https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/06/the-steadily-disappearing-american-car.html
So, the conventional wisdom is that people are foregoing US cars and flocking to US trucks because they don't care about fuel consumption, like sitting higher, and because newer trucks are more comfortable.
Conventional wisdom misses several important factors:
Perceived Safety: If you look at actual crash test data, there is a huge disparity between heavier and lighter vehicles in both death and injury rates for occupants. And the most dangerous accidents are those involving the largest disparity between the weight of the vehicle you are in and objects you may encounter. Obviously, the heavier the vehicle you drive, the less likely it is that you will become involved in an accident with a much heavier vehicle. Moreover, about half of all accidents are classified as single vehicle accidents, and in these accidents the mass of the vehicle in comparison to some stationary object is a major factor in protecting occupants. People know this, even though available composite ratings don’t fully bear this out.
Of course, larger heavier vehicles are more difficult to drive safely, but because most people view accidents as acts of God, they ignore this.
Durability: As our roads are allowed to deteriorate, trucks are better able to withstand the stresses of poor road conditions. In the area where I live, the pavement quality is rated as "deficient" by the state of Virginia on two thirds of the roads. (I think that is far too generous.) And if forced to commute into DC, the roads there are worse. I own a truck because I go into DC from time to time (and to get me moving in the event it snows because our local governments can’t be bothered to learn snow removal techniques).
Crappy US Cars: US car manufacturers have never truly embraced making small, functional, efficient vehicles. Back in the 1990s I used to say that if I ran a US car company, I would make a Camry every bit as good as the one Toyota makes. Obviously, with a four year development cycle, this car would be behind the times by the time it hit the showrooms, but at least a US company would prove they could make something like this. And until very recently, everything the US car companies thought was competitive with BMW was a joke.
Power: Many of us experienced powerful heavy vehicles in the past and liked them. Moreover, US car companies spent decades seeking to sell size and power in order to entice consumers to buy larger more profitable vehicles. Accordingly, there are lots of people in the US who like the feel of a large heavy vehicle that accelerates rapidly. Heavy powerful trucks still feel this way, but because of the fuel economy standards applicable to cars, they generally don’t.
So, the conventional wisdom is that people are foregoing US cars and flocking to US trucks because they don't care about fuel consumption, like sitting higher, and because newer trucks are more comfortable.
Conventional wisdom misses several important factors:
Perceived Safety: If you look at actual crash test data, there is a huge disparity between heavier and lighter vehicles in both death and injury rates for occupants. And the most dangerous accidents are those involving the largest disparity between the weight of the vehicle you are in and objects you may encounter. Obviously, the heavier the vehicle you drive, the less likely it is that you will become involved in an accident with a much heavier vehicle. Moreover, about half of all accidents are classified as single vehicle accidents, and in these accidents the mass of the vehicle in comparison to some stationary object is a major factor in protecting occupants. People know this, even though available composite ratings don’t fully bear this out.
Of course, larger heavier vehicles are more difficult to drive safely, but because most people view accidents as acts of God, they ignore this.
Durability: As our roads are allowed to deteriorate, trucks are better able to withstand the stresses of poor road conditions. In the area where I live, the pavement quality is rated as "deficient" by the state of Virginia on two thirds of the roads. (I think that is far too generous.) And if forced to commute into DC, the roads there are worse. I own a truck because I go into DC from time to time (and to get me moving in the event it snows because our local governments can’t be bothered to learn snow removal techniques).
Crappy US Cars: US car manufacturers have never truly embraced making small, functional, efficient vehicles. Back in the 1990s I used to say that if I ran a US car company, I would make a Camry every bit as good as the one Toyota makes. Obviously, with a four year development cycle, this car would be behind the times by the time it hit the showrooms, but at least a US company would prove they could make something like this. And until very recently, everything the US car companies thought was competitive with BMW was a joke.
Power: Many of us experienced powerful heavy vehicles in the past and liked them. Moreover, US car companies spent decades seeking to sell size and power in order to entice consumers to buy larger more profitable vehicles. Accordingly, there are lots of people in the US who like the feel of a large heavy vehicle that accelerates rapidly. Heavy powerful trucks still feel this way, but because of the fuel economy standards applicable to cars, they generally don’t.
