SUVs suck......now even the Americans think so.

[stephendare]

sadly, only the Japanese thought about it beforehand.....

Americans turn away from SUVs

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1bbdfe8e-1083-11dc-96d3-000b5df10621,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F1bbdfe8e-1083-11dc-96d3-000b5df10621.html&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F

Published: June 1 2007 22:32 | Last updated: June 1 2007 22:32

Americans are turning away from gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles, luxury cars and pick-up trucks in favour of smaller, more fuel-efficient models, judging by May sales figures.

The trend has given a boost to Toyota, which reported record sales last month, up 14 per cent from a year earlier.

[jbm32206]

This happens every time the gas prices start to soar. Too bad it's not because they're actually taking the enviroment into consideration...

[tufsu1]

People are still driving SUVs in droves....the good thing is they are smaller and more fuel efficient

[Lunican]

A lot of SUV's now are built on car platforms instead of truck chassis. Basically a tall sedan.

[ricker]

It is impressive how FORD reinvented itself with the a few acquisitions of which Volvo was one of the most mutually beneficial. FORD harvested safety tech and the swedes regained a modular expansion.

Many "FORDS" are simply reskinned Volvos on modified floorpans, i.e. the S40 and S60, XC90, XC60 lend themselves nicely to the edge, explorer, focus, new new Taurus, Lincolns new line of tall wagons and large midsize sedans.

A ford Escape is no less a Mazda Tribute than a late 1980s chevy Nova bastardized the moniker by truly wearing poorly textured plastic over a toyota corolla hatchback.

This is nothing new. The Chevy PRIZM was also a Toyota Corolla.

A modern midsize Rover SUV shares many dimensions with a current Ford Explorer, as does the new fleet of Jaguars sharing unseen similarities with Fords soon to be unveiled.

Other brands are just as guilty.  GM subsidized Saab and now builts taut rigid wagons badged as caddys that crash far better than a Cadillaccavalier uh I mean Cimmaron of the 1980s.

Honda needed an SUV and Isuzu needed a minivan so a joint venture created the Oasis and the Passport.

Isuzu needed a reliable pickup to replace their aged generation of small trucks and so now we have the Hombre, a rebadged chevy s10.

Acura desperately wanted a slice of the booming SUV market so they took a Isuzu trooper and called it an Acura. This was perhaps one of the worst things that brand has ever done to themselves due to the fact that that the IIHS and NHSTB and Consumer Reports REPEATEDLY tested the ability to safely complete an emergency evasive lanechange (WITH OUTRIGGERS ATTACHED!) and it lifted three wheels almost EVERY TIME!

Mercedes builds their R class wagons on an S class frame

BMW builds the X# mini-ute from the 3 series

the new 3 crossover is all car underneathe

the new 3 is built on a modified 5 series frame and floorpan.

Chrysler cars share components with Wranglers.

The RAV 4 is shares so many components with camry, corolla and avalons

The highlander is a car underneathe

Platform sharing and building world cars is the way manufacturers build what the designers create without involving the accounting department too intensely and avoid  shortchanging you on the supple feel of your suede headliner or you leather wrapped heated steering wheel or that high performance drivetrain that might be shared with what might be under the hood of the person in the lane next to you

[tufsu1]

It is impressive how FORD reinvented itself with the a few acquisitions of which Volvo was one of the most mutually beneficial. FORD harvested safety tech and the swedes regained a modular expansion.

Many "FORDS" are simply reskinned Volvos on modified floorpans, i.e. the S40 and S60, XC90, XC60 lend themselves nicely to the edge, explorer, focus, new new Taurus, Lincolns new line of tall wagons and large midsize sedans.

A ford Escape is no less a Mazda Tribute than a late 1980s chevy Nova bastardized the moniker by truly wearing poorly textured plastic over a toyota corolla hatchback.

this was true...but Ford unloaded Volvo, Jaguar, Astpn Martin, Land Rover, and Mazda about 5 years ago....that's why they were flush with cash and didn't need a bailout like GM and Chrysler.

The new Escape is not a Mazda...and the new Fusion/Focus are not related to Volvo...the only holdover is the Lincoln MKS and Ford Taurus, which are loosely built on Volvo S80 architecture

[ricker]

Well the focus is not a Vauxhall and the dimensions are so close to a Volvo c30.
AND
IF not related to the p3 platform, is the mazda baby-ute ties to a v40?
Even the New Mazda 6 is most definitely sharing its underpinnings with the latest Volvo s60.

[mbwright]

much harder to find a truck based SUV, that really can go off road.  Jeep Cherokee, Ford Explorer, Range Rover and many others not what they once were.

[tufsu1]

Well the focus is not a Vauxhall and the dimensions are so close to a Volvo c30.
AND
IF not related to the p3 platform, is the mazda baby-ute ties to a v40?
Even the New Mazda 6 is most definitely sharing its underpinnings with the latest Volvo s60.

sorry but no...I drive a C30 which Volvo just discontinued....they also discontinued the S40 after 2012....and the new S60 and new Mazda 6 share nothing in common

[Overstreet]

Maybe but many of the folks at work are driving new trucks and new truck based SUVs.  Smaller more fuel effecient does not have the same towing capacity.   Buy a vehicle that fits your needs.

[duvaldude08]

My first SUV/Crossover was the ford edge. Absolutely loved and got great gas mileage considering its a rather lrage vechile. It was a v-6 with a 3.5 liter engine, which isnt bad. I just traded it in for 2012 Escape. Escape's a little smaller, and also has a smaller engine and gas tank. I love this vehicle as well. I actually vowed never to go back to a regular sedan. Being that Im a tall guy (6'3") most normal vehicle lacks the leg room I need, and are to low too the ground. Hey, to each its own

[kbhanson3]

This happens every time the gas prices start to soar. Too bad it's not because they're actually taking the enviroment into consideration...

Does the motivation really matter?  No one seems to think that gas prices will ever drop significantly.  So even if the primary motivation for people choosing more fuel efficient vehicles is economics rather than environmental, the result is the same.  My wife and I both recently made the move from SUV's to an electric and a hybrid compact.  Our motivation was primarily to cut the gas bill, but reducing our carbon footprint was also part of the decision.  If that makes us morally inferior to the environmental purist, we can live with that.

[coredumped]

I don't get all the hate for people who drive pickups or SUVs. If YOU don't want to drive one, then don't!
Besides, I occasionally have to tow my boat, what should I do? Get another vehicle? Sure, most people with these vehicles don't need them, but if it's what they prefer then so be it. People spend a lot of money on luxury cars, good for them, it's not for me - but you won't see me calling them dumb for doing what makes them happy.

[kbhanson3]

^I think it has something to do with that climate change thing and a growing public awareness that something needs to be done....

[Tony B]

They should redirect all of the energy they spend bitching whining use it to pack up and move to Portland where they can drink lattes and use light rail. But then what would they have to be smug about?

My partner has a Toyota 4Runner I think it may be as close to the perfect vehicle as has ever been created. I love it. Great car for vacations. Will tow 5,000lbs.  Tons of room. Great ride. If I didn't love muscle cars I'd get one too.

I don't get all the hate for people who drive pickups or SUVs. If YOU don't want to drive one, then don't!
Besides, I occasionally have to tow my boat, what should I do? Get another vehicle? Sure, most people with these vehicles don't need them, but if it's what they prefer then so be it. People spend a lot of money on luxury cars, good for them, it's not for me - but you won't see me calling them dumb for doing what makes them happy.