All the best cars come from Japan according to UK survey

[Sulu]

Originally Posted by Bakemono

Station wagons have a stigma of not being, "cool". Its kind of the same thing with minivans.
SUVs are a status symbol. Its a sign that you are successful and SUVs make a person feel bigger and more powerful.
Id have no problem driving a hatchback. I couldnt care less if anyone thinks my car is cool. For me, its all about having a vehicle that gets me where I want to go in comfort and that gets the highest possible gas milage with the least possible number of breakdowns/repairs.
Last year, my brother and his wife were looking to replace her '00 Lincoln LS with something that was more fuel-efficient (the LS only gets about 23-25 mpg) and had a little more room inside. They have a black Lab and when they take long trips, with the dog and their luggage and a cooler and what not; it gets little crowded in the LS, so they usually end up taking my brother's Ford Super. The SD only gets about 14 mpg (its got a 6.8L V10 under the hood), so the fuel bill gets a little crazy on long trips.
Anyways, she really liked the Edge, but it was going to cost them something like $600 a month for 7 years. Granted, the Edge had a lot of cool features. It has the panoramic glass roof, AWD, Sirius and power everything; but come on!
I told them they could buy a used Ford Freestyle or Toyota Highlander for way less than that, but they didnt like that idea. They said the Freestyle was too plain and they wont buy a Toyota because its foreign (yet they will buy an Edge thats made in Mexico ).
They ended up just keeping the LS.

Ah, the Freestyle and the Gen1 Highlander: probably the best examples of modern station wagons that I can think of. I have a good friend who bought a rare used 4-cylinder Highlander. (The 4-cylinder Highlanders are very, very rare here in Canada.) He was not somebody who would buy a SUV, and through discussion about his decision, we decided that he bought it because it was the only example of a station wagon that he could find.

I like the Freestyle, and I was hoping that the Gen2 Highlander would have turned out more like the Freestyle, instead of being more aggressively SUVish, as it did turn out. I don't understand how Ford failed with the Freestyle. Instead of trying to market the Freestyle, they went and produced the Flex. If Ford could not sell the Freestyle, will it be able to sell the Flex?

I think SUVs also cater to an insecurity that Americans have: SUVs (and big personal use pickup trucks) make them feel powerful in a "threatening" world.

I am venturing off topic, now, am I not?

[ECHOKnight2000]

Originally Posted by Sulu

I think SUVs also cater to an insecurity that Americans have: SUVs (and big personal use pickup trucks) make them feel powerful in a "threatening" world.

I am venturing off topic, now, am I not?

Yes but lets keep going

I agree. Its an insecurity that most Americans, not all have. Things are changing. Also it goes back to that marketing of you have to have a tank to not only keep you "safe" but also have room to carry two bags of groceries so you have enough space.

I find it amazing that most American's don't understand efficiency of space. Meaning they are dumb founded that a car such as a Yaris or even Corolla has "space." Now I'm not saying those cars are for everyone but the point is we have been ingrained in our minds you need a bus to haul around 2 kids and some stuff. Oh and the big one is they "target" the kids in that they say you would want to keep your kids safe so buy a huge SUV. Naturally that's soft spot for parents in the market for a car. Nothing wrong in keeping your kids safe but don't do it all blind hope.

Okay I'm making generalizations but they are true. We have this false sense of security when in reality SUVs create bigger blind spots. Takes longer to stop (weight), harder to maneuver in an emergency situation than a car. Yes its relative to what type of vehicle but for the most part its true. Now if you need an SUV and actually use it, good for you. But as we all know that's rarely the case. Now i'm not saying everyone should buy Yaris sized cars, I'm just saying we have this false sense of getting more than we need and hanging on to that mentality. Hence why cars have gotten bigger. Nothing wrong if you need a big car but I question if you get it to get it just cause they tell you need a big car when in reality you don't. Obviously cars aren't perfect or the end all be all but they are just as capable.

Okay now we can get back to our regular program. End of rant.

[RAV4EVR]

Originally Posted by ECHOKnight2000

Yes but lets keep going

I agree. Its an insecurity that most Americans, not all have. Things are changing. Also it goes back to that marketing of you have to have a tank to not only keep you "safe" but also have room to carry two bags of groceries so you have enough space.

I find it amazing that most American's don't understand efficiency of space. Meaning they are dumb founded that a car such as a Yaris or even Corolla has "space." Now I'm not saying those cars are for everyone but the point is we have been ingrained in our minds you need a bus to haul around 2 kids and some stuff. Oh and the big one is they "target" the kids in that they say you would want to keep your kids safe so buy a huge SUV. Naturally that's soft spot for parents in the market for a car. Nothing wrong in keeping your kids safe but don't do it all blind hope.

Okay I'm making generalizations but they are true. We have this false sense of security when in reality SUVs create bigger blind spots. Takes longer to stop (weight), harder to maneuver in an emergency situation than a car. Yes its relative to what type of vehicle but for the most part its true. Now if you need an SUV and actually use it, good for you. But as we all know that's rarely the case. Now i'm not saying everyone should buy Yaris sized cars, I'm just saying we have this false sense of getting more than we need and hanging on to that mentality. Hence why cars have gotten bigger. Nothing wrong if you need a big car but I question if you get it to get it just cause they tell you need a big car when in reality you don't. Obviously cars aren't perfect or the end all be all but they are just as capable.

Okay now we can get back to our regular program. End of rant.

We are going to smaller cars.. yet the world is moving towards bigger cars.. i.e.. China etc..etc...

[blacken]

Originally Posted by RAV4EVR

We are going to smaller cars.. yet the world is moving towards bigger cars.. i.e.. China etc..etc...

well their economy is going up so they can afford to get bigger and bigger
ours is going down
so ours is going smaller and smaller.
=P

the day i see houston riding around in more small cars than big-ol stupid trucks
i know gas has gotten to expensive
even with prices this high
more SUVs and trucks on the road that cars currently
slowly the cars are taking over
eventually we will all be riding around in tiny little IQ's =P

[ECHOKnight2000]

Yep, I'm well aware of the changing market but I was generally pointing out what may be the case regarding bigger cars and perception.

China I just read is tight on gas supply and also they are raising gas prices there so maybe that will help slow down the demand as it has in the U.S. and stabilize the prices for awhile at least. Yes its a shock that its gone up but the real shock is more so to do with the short amount of time it went up so we didn't have a chance to really adjust. yes I know it was creeping up to 3.00 a gallon but up to 4.00 it was quicker so its an economic blow to everyone.