Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 09:06:57 -0500 From: "Walt Kienzle" <wkienzlenopsam.net> Subject: Re: GM to increase SAAB lineup
My belief is that all the SUV's are being bought by people that would be perfectly happy with a large capacity estate/station-wagon model that could haul many children or pull a trailer, or both, if such a vehicle were available at a reasonable cost. But US fuel economy standards impose heavy fines on car manufacturers that make and sell cars that deliver poor fuel economy unless they sell a lot of high fuel economy cars to offset the gas-guzzlers. So they make SUV's that can perform the same function, only less efficiently, and they avoid the fines for low fuel economy because those standards don't apply to trucks. The government classifies SUV's as trucks. Chrysler is just now starting to go against that trend by offering the Pacifica. Its not exactly full size like the old days, but it is spacious and bigger than a typical sedan. Also, not every SUV is designed for rough terrain. Nearly all of the 4 wheel drive models are also available as 2 wheel drive. I wouldn't want to go on anything but rough pavement in a Toyota RAV4 or Honda Passport, particularly the 2 wheel drive versions. Walt Kienzle "Nutmegger" <nutmegger_7717nopsamo.com> wrote in message news:b7e4ls$dh7vh$1nopsam38055.news.dfncis.de... > > "Mark Gerritsma" wrote > > > Because there is a huge market (mainly in the US) for SUV's bought by > > people who will never ever come close to anything that resembles rough > > terrain. > > Yeah, it never ceases to amaze me. > > > Money talks. Thus if you want to sell lots of cars you have to offer > > what people want. If they want SUV's they get SUV's, it's that simple. > > Unfortunately, yes I agree. It makes me wonder about so many Americans > driving around (alone) in these huge SUV's just to look "cool." It isn't > like they even need a use for such. > > >
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