Why Americans love big cars 

This is our third of five videos on design trends and systems in travel! Check out last week’s episode on how the American rail system went from one of the largest and wealthiest in the world to ... Amtrak: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-von_IMi97-w.html And join us next week when Christophe is back on the channel to explain the skyscraper-sized boats known as cruise ships.

The dilemma is people buy big cars for safety from people driving big cars. it's a vicious cycle.

When your goal is to reduce emissions but instead you end up making things way worse by encouriging everyone to replace sedans/small cars with SUV and trucks..

I hear a lot of people say they buy SUVs/trucks because they like to be able to "see further ahead" or what have you. Except now that everybody is doing that, thereby the view from up there is now blocked further. Ironically, nowadays I can see a good 3-4 cars ahead of me when driving my Fiero by looking *under* the cars ahead of me.

I was really shocked when I went to NYC the first time. 80% of the cars were big suvs and trucks like Suburbans and Escalades. The rest were normal sedans. I almost saw zero compact cars. Meanwhile in Europe you see compact cars everywhere.

As a German I can tell you: Never underestimate the questionable influence of the automotive industry lobbyists on policy and legislation.

The regulation that means bigger vehicles get less strict emissions is wild

As a dual US-EU citizen (US born/raised with French parents) I'm always impressed by the size difference between both countries. I grew up with a Jetta and Golf in the garage 😂 Here in Colorado we have a ton of SUVs. Really the only people who need those vehicles are those in the construction industry or who recreate deep in the mountains and need a 4WD vehicle to access rough dirt roads. Those categories are easy to spot with the latter having lifted bodies, winches and tow hooks, maxtraks etc, and 90% of SUVs in Denver don't fit either category. Some people claim you need a big car to drive in the snow but after driving a Subaru Impreza and manual Fiat 500 I feel they are lying or don't know how to drive... winter tires are way more important than car size. Sad to see so many of these models go, the Impreza is thankfully still around and unrivaled as an AWD compact car.

When she spoke about driving in a small car and not being able to see anything, that resonates with me so much! I even find the grocery store parking lot dangerous because, in my small car, I’m surrounded by huge SUVs and have to use extreme caution when pulling out of spaces to make sure no one plows into me. And don’t get me started on highway driving-I have to be so much more defensive because these SUVs have blind spots which drivers seem oblivious to. I think that feeling of “safety” makes SUV drivers more reckless. Also, I have always preferred the handling and fuel efficiency of a car. Whenever I have a rental car these days, it’s usually an SUV and I hate the way they feel. My car hugs the road and of course it’s much easier to squeeze into limited parking spaces in the city. I really hope cars aren’t completely phased out!

As a European, it was interesting seeing most of the cars you listed as discontinued are still on sale and getting new models on our side of the pond

Americans: why is the price of gas so high? Also Americans: I drive a car bigger then some actual tanks.

I really had no idea how big American SUVs and trucks were until I saw one in person here in Japan. Unnecessarily big, super inefficient and I'm sure, very costly. I thought the popularity of SUVs in Japan was getting out of hand but most of the SUVs here will be considered compact SUVs or crossovers in the US. I personally drive a Honda HR-V which is a compact SUV and is a hybrid. Fuel efficient and super practical without being 'big'. Really no point going larger unless you're transporting groups of people on the daily.

I love my sedan. The ease of sliding into a parking space without the need for adjustments. Navigating a roundabout and effortlessly overtaking trucks and SUVs is is something I like doing.

I am often told by people who love their giant trucks that i can just go buy a small car if I prefer, but it is increasingly frustrating that manufacturers literally are discontinuing those models.

The irony of safety in big trucks is that while you’re better protected in a lot of crashes, you’re at a bigger risk of getting into a crash, given the longer braking distances and poor handling compared to sedans.

people buy bigger cars to be safe from the increasingly bigger cars without realize they’re the ones making cars bigger and unsafer

Love those Mk4 Jetta wagon TDIs. Great fuel economy and usable space. Couple upgrades and they're pretty fun to drive, too.

I can understand car companies starting to make SUVs because the emissions regulation didn't apply to them yet, but as the video says, the reason for that was vehicles of that size were mainly used on farms and construction sites. Once everyday consumers began driving SUVs, the regulations really should have been updated.

The first thing I noticed moving from Japan to the US was the size of vehicles all around. I could probably fit 2 or 3 kei cars into the back of an F-150.

I can totally relate to the feeling of not being able to see ahead of you or around you because you're surrounded by SUVs. I drive a hatchback and I experience the same thing here in Australia. I love my hatchback and don't see the appeal of SUVs; they are too big, they handle poorly and they can roll over super easily when hit in the rear. No thanks.

I love how people say SUVs are “safer” when the opposite is actually the case. It’s basic physics. If you have a taller car you’re more likely to be prone to accidents.

NotJustBikes made an amazing video on the rise of SUVs and trucks. Also this is practically a vehicular arms race that puts anyone not in an SUV at risk…

A manual station wagon that is also a diesel? She's a true car enthusiast.

Did you know: "jaywalking" is a term created by the automobile industry to claim more space from streets and space from pedestrians.

This explains my recent car buying experience last year. I tried to find a hatchback a domestic hatch at that), and found that almost no one makes them anymore sadly. The hatchback was great for me for loading and unloading a wheelchair.

I used to ask my Mom this all the time as a kid, why opt for such a large (and often, much more expensive) SUV when you can just get a nice sedan like an Accord or Avalon. Her answer was always something along the lines of bigger vehicles making her feel safer. My father would joke that she just wanted to feel more dominant by having a "larger road presence"

I studied in the US and nearly got run over multiple times because drivers either refused to yield or could not see me. Some cars like the Escalade or some F150s were so big that their hoods were neck-highish, and I’m 5’10. Ironically, they were driven mostly by either old or short people.

I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND WATCHING NOT JUST BIKES'S VIDEO ABOUT SUVS AND PICKUPS!!!!!

8:33 The size of new pickup trucks/SUVs are ridiculous. The hood is so high, it obstructs a lot of frontal view. Then all it becomes is an arms race to see who can buy the biggest/heaviest vehicle.

It's becoming a trend in the UK too. Estate cars are going out of fashion for larger, heavier, more inefficient SUVs and crossovers that give the illusion of extra room inside. The extra weight also means smaller cars are more unsafe if they collide with these SUVs

The number of SUVs is rising in Europe as well. But the reduced parking space in cities and higher fuel cost ist probably slowing it down

I have a honda fit and a silverado 1500. I love them both. I do my hvac side jobs and haul all my camping stuff with my truck and daily drive my fit. What i dont understand is all the people who buy pickups to drive around in the city and never use them.

I've never been more proud to see a mk4 Jetta wagon then now

I live in Florida. Quite recently, a car behind mine, a sedan, got rear-ended by a RAM truck. The momentum was so much that the sedan barely missed my car by an inch or so. To no surprise, unfortunately, the sedan became a hatchback, and the RAM just had its front bumper deformed, and a relatively minor dent to the hood. I'm glad no one was injured. This was at speeds of 10-15 mph. Sure, trucks are safe, but JUST FOR YOU. Once everyone owns a truck they'll want something bigger because damages will be proportionate.

As someone from Ireland it was such a culture shock to see such large vehicles.

Thank you for categorizing the Subaru Outback as SUV and not a wagon. It had ceased to exist as a wagon over a whole decade ago. And love your VW with a manual transmission!

Loved this video! :D

Her wagon has more cargo space than most crossovers and SUVs, according to US News and World Report. Most people who claim they buy SUVs "for the space" would be better off with a wagon or a minivan if they really need cargo/people capacity.

The "small" trucks we have now are actually quite large and the opposite of what we're trying to achieve with emissions, it's wild.

Pickup trucks are very rare in my county (Latvia) and whenever I see one, it looks comically large compared to everything else. Unfortunately, we are getting more and more SUVs here as well

I have a 2001 F250 and 2006 E150 for heavy duty jobs while my 1997 Camry being my daily gas saving car, but I then shifted to the SUV section because the mayors office and public works have not resurfaced our roads in years. Big potholes and flooding became a problem for my Camry. I have a 2016 and 2022 CX-5, but I still prefer the older Japanese cars especially the JDMs as they are much cheaper and easier to maintain compared to the newer models with so much electrical components on-board. I'm currently fixing up my Camry as it having issues.

As a person and car enthusiast who prefers to drive really small, low riding cars, I feel really jaded now that as a consumer I don't have many options anymore. There's less and less choices by the day. When I was a kid, there were lots of new cars I would have been excited to buy. Now, as an adult, there is not a single affordable car in the US market that appeals to me. It's extremely depressing.

It’s worth noting that none of these small cars have been discontinued, they’re only no longer sold in the US and Canada. If they wanted to they could bring back small cars but until then, people like me will have few options for compact efficient cars.

That was very interesting and informative. The same things is happening on my country, Brazil, although I don’t know the reason since we don’t have the same legislation. A bunch of car makers are abandoning the compact cars and only offering SUVs or expensive sedans, which is a shame because it leaves the consumer with less affordable options. Even the VW Gol, a classic that was the face of the Brazilian car industry for something like 4 decades was discontinued.

Fellow VW Golf/Jetta Wagon driver here. Makes so much more sense over suvs.

The sad truth is that most pedastrian deaths by SUVs are parents driving over their own children. You just can't see anything right in front or behind you in an SUV

A while back, I saw an F-150 get rolled over by a smaller sedan. Wasn't a head on collision, but the F-150 was T-boned at 45 miles an hour, and it was something out of fast and furious the way it flipped and spun. Guess that's what happens when you have a higher center of gravity.

I used to drive that exact VW Jetta hatchback. I ultimately traded it for a Toyota Tacoma for construction work. I’ve since left that business and have an office job. The Tacoma now has 250k miles on it and it’s now my daily driver outfitted to be an adventure offroad capable rig. I still think about that VW Jetta. Small zippy 4cyl cars are fun and I plan on getting an MX5 in the future. Small cars can be super fun to drive but the functionality of bigger SUVs/pickups is something no sedan can replicate.

My wife's car is a big SUV, and she loves it. I'm OK riding in it, but I hate having to drive it. Compared to my sporty compact car, it is slow, thirsty, and horribly clumsy because of the high center of gravity. A big station wagon would have been much better, but no none makes those any more.

I'm glad this topic has finally made it to the mainstream.

Great Video!

My husband and I have one car that we share. Until recently we had no car because we rarely drove. We bike and use public transit to get almost everywhere we need to go. The only place we need to drive is into the mountains for camping, hiking, mountain biking, skiing etc. In these situations a car with 4 wheel drive is essential and if it has clearance, even better. We actually had a Honda Civic for years that just sat there because I didn't feel comfortable driving it in the mountains, especially during the heavy snow we frequently get in Salt Lake City. So for us, it totally makes sense to own a light truck. It doesn't get the best fuel economy but we also just don't drive that often. Maybe it's because I live in a bubble but I have noticed a lot of my friends making a similar decision, even with kids. They share one vehicle, it's a "light truck" or crossover with 4 wheel drive for bike inaccessible places and they use e-bikes or regular bikes to go everywhere else. I admit that those of us mountain-types in Utah readily point and laugh at people who own trucks or SUVs that are not built for the mountains. Did you know that they make rear wheel drive trucks? They make SUVs and trucks without 4 wheel drive too! It will become very apparent when you are trying to drive a vehicle that only looks like its made for the mountains in the wrong conditions. I have seen countless cars, some very expensive and new looking get stuck in the snow or dirt, while I cruise by in my old but very capable car. Once a guy pulled up next to me in the parking lot. He had this really nice looking Bronco that was hoisted 5 feet off the ground on custom suspension. I overheard his relief that he made it up the canyon and admitted to his friend that it didn't have 4 wheel drive so after all that expense, not to mention the rollover risk, it's not mountain ready. Typically these people are from California, and we sure do like to make fun of people who drive cars like this from California. It always puzzled me why anyone would buy a big heavy car without 4 wheel drive but this video has certainly answered that question! The answer still doesn't make sense but at least I have an answer now.

The trend has creeped into India where we have smaller roads... Resulting in already contested roads getting more congested

I love the new teeny-tiny Microlino electric cars coming out that are inspired by the Isetta. I would LOVE to have one to zip around my small US city, but the threat of getting smashed up by a giant truck scares me. SUV drivers may *feel* safer, but in reality, they are making the streets more dangerous for themselves and for everyone else too.

This is why I bought a subcompact crossover. I can still see, even though it's shorter than most compact cars so it's still very easily parkable.

@1:42 that Subaru is more actually a stationwagen, not an SUV, just an FYI. But yes, your point still stands on big cars lol

The CAFE standards sort of backfired completely in this regard. The tiny pickups of the 80's and 90's like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, while more fuel efficient because their size, can't fully meet both the standards and the requirements of a functional truck. So, what do automakers do? Make them bigger with WORSE mileage just to meet the rules.

I appreciate this focus on policies affecting car dependency and its impact on climate, safety, and what choices we have (and don't have) in our built environments. I work as an urban planner, and it's clear that there is increasing pressure to design cities to be yet more hostile to pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users as well as city finances in order to accommodate large vehicle traffic. That said, I think work like this has really supported a lot of policy support for de-emphasizing auto-oriented design and making our cities more human-centric. As an example, Oregon recently sharply reduced the amount of off-street parking (some) cities can mandate, and the largest cities (e.g. Portland, Bend, and Salem) simply opted to remove mandates altogether. I don't think that would have been possible without policy communicators like Vox.

Nice video - I agree that policy definitely influences the trend towards larger vehicles. I think another important factor is that trucks and SUVs are more profitable for automotive companies, so they have a financial incentive to build more of them.

These big cars not only waste more recources to build and drive. They also damage the streets more.

Because car companies convinced people to buy bigger cars. We are in an arms race.

The US government is failing us by not changing the categorization of passenger cars to include trucks and SUVs. And the auto industry money going into lobbying politicians is awful for our prospects of changing it.

Same here in Australia and the UK, people go for SUVs and pickup trucks over sedans.

I bought my car Skoda Citigo specially because it was compact. I’ve been in several situations where having a small car has made manoeuvring easier

As an Italian, we have a lot of very narrow streets in a lot of medium/small cities (like the one I grow in) for “historical reason” let’s say (I know it’s putting it to simple but stay with me) so I grow with the mentality that smaller car are better for finding parking spots and are easier to drive, consume less, less breaking distance cuz they are lighter etc etc so tbh for me its interesting to see how America instead have this gigantic cars for apparently no reason tbh 😅

when my french exchange sister came over to the states she said one of the most shocking things were single individuals driving in an SUV every single day while not really ever hauling anything or any other people

My 2001 Lexus LS 430 was a big car for its time but feels small in 2023.

I’m Korean and many people really love a so big car even road is so small and busy!

this is very important step to reverse the un-walkability in USA.

I miss the mini trucks from the 80s and 90s. Even the new "small" trucks are not much smaller than their full sized counterparts and really are not much cheaper. The whole point of a mini truck was fuel efficiency and affordability. I miss the cheap basic cars.

Informative

It's funny how almost every big cars or pickup trucks I've encountered all drive recklessly like they owned the road. I always wonder why.

My big issue is pulling out of parking spaces. Sure, there is the rear camera, and sometimes you have collision sensors, but I have to be halfway in the middle of the parking lot before I can see past the truck next to me and start to turn the wheel.

This is such a well researched video. I love how they pointed out the difference between traditional SUV and the more modern crossover SUV.

Her tdi jetta is sick.. we se so little of them over here in eu.. i had a b7 a4 1.9tdi, sold it at 400k km, and its still going strong

I like that at 3:27 the example of a sedan, in a video about American cars, is a Soviet GAZ-24 Volga :)

I never have bought into the idea that a larger vehicle is safer. I've always preferred smaller, more nimble handling vehicles and that's actually saved me in a couple instances where I could maneuver quickly out of a bad situation. My current vehicle is a Nissan Juke, which to me is just a slightly larger hatchback with reasonable ground clearance. It feels plenty large to me, yet I'm dwarfed by those Emotional Support Vehicles that so many people seem to desire.

That’s why I kinda take pride in exclusively driving small hatchbacks and coupes

Seeing that VW Bora (A Car I see regularly here in Germany) in relation to American Cars really puts it into perspective for me how huge those American Cars actually are.

I immigrated from the UK to the US in 1975, engineering position. My first auto was a new Chrysler Cordoba, off the lot, $3,250. Those were the days!!

After needing a larger vehicle to fit four car seats simultaneously for our young children, the ford transit (basically a sprinter van), was the way to go. Full size vans can hold more passengers, more cargo, and can even tow/haul pretty good. Plus, vans have short noses, so you can actually see things in front of you to an extent.

There’s SUVs and there’s raised sedans. SUVs are big and have space, raised sedans look big but have less space than a sedan.

The funny thing is a wagon from the seventies is most likely larger than a modern SUV😂

Any European who goes to the US is always amazed by the size of cars. They are stupidly big. I remember standing in front of one and the bonnet/hood was higher than my head. And I'm 5' 10''

1:04 A manual wagon...respect!

I was driving a Chevy Blazer LONG before it was cool for soccer moms to drive SUV's. Only men had trucks and SUVs and women had cars and vans.

My BMW 3 series feels absolutely tiny compared to most SUV, and as a result SUV headlights are always shining right in my face

It’s so weird looking as a New Zealander, because like our best selling cars are all big, but most of the owners live in the countryside. Most people in central cities don’t use them.

12 yards long, 2 lanes wide, 65 tons of American Pride! Canyonero! Canyonero!

at 3:27 the old soviet car "Volga" and fuel consumption is about 6,7 gallon on 100 miles.

That was really great. And the irony is for those who think they are safer, they are actually less safe to be in, in the event of an accident. For example, extensive testing the EU found that they are much more likely to overturn in the event of a collision. I much, much prefer driving a normal saloon ( or wagon ) car. And much better fuel economy also which is great :). This was a really great report. I hope you enjoyed your holiday !

This is especially a problem in my home state of Texas, where there's 3 SUVs and 4 full sized pickups for every single passenger car. The truck owners here also have a nasty habit of lifting their already massive pickup trucks. This has also coincided with the rise in pedestrian deaths and car accidents being less survivable. This giant car trend has gotten out of hand and it has to stop!

As a Rhode Islander, it’s surprising that RI was the last holdout for suv dominance- I feel like the streets have been full of larger and larger vehicles for a long time. Such a recognizable problem, but no one wants it to be a problem because it makes them more money 😡

The thing that kinda upsets me as well is that I choose to go the route of a half ton truck because all diesels have been phased out in the passenger vehicle area

It makes me feel a bit better knowing that the roads in Europe are way narrower.

As someone who drives a Volkswagen Beetle like the one at 5:50 as a daily driver, I have to say I love small cars a lot more than I do SUVs. They are WAY cheaper to buy, more economical (I only spend $20.00 a week on gas), and they are so much more fun to drive. And yet, they are still quite comfortable inside. I feel more comfortable in my Beetle than I do in my Outlander. If a car is well designed, size doesn't matter that much. But since it's a small car, you also pay more attention to your surroundings because you can see much better than in an SUV. I had my driver's license for 4 years but I hated driving SUVs because they were so big. It was the VW Beetle A5 that got me out of that fear because of how easy it was to drive. But man, it hurts that they are not being done anymore. And same for the station wagons. You should seriously consider a small car. They are pretty good.

This is really a shame. I love my tiny '98 Toyota Tacoma. I use the bed for hauling, I take it offroad, it's done some occasional towing. People have been convinced you need a huge truck to do these things, but my old beater gets good milage and does great. Whenever it finally breaks down for good, I'm scared I won't be able to find anything like it.

UK here and my mums always prefer's SUVs now because she can see over other SUV's on roundabouts and stuff like that. Basically a cycle of everyone needs SUVs now because they are the standard size vehicle and anything smaller, you are at a disadvantage.

Great Video Vox. Very intresting. I didn't understand the Length and Width calculation for Foot Print get weaker rules. This is so interesting. What rules get weaker ? Also what is American Regulation Standard that I can look up on the details ?

Why didn't the government just require proof that you actually needed the trucks? If they were intended to only be used for industrial purposes anyways, this seems like an obvious solution. It's mind boggling that this was allowed so early on into their manufacturing. Now we're here.