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Paris is saying ‘non’ to a US-style hellscape of supersized cars – and so should the rest of Europe
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2023
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Yeah the shit's out of control in the US. People don't need goddamn huge cars.
Europe used to laugh at American big cars, but recently the cars on our roads get bigger and bigger too :-(
Yeah I am glad at least that a number of countries are taking measures to de-car city centers. They're a blight. Especially these big stupid SUVs.
Biggest misnomer in the Auto industry. They are neither sporty nor utilitarian.
They are essentially a rebranding of minivans. Minivans were seen as soccer mom vehicles, but were incredibly practical. So they rebranded them to SUVs, raising the height, reducing cargo space, increasing blind spots, and over all making them less functional, but they sell much better.
Yeah, it’s “mom car creep.” First sedans were mom cars, then station wagons, followed by minivans. Somehow the stupid huge SUVs are avoiding the stigma so far.
Also, the Tesla model X is literally a minivan, not an SUV. I know that’s off topic but I had to say it. :-)
Unpopular opinion, but I want station wagons to come back. They were a super useful car that didn't look too bad.
Seconded. Wagons were the shit
My primary exposure to station wagons is the organ trail, a zombie parody of the oregon trail. And that car got me to oregon!
I had a VW Passat wagon that I loved, so I won't disagree.
Best car I ever drove was a Toyota Sienna. Would have driven around the whole world with it
I was about to say that you could still buy an Outback but it looks like they morphed them into SUVs. 😒
Except minivans are at least good at the one thing they're made for, hauling people and their stuff. SUVs try to do everything, so they do everything badly.
SUVs don't really try to do anything good except being tall sedans...
Minivans actually sold really well. And apparently the most searched-for car on automobile websites is still "Honda Odyssey."
My understanding is that car companies started pushing SUVs over minivans due to threading loopholes in CAFE rules or import tariffs. Minivans get classified as "big cars" while SUVs can get classified as "small trucks." It seems like these loopholes are being abused and should be closed but the car companies lobby to keep them open.
They have, but it's still nothing compared to the US. I drive a Nissan Qashqai. It's quite a big car in The Netherlands. There are bigger of course (like the big Volvo XC 70 and 90) but I'm definitely on the bigher size on the road. But my car would be tiny in the US. It would be like driving an old Fiat 500 over here.
Oh, I am sure American cars are even bigger, but that does not mean we should like the trend.
They just stripped the light freight classification for trucks for private persons over here. Sales dropped by half.
People will look me dead in the face and tell me they need the SUV because the kids have hockey practice, I wouldn't understand. As if my dad didn't take me to hockey practice in a Toyota Terecel.
My leaf and my neighbors 90s pickup are more than enough for all of the rural farm shit we need them for so city folk really got no fuckin excuse
Unfortunately, the US Environmental Protection Agency (emphasis on mental) has rules in place regarding emissions per unit length of vehicle which effectively penalize manufacturers who make small vehicles.
Well we cant be bothered with actually changing rules and laws to change things and potentially make rich people change how they make money so we just have to keep pandering to fascists and swift fans for votes
Worse is those who don't know how to drive them. I hear all the time ohh that massive vehicle is like any other car. New money seems to be most of who buy huge vehicles in US. Got to show off in front of the poor people...actual remember news it is a metric of how the economy is doing. As old money buy affordable and reliable.
There's a lot of Americans that have been bamboozled by the auto industry. Canadians and Mexicans too. Big American trucks are a status symbol in a lot of Mexico. It just shows how effective advertising can be. Basically they are selling a kind of identity or self-image.