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The SUV Is Dethroned

Posted by kdawson on from the four-dollar-stake-through-the-engine dept.

Wired's Autopia blog documents what we all knew was coming: rising gas prices have killed off the SUV. Auto industry watchers had predicted that the gas guzzlers in the "light truck" category would lose the ascendancy by 2010; no one expected their reign to end in a month, in the spring of 2008. Toyota, GM, Ford, and now Nissan have announced they will scale back truck and SUV production and ramp up that of smaller passenger cars. Of course there will always be a market for this class of vehicle, but its days on the top of the sales charts are done. "'All of our previous assumptions on the full-size pickup truck segment are off the table,' Bob Carter, Toyota division sales chief said last week during a conference call with reporters. Translation — we have no idea how low they'll go."

2 of 1,234 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Good riddance! by Stooshie · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ... And, yes, in USA the distances are further ...

    Just to be pedantic, distances are exactly the same in the US. A metre is a metre (well, a meter at least) but it's the same distance.

    I think what you meant to say is:

    ... And, yes, in USA the distance between towns is further ...
    --
    America, Home of the Brave. ... .and the Squaw.
  2. Re:Cable TV by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 0, Redundant

    And, when push comes to shove on the highway, we will survive while the Civic drive bites the dust. Too many hot rod kids out there driving like assholes. I plan to walk away from the head-on.


    Actually, when you look at the actual death rates on the highway, you're more likely to die in an SUV than a Civic. Because a) they're not maneuverable, b) their truck construction means they're actually not that safe in a crash (minivans are much safer) and c) people drive them like they're invulnerable.

    SUVs aren't safe. They just make you feel like you're safe.