

84. American cars have always been big, like enormous ships with fins in the fifties and sixties.

Only when gas is expensive do they want smaller cars.

[nitpicker]

85. Bring back the bench seats!

Even after losing two stones (about 30 pounds), it's still difficult to maneuver past the drive pillar.

Once upon a time, the drive selector was up on the steering wheel.

[crazycatlady]

130. I've only driven one car with the drive selector by the wheel

It was the driver's ed car. When I got home and practiced on my dad's car, I remember commenting on how much I liked the drive selector between the seats so much better. My dad (I only had a permit then so I needed a licensed driver in the car with me) also liked it because he could pull the parking break on me if need be.

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

87. I drove a Mini all over Florida

I actually felt safer in it than my husband’s suv. I avoided many a collision cause the car was so small and spry I could get out of the way of just about anything.

I live in England now, and we have a Honda Civic. We live in the countryside in a small village. The roads are narrow and parking places are tiny. SUVs have become popular, but I watch them struggle to park, and most of the parking garages don’t have enough clearance for them. A smaller car just suits us better and it’s just the two of us.

Oh yeah, and my 6 foot 5 son loved to drive the mini.

[Separation]

88. I doubt very much, but imho I dont quite know much of anything anymore

Im a fairly big guy, 6'4" 250lbs. I drove around a 2000ish Mini Cooper up until a year ago. I've had to switch to a pickem'up truck because I live out in the boonies. We got 3 miles of dirt road just to get to a paved road, then another hour to the closest store.

I never once had any issue with room in that car. But I was the only one normally in it %99 of the time, so I cant attest to passenger or rear seat comfort. Compact cars these days are a little more thought out than design wise than the compact cars of the late 70 & 80's. At least in my opinion.

Then again, I wouldnt be caught dead in the backseat of a compact car. . . because literally the though of being trapped in the back of a small car in a wreck is legitimately one of my life's biggest fears.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

92. Well, having a home and family plays into the size vehicle you buy

We have an SUV because the whole family fit into it. We also need something that can tow a trailer because we haul stuff to the dump when we do home renovations projects. I've got nothing against smaller vehicles, it just doesn't make sense for my life right now. No one is overweight in my family though. That's not a factor for us.

[wasupaloopa]

108. I had a Ford F-150 when I had 20 acres in the boonies and owned horses.

I couldn’t get alpha bales in a small hybrid. I could not pull a horse trailer with one. I could not take our trash to the dump with one either.

So I committed social injustices per some on this thread because I needed a truck.

[fescuerescue]

93. I dunno. I think desire for comfort is something that big and small people desire

The fact is that luxury big cars/trucks are usually much more comfortable than economy small cars.

[MineralMan]

94. They don't, though.

All you have to do is go to the parking lot of any major retail store and look. They do buy small cars, and in large numbers. They may not buy them from Ford, GM or Chrysler, but they buy them in volume, as any inspection of parking areas will show.

Small cars are not as profitable for manufacturers. That is true. They are, however, popular with consumers, for their better fuel economy, ease of parking, low initial price, and other factors.

We don't hate them at all. That is an incorrect statement.

[eppur_se_muova]

96. I test-drove a Toyota Corolla. Couldn't turn the steering wheel without hitting my elbows.

Perfectly comfortable -- and much safer -- in a Camry. I'm "only" 5'8.5".

Really really would not want a truck or SUV. Father and sister both love big cars. Never could understand why (neither is obese, to address the OP, or any taller than I am. Sis is 5'2&quot .

[maxsolomon]

97. Americans hate UGLY, BORING, CHEAPLY MADE cars. well this American does.

but what do I know? I drive a Mini and I'm 6' tall. The Missus is 5'10". It fits fine because the seat lowers, like my VW Scirocco's did in 1978.

[WeekiWater]

101. I don't think this trend is due to obesity.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/199981/us-car-and-truck-sales-since-1951/

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity


I'm not saying it plays no role.

[DBoon]

102. Most americans prefer the luxurious feel of a large car

and are willing to accept the consequences of excessive fossil fuel use, such as worsening global warming and alliances with blood thirsty dictators

Drive a small hybrid or drive a large truck and watch the west burn up in wildfires or Florida sink under the sea? They will stick with the big truck.

Drive a small hybrid or prop us a regime that murders news reporters? Too bad, the reporters need to die so I can drive a living room sofa.

Don't ever tell an american they have a responsibility for the environment or for political justice. Americans believe only in their own comfort.

[wasupaloopa]

107. I need this thread to make a list of all the evil non small car owners do.

It would be a real hit in some spheres.

This is very much like the anti SUV OP's back in the day when gas was around $4 or $5. A Hummer owner was as bad as a baby killer.

[DBoon]

109. From an earlier era...

[mainer]

104. How small is small?

If you mean really really small cars (like VW bugs or Fiats or Hondas), then one reason to avoid those is safety. When all the other cars on the highway are monstrosities, you can get crushed if one of those SUVs hit you.

It's turned into an arms race, as bigger cars with bigger masses threaten the lives of everyone in smaller cars.

I actually find sedans far more comfortable than SUVs.

[Vinca]

105. I love smaller cars. My current one is a Rav4. I can't imagine driving one of those giant,

ocean liner SUVs. Today I was loading my car at the grocery store and I glanced over at what looked like a brand new, bright red, pickup truck. The thing was so high off the ground I would need a stepladder to get into it and so long I'd need an onboard traffic cop to be sure I didn't hit anyone. The Rav is perfect and the seats fold down so I can stuff yard sale antique finds in the back and navigate through mud season without getting stuck.

[cynatnite]

111. Husband is 6'3" and a large framed guy...

He has to practically fold himself up to get into our mid-sized car.

US consumers have always enjoyed large cars even before obesity was a problem in this country.

Not only that, car choice is also based on individual needs. A small car doesn't do you much good if you've got more than one kid you have to haul around. We had larger cars before our children grew up. Gas guzzlers that they were, when it comes to three kids a small car isn't going to cut it.

It's not all about hating smaller cars.

[MineralMan]

124. He'd fit in a KIA soul, no problem.

Front seat or back. It's definitely a small car.

[cynatnite]

129. We test drove one of those...

he really hated it. Plus we needed more space for luggage and whatnot since we do road trips, too.

[wasupaloopa]

114. I drive a Mustang because I like Mustangs. No other reason.

[Initech]

119. I think part of it too is that we are constantly on the go. We never stop.

And a car almost kind of has to be your home away from home. George Carlin had a bit one time about how your home is a place for your stuff. Well your car kind of has to be that, too. And if you are carrying around a bunch of stuff then a compact car is not practical.

[DonCoquixote]

126. Some cars are just engineered better

Take for example, a fita and a Mini, two small cars. The Mini is deigned to where even if you are tall and wide, you can fit comfortably. The Japanese also have talent for making cars that one can fit into. Now, fiats feel like metal coffins, as so some US cars.

[DFW]

142. Living in Europe, I hate BIG cars

I liked my smallish sedan that I was driving before the one I have now. I had ordered the same model when it was time for a new one ten years later. When I saw the thing, I screamed bloody murder at the sales rep. I said that thing is a monstrosity! It's 30% bigger than the last one! He said, yeah, the chassis is way bigger, but it IS the same model, and you said you wanted the same model. I said you MIGHT have told me that at the time. So I am stuck with a bigger car than I wanted, but I'm not going to run out and get ANOTHER new car after just 5 years, so I'll live with my mistake for five ore years, and if I'm still alive then, will check out the chassis size BEFORE I contemplate getting a new one. I guess if it has a really efficient hybrid engine (or even a fully electric one, depending on tech advances by the time I'm in the market for one).

[themaguffin]

144. Two points on this...

The average house size has mushroomed even as families have gotten smaller (in numbers). Many Americans like BIG - whatever it is.

Second, small sedans have lost ground and large sedans are all but done, but the small (sub compact)/hatchback market seems to be doing well enough.

[BannonsLiver]

148. Always interesting the lengths people will go to fat shame

It’s clear the OP has very little to do with cars. A creative way to get at it, I will admit.

[MicaelS]

155. No kidding.

So what if people are obese, that is no one's business except the person who is obese.

[Mosby]

156. are doctors fat shaming when they tell their patients to lose weight?

And if they don't will die from obesity related disease?


According to the National Institutes of Health, obesity and overweight together are the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, close behind tobacco use (3). An estimated 300,000 deaths per year are due to the obesity epidemic (57).

https://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/oehp/obesity/mortality.htm

[BannonsLiver]

157. Is the OP a doctor?

Seems to me they’re using cars to fat shame, which you apparently applaud and approve of. I get it. You don’t like fat people either.

[Mosby]

161. I get your point but I don't think the OP has an agenda

I think the OP was making an observation about his/her experiences. I have no reason not to believe the poster.

For me personally I think it has more to do with marketing and preference. For example, I live near a wealthy area (where I frequently walk my dog) and what I don't see these days are mercs and beemers in the driveways, but lots of tahoes, expeditions, suburbans and sequoias. Rich people have learned to not stand out by driving super expensive cars. I can't even remember the last time I saw an s-class or 700 series.

I know a billionaire, he drives a pickup truck and his wife a lexus.

Of course he has about 5 planes at Scottsdale airpark, including a gulfstream 5 and a learjet.

[get the red out]

152. I loved small cars for most of my life, and am not overweight

Then ended up with sciatica and driving just a few miles to work left me in horrible pain. I tried PT, didn't help much, but I realized that the pain wasn't very bad when I wasn't driving. So I traded in my car (flushed money away), and got a small SUV. It took almost no time for me to be nearly pain free. My back just can't take the same things at 54 that it could when I was younger.

[still_one]

158. Different strokes for different folks. If GM and Ford means be their production to only trucks and

SUVs then they will lose a huge market share to the Japanese and Koreans, who have a very diversified line up. This is what got them in trouble in the 70’s. They over produced gas guzzlers, and when oil went through the roof the were left with a lot of unsold inventory

Are the making the same mistake? We will see, but if GM thinks all electric is the answer that is still years off because the infrastructure isn’t there, except for Tesla

Toyota, Honda, and Korean manufacturers are looking at hybrid, plug in hybrids, fuel cell, all electric, and ICE

Mass transit is the way to go

[pnwmom]

160. You don't have to be obese to have trouble with one of these small cars.

All you have to be is average height and long waisted. No one likes to drive from a position where the view of the road is impeded, as happens in short cars.

But small cars don't have to be designed that way. The now extinct Bug, for example, was good for people who "sat tall." So are some smaller hatchbacks.