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Funny thing about most of the arguments for big vehicles: it can all be done with more sensible and fuel efficient minivans. The average minivan also has more cargo/people space than some of the biggest SUV's. But minivans aren't cool. Therefore, insecure soccer moms and city-trapped yuppies pretending they can do things and go places they probably never will, had to hi-jack the SUV market and make them uncool as well. One more thing, in my world 2.50 a gallon gas is by no means cheap, and gas coming from the middle east doesn't really qualify as plentiful. When gas was 4 dollars a gallon, those freakishly large SUV's couldn't be given away, and that will most likely happen again. Enjoy them while you can.
Not that my truck wouldn't have been totalled in a wreck like that, but I've got alot more vehicle behind me and in front of me than the guy in this video had.
Americans spend more time i their cars than most coutn ries. They alos travel more i the8ir cars. Americans alos juts have always had bigger cars and trucks than other natins.Its liie saying why do european like small cramped cars;well one thingthey pay more ofr gasoline and they travel more by train just for starts.Vst difference i american and other lifestyles. Ever see the average european or japnese house?
Funny thing about most of the arguments for big vehicles: it can all be done with more sensible and fuel efficient minivans . . .
I've noticed people breezily overestimate the fuel economy of your average minivan. So with that in mind, I decided to put your claim to the test, and here's what I found.
The top 5 selling SUVs are:
Toyota CR-V: 197,279 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy 22mpg.
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute: 167,350 unites old in 2008; combined fuel economy 20mpg.
Toyota RAV-4: 137,020 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy 21mpg.
Toyota Highlander: 104,661 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy 19mpg.
Honda Pilot: 96,746 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy 18mpg.
The top 5 selling minivans are:
Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country: 242,332 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy rating 20mpg.
Honda Odyssey: 135,493 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy rating 20mpg.
Toyota Sienna: 115,944 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy rating 19mpg.
Kia Sedona/Hyundai Entourage: 35,385 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy rating 18mpg.
Mazda5: 22,025 units sold in 2008; combined fuel economy rating 24mpg.
Since I don't have sales figures on how many units were 4-cylinder vs. 6-cylinder, 2WD vs. AWD, etc., I made the following assumptions: all SUV buyers bought the least fuel-efficient model available and all minivan buyers bought the most fuel-efficient model available. And even with these assumptions very heavily favoring minivans in terms of fuel economy, if you run the quick numbers you'll find the average fuel economy rating for the top 5 selling minivans is only .2 mpg higher than the top 5 selling SUVs (20.2 mpg v. 20.0 mpg). But if you do a weighted average based on 2008 sales volume, you'll find the fleet average fuel economy for the SUVs is 20.33 mpg versus 19.82mpg for the minivans. Again, this is comparing the least fuel-efficient versions of the SUVs against the most fuel-efficient versions of the minivans, and the SUVs still get a better fleet-average fuel economy.
And with that I hope we can dispense with the assumption that SUVs are just gas-hog versions of minivans.
^You are comparing small SUV's to minivans which have twice the cargo space and two more people spaces than those small SUV's. In terms of size, a better comparison to a minivan would be something like a Yukon or Expedtion, which minivans handily beat in the fuel economy department. Not only that, but the space in a minivan is much more usable, and the thing drives and rides like a nice smooth car to boot.
^You are comparing small SUV's to minivans which have twice the cargo space and two more people spaces than those small SUV's. In terms of size, a better comparison to a minivan would be something like a Yukon or Expedtion, which minivans handily beat in the fuel economy department. Not only that, but the space in a minivan is much more usable, and the thing drives and rides like a nice smooth car to boot.
First of all, the Highlander and the Pilot are not small SUVs. Secondly, I'm responding to the implied and oft-repeated/accepted notion that SUV buyers could have their needs met more fuel-efficiently with a minivan. But the data shows that's not the case. Not every SUV buyer needs all the cargo room that a minivan can theoretically be configured for (or maybe they just don't want to have to fuss with removing seats to get that capacity?), and they're not suffering any loss of fuel economy for choosing an SUV over a minivan.
I think most of you Americans are just flat out ignorant. Why drive these big cars? I also for some apparent reason see more woman drive these gas guzzling vehicles than men women. I see most men driving hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius. I guess men are smarter than women, and women truly are a bane in society, but that is another story. Oh well at least I know I enjoy driving my hybrid and I am driving a much better car than most of you ignorant Americans driving Suva's around.
I think most of you Americans are just flat out ignorant. Why drive these big cars? I also for some apparent reason see more woman drive these gas guzzling vehicles than men women. I see most men driving hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius. I guess men are smarter than women, and women truly are a bane in society, but that is another story. Oh well at least I know I enjoy driving my hybrid and I am driving a much better car than most of you ignorant Americans driving Suva's around.
This American Woman wouldn't be caught dead in a POS Pruis. Enjoy your ride!
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