Purchase prices of vehicles are increasing, driven in no small part by the higher cost of larger vehicles (trucks and SUVs in particular). A truck or SUV simply

Purchase prices of vehicles are increasing, driven in no small part by the higher cost of larger vehicles (trucks and SUVs in particular). A truck or SUV simply costs more than a car, especially if you're buying used (where trucks hold their value longer for essentially no reason except desirability). Partially driven by the higher costs of purchasing trucks and SUVs, the average American owes more money in car loans with longer terms than before. Cheap pickups aren't a status symbol, but look around and see how many people are actually driving cheap pickups. The number of people out there driving the newest, largest, most expensive truck (and never using the bed for anything 80% of the time) is shocking.