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I know two couples who both started out with small efficient cars. And then had to upgrade because they could not fit a stroller in the back. It feels like ca

by 7952 4y ago

I know two couples who both started out with small efficient cars. And then had to upgrade because they could not fit a stroller in the back. It feels like car companies just want to have skews that are intentionally compromised to push people into the next tier. When most people just need a compact sedan.

lotsofpulp 4y ago
Yet most people who can afford to, choose to buy larger vehicles than they need. Car manufacturers are not shaping people’s desires, they are simply delivering them what they want. A Corolla/civic continues to be available for purchase. Yet people want to sit higher up, so you see the vast increase in sales for RAV4/CRV. https://www.statista.com/statistics/276506/change-in-us-car-demand-by-vehicle-type/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/276506/change-in-us-car-...
- WorldMaker 4y ago
  The corolla/civic buyers seem to be on a longer planning horizon than the RAV4/CRV buyers. It's tough to compare sales apples to sales oranges when new car buyers on average buy sedans on 10-15 year schedules and SUVs on roughly 5 year schedules. That planning horizon differential alone is enough to explain why car manufacturers would be greater incentivized to iterate on SUVs faster than sedans and include more features. Iteration and feature differentials will contribute as much to sales choices as "sit higher up" will, acting as a reinforcement in the cycle/spiral towards larger vehicles. Car manufacturers aren't incentivized enough to lengthen their own planning horizons or otherwise better accommodate "sensible" sedan drivers, and it becomes very easy to pretend they don't exist and chase the short-term profits of the faster cycle time (especially when pushed by quarterly-earnings focused shareholders).
LAC-Tech 4y ago
I can fit a stroller in the back of my subcompact. Granted I'm not able to go grocery shopping at the same time..
- throwaway0a5e 4y ago
  You're also not able to visibly broadcast that you're "doing parenting right" to all the other rich parents when you drop your crotch-fruit off at summer camp and that's the key feature that a hell of a lot of people are buying for.
  - LAC-Tech 4y ago
    LOL I do not live in an area that's nearly as fancy as what you're describing
fy20 4y ago
My Prius can fit a large stroller and still have room for shopping in the trunk. As much hate as it gets, it's actually surprisingly roomy inside. Under the trunk floor there's a removable compartment that I use to store a 100pc tool kit, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and spare washer fluid. And under there is even more space. People who do LPG conversions store the tank there, so no loss of trunk space. On road trips, my wife and I would fold down the rear seats and sleep in the back. I'm 183cm (6ft) and there is plenty of space. You can fit 2.4m lengths of wood if you need trips to the hardware store. I guess full plywood sheets would need the hatch open, but there wouldn't be much overhang. A year or so ago I tried a RAV4 and it felt much smaller inside. In the rear seats I felt much more squashed.

by 7952 4y ago

lotsofpulp 4y ago

Yet most people who can afford to, choose to buy larger vehicles than they need. Car manufacturers are not shaping people’s desires, they are simply delivering them what they want. A Corolla/civic continues to be available for purchase. Yet people want to sit higher up, so you see the vast increase in sales for RAV4/CRV. https://www.statista.com/statistics/276506/change-in-us-car-demand-by-vehicle-type/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/276506/change-in-us-car-...

WorldMaker 4y ago
The corolla/civic buyers seem to be on a longer planning horizon than the RAV4/CRV buyers. It's tough to compare sales apples to sales oranges when new car buyers on average buy sedans on 10-15 year schedules and SUVs on roughly 5 year schedules. That planning horizon differential alone is enough to explain why car manufacturers would be greater incentivized to iterate on SUVs faster than sedans and include more features. Iteration and feature differentials will contribute as much to sales choices as "sit higher up" will, acting as a reinforcement in the cycle/spiral towards larger vehicles. Car manufacturers aren't incentivized enough to lengthen their own planning horizons or otherwise better accommodate "sensible" sedan drivers, and it becomes very easy to pretend they don't exist and chase the short-term profits of the faster cycle time (especially when pushed by quarterly-earnings focused shareholders).

LAC-Tech 4y ago

I can fit a stroller in the back of my subcompact. Granted I'm not able to go grocery shopping at the same time..

throwaway0a5e 4y ago
You're also not able to visibly broadcast that you're "doing parenting right" to all the other rich parents when you drop your crotch-fruit off at summer camp and that's the key feature that a hell of a lot of people are buying for.
- LAC-Tech 4y ago
  LOL I do not live in an area that's nearly as fancy as what you're describing

fy20 4y ago

My Prius can fit a large stroller and still have room for shopping in the trunk. As much hate as it gets, it's actually surprisingly roomy inside. Under the trunk floor there's a removable compartment that I use to store a 100pc tool kit, first aid kit, fire extinguisher and spare washer fluid. And under there is even more space. People who do LPG conversions store the tank there, so no loss of trunk space. On road trips, my wife and I would fold down the rear seats and sleep in the back. I'm 183cm (6ft) and there is plenty of space. You can fit 2.4m lengths of wood if you need trips to the hardware store. I guess full plywood sheets would need the hatch open, but there wouldn't be much overhang. A year or so ago I tried a RAV4 and it felt much smaller inside. In the rear seats I felt much more squashed.