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The US is all about Big and Powerful, and the last 20 years of SUV marketing did the job, too, so small cars simply don't sell. But lest my fellow Europeans fe
by jwr 4y ago
The US is all about Big and Powerful, and the last 20 years of SUV marketing did the job, too, so small cars simply don't sell.
But lest my fellow Europeans feel smug and superior: the same thing has been happening in the EU. What is being marketed is mostly SUVs and in lower-income countries (like Poland) they have become the "prestige" car to get as a result. And if you want to get an electric which isn't tiny and isn't an SUV either, you don't have a choice. There is no reasonable electric BMW 3 Touring.
- djvdq 4y agoFunny thing. I'm from Poland and never heard that having SUV is any "prestige". It's a car like any other.
- jwr 4y agoOh, marketing really pushes the "prestige" line and you can clearly see people buying overly large cars just to show off how wealthy they are. It's a thing. We don't think this way, being rational human beings, but most people really do.
- CalRobert 4y agoAdvertising is a funny thing. In the US Stella Artois is portrayed as classy.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- jefurii 4y ago> The US is all about Big and Powerful Many Americans have a fundamental psychological insecurity that they try to hide by driving large vehicles.
- bitcuration 4y agoBigger cars are actually safer in accidents. Not just cowboys, soccer Mom favoring big SUV is practically paying life insurance by paying the cost of gas. My guess is this is more true in rural areas.
- dubswithus 4y agoDriving a car with >= 200 horsepower is fun as hell. Performance is one of the main reasons that Tesla stans are into the brand. Generally, people buy smaller cars because they can't afford larger ones.
- jefurii 4y agoI'm sure it is. But lots of people buy smaller cars because they're at least slightly better for the environment, or they just realize people generally don't need bigger cars.
- dismantlethesun 4y agoPeople buy smaller cars because fuel is expensive, and repairs for the most popular small cars are cheaper since material costs predominate. In the US, fuel is inexpensive due to a lack of fuel taxes, food and other house home goods are sold in large containers leading to a cost savings if you can buy them and your big car can transport them, and labor is relatively expensive so repair costs flatten out when comparing car models. Lastly roads are huge so no one feels a pinch driving a big SUV. That’s basically it, the economics of the US make it reasonable to drive a big car.
- kkfx 4y agoMh, I'm European, I have two "SUV", I see USA vehicles in USA, yes they tend to be bigger but not that much these days, we are not in the '60s anymore, that's not size the real difference but engines: USA engines are terrible, big in physical size/weight, far less powerful than EU one for their size and consumption. That's the substantial difference. A 4 liter Jeep can easy be towed by a 2 liter EU engine, one against the other, that's the point. Perhaps cheaper oil prices and lack of environmental regulations have made the industry far less interested in expensive engine research preferring just aesthetics and optional on board.
- jwr 4y ago> vehicles in USA, yes they tend to be bigger but not that much these days Hmm? A recent Ford F-150 won't fit in any parking space you can find in the EU.