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Different countries would have different symbols/signals, a Land Rover aka a Chelsea Tractor/Wagon is definitely an upper middle class symbol in the UK, but not
by dogma1138 5y ago
Different countries would have different symbols/signals, a Land Rover aka a Chelsea Tractor/Wagon is definitely an upper middle class symbol in the UK, but not necessarily everywhere else.
In other countries with either lower income or lower income to car price ratio due to import taxes and road taxes on vehicles I can definitely see a Toyota possibility being a middle class symbol.
The Honda Accord was one in the late 90’s and early 2000’s in quite a few places around the world so the Camry which is quite comparable to the Accord might have been just that too.
Also the Land Cruiser might fill the same niche as the Land Rover does in some places (especially in countries where Land Rover doesn’t have good market penetration or it’s priced way above what the middle class can afford), whilst not a premium SUV per say it too shabby and it ain’t cheap the 5 door version is around £60K in the UK…
And regardless of price of the car the Prius was very popular with the middle class and upper middle class in its early years when it served essentially as an easy virtue signaling for many. At least until plenty of other hybrids/plug-in hybrids came out and ofc Teslas…
Now the Prius is pretty much relegated to Uber and Co. and even that would shift soon enough to full on EV’s at least until governments around the word would start taxing EV charging to compensate for drop in income from fuel duties.
- chrisseaton 5y agoA Toyota Camry is just about the most basic boring utilitarian working class car I can imagine in US culture. See all the other comments.
- dogma1138 5y agoI don’t disagree but not everyone lives in the US/UK/Germany tho… I would say that in say Romania or Poland circa 2007 owning a new Camry would definitely make you an upper middle class, owning a Volvo or a BMW Series 5 would you make you quite rich…
- davchana 5y agoYes, Camry used to an official car for government ministers in India till recent, replacing Ambassador cars, and now getting replaced by Prado or Pajero.
- dogma1138 5y agoYep I don’t think people understand that what might be considered a “housekeeper car” in the US can be a luxury around the world even in relatively developed places like Europe and parts of Asia… What costs $30K in the US can easily cost double as many countries levy high taxes on imported vehicles and that while $30K in the US puts you near the bottom it’s upper middle class salary in many places around the world still. The average gross wages across many EU members are still below what a new Camry costs… Looking at hey.car a 2019 Camry Executive with 33K km on it goes for €30K in Germany… The Camry isn’t available in Greece but the Prius Plug-in is and it starts at €40K. Considering that the average yearly gross income in Greece in 2020 was just under €17K even owning a new Yaris might make you middle class…
- davchana 5y agoYes, agreed. The first car I bought in 2013, in India was a 30k kilometers, 2009 model year VW Polo. In today's dollars, it was about $6000. Most mid class or smaller SUVs, local or locally assembled (like Toyota or Ford) are around 10-15k dollars, brand new. Interestingly, the Ford I bought in US was made & assembled in India..