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I can't figure out why vehicles all need to be massive living rooms on wheels. People drive pickups to the office. Laptops must be a heavier load than I remem

I can't figure out why vehicles all need to be massive living rooms on wheels. People drive pickups to the office. Laptops must be a heavier load than I remember. Ford won't even sell anything smaller than a compact SUV in North America. Even discounting electric cars, imagine the environmental savings that could have been made if subcompacts became the norm instead?

samtho 4y ago
> Ford won't even sell anything smaller than a compact SUV in North America. Did they stop selling the focus? It’s among one of the best selling vehicles of all time.
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  Yes. The only cars Ford sells now are the Mustang and the Ford GT. Sales were slipping on the sedans and hatchbacks because the crossovers get good enough fuel efficiency in comparison but are a lot more useful as a daily driver.
toast0 4y ago
> Ford won't even sell anything smaller than a compact SUV in North America. It's easier to meet US fuel efficiency standards with larger cars. There's ramps on the standards, so small cars are disappearing; small trucks are already gone. An 80s s-10 or similar with a regular cab and small engine is low weight, fairly small footprint, decent mpg, etc. A 2020 small truck built in the same footprint, but with a 40 year newer drivetrain would be pretty useful, but nobody will sell those in the US. Yes, you couldn't fit more than two people comfortably and three if you squeeze; yes, you couldn't (or shouldn't) tow anyhthing of stature; but it would be great for people who need an ocassional truck for furniture or dirt or etc, and don't need people carrying capacity. Light pickup truck hybrid could sip gas, and stuff the batteries under the bed for plug-in range, and also keep weight on the rear. Kei trucks look fun too, but hard to import them.
rootusrootus 4y ago
> I can't figure out why vehicles all need to be massive living rooms on wheels. Because we have a free market and that's what people buy. Unless you think you can gain enough political advantage to force people to bend to your will, persuasion is probably the best strategy. The top three vehicles by sales in the US are all light duty trucks, so to a rough approximation the people you need to convince are "everybody."
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  The trucks aren't popular just because of the "free market", but because of abuse of a tax loophole called Section 179. https://www.hotcars.com/heres-how-to-write-off-mercedes-g-wagon-tax-deductible/ https://www.hotcars.com/heres-how-to-write-off-mercedes-g-wa...
  - rootusrootus 4y ago
    That's a big claim. Section 179 only applies if you have a business. Your average suburban neighborhood is filled with light duty trucks owned by regular people.
    - ceejayoz 4y ago
      There are 30+ million small businesses in the USA, and they tend to be concentrated in the wealthier sort that a) live in suburbs and b) drive very expensive vehicles.
      - rootusrootus 4y ago
        So your claim is that every single small business is buying a light duty truck every three years? I'd wager a good number of those small businesses don't make enough to take much of a deduction in any case.
        ceejayoz 4y ago
        No; the claim is that trucks are popular in part due to a tax loophole. It's a distorted market.
dahfizz 4y ago
I have a small, fun to drive car for regular trips. I also have an SUV for when I need it - trips to home depot, camping trips with friends, picking up appliances, etc. Homeowners will need a large vehicle with some regularity. Doubly so if you have kids. For people without the money to have multiple cars laying around, it makes sense to buy the one most useful vehicle - an SUV.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
tekla 4y ago
Its because people need to win the collision game.
germinalphrase 4y ago
I'd bet it would be mighty difficult to unwind decades of auto marketing focused on speed, power, dominance, etc. to convince Americans that subcompacts are anything other than "cute" "practical" "kids" vehicles. I say this as a very satisfied Honda Fit owner.

samtho 4y ago

> Ford won't even sell anything smaller than a compact SUV in North America. Did they stop selling the focus? It’s among one of the best selling vehicles of all time.

rootusrootus 4y ago
Yes. The only cars Ford sells now are the Mustang and the Ford GT. Sales were slipping on the sedans and hatchbacks because the crossovers get good enough fuel efficiency in comparison but are a lot more useful as a daily driver.

toast0 4y ago

> Ford won't even sell anything smaller than a compact SUV in North America. It's easier to meet US fuel efficiency standards with larger cars. There's ramps on the standards, so small cars are disappearing; small trucks are already gone. An 80s s-10 or similar with a regular cab and small engine is low weight, fairly small footprint, decent mpg, etc. A 2020 small truck built in the same footprint, but with a 40 year newer drivetrain would be pretty useful, but nobody will sell those in the US. Yes, you couldn't fit more than two people comfortably and three if you squeeze; yes, you couldn't (or shouldn't) tow anyhthing of stature; but it would be great for people who need an ocassional truck for furniture or dirt or etc, and don't need people carrying capacity. Light pickup truck hybrid could sip gas, and stuff the batteries under the bed for plug-in range, and also keep weight on the rear. Kei trucks look fun too, but hard to import them.

rootusrootus 4y ago

> I can't figure out why vehicles all need to be massive living rooms on wheels. Because we have a free market and that's what people buy. Unless you think you can gain enough political advantage to force people to bend to your will, persuasion is probably the best strategy. The top three vehicles by sales in the US are all light duty trucks, so to a rough approximation the people you need to convince are "everybody."

ceejayoz 4y ago
The trucks aren't popular just because of the "free market", but because of abuse of a tax loophole called Section 179. https://www.hotcars.com/heres-how-to-write-off-mercedes-g-wagon-tax-deductible/ https://www.hotcars.com/heres-how-to-write-off-mercedes-g-wa...
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  That's a big claim. Section 179 only applies if you have a business. Your average suburban neighborhood is filled with light duty trucks owned by regular people.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    There are 30+ million small businesses in the USA, and they tend to be concentrated in the wealthier sort that a) live in suburbs and b) drive very expensive vehicles.
    - rootusrootus 4y ago
      So your claim is that every single small business is buying a light duty truck every three years? I'd wager a good number of those small businesses don't make enough to take much of a deduction in any case.
      - ceejayoz 4y ago
        No; the claim is that trucks are popular in part due to a tax loophole. It's a distorted market.

dahfizz 4y ago

I have a small, fun to drive car for regular trips. I also have an SUV for when I need it - trips to home depot, camping trips with friends, picking up appliances, etc. Homeowners will need a large vehicle with some regularity. Doubly so if you have kids. For people without the money to have multiple cars laying around, it makes sense to buy the one most useful vehicle - an SUV.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

tekla 4y ago

Its because people need to win the collision game.

germinalphrase 4y ago

I'd bet it would be mighty difficult to unwind decades of auto marketing focused on speed, power, dominance, etc. to convince Americans that subcompacts are anything other than "cute" "practical" "kids" vehicles. I say this as a very satisfied Honda Fit owner.