If only this was true. As the linked article notes, the large quantity of traffic violations per vehicle model may have more to do with the type of person who is drawn to a particular model than with any negative characteristic of the vehicle itself.
All those self-involved Hummer drivers will still be on the road creating hazards, albeit in slightly less obnoxious cars. Unfortunately, now they’ll be less conspicuous and, thus, more difficult to identify and avoid. (They’ll also be harder to mock. In my part of the world, the mountains southeast of Sacramento, mocking Hummer drivers is considered great fun.)
I doubt this has a lot to say about SUVs in general. The Hummer (at least the H2 and H3 models) was not only a badge of entitled jerkdom, it was a lousy SUV. By all accounts it had worse mileage, carrying capacity, off-road capability and comfort than other vehicles in its class. So you had to be particularly intent on broadcasting your personal and policy preferences. Most other SUVs impose a far lower cost for doing this.
And the self-involved rich jerkwad market seems to have moved on to the “crossover” hightop station wagon category.
As Jim Bradsher suggested in ‘High and Mighty’ the large SUV is evolving towards the CUV/ Crossover vehicle. More car like in its construction, drivability and features.
Looking at target demographic, European estate (station wagon) cars are getting popular again, and I can see a return of the station wagon in American life. Ford actually makes some quite good ones (in Europe).
We will still have SUVs (consider those not particularly environmentally friendly Lexus Hybrids) but the ‘super SUV’ class is probably dead, unless gas prices go low and stay low.
The pickup, the people mover and the station wagon together seem to fill the main demographics that drive SUVs. The SUV is really a derivative of the 4WD offroader (Jeep, Land Rover etc.) and that will remain a durable market segment.
For Hummer to stick around, they really would have had to drive the diesel angle, and that did not conform with US EPA restrictions especially in California. Even now, the diesels being introduced to the US that do meet that standard, have an unknown reliability record- they are based on European designs but the standard met is tougher.
No coincidence, I think, that the peak Ford Explorer year was 1998, the year that gas prices dropped to their 1950s low.
“…but it will also make the roads safer.”
If only this was true. As the linked article notes, the large quantity of traffic violations per vehicle model may have more to do with the type of person who is drawn to a particular model than with any negative characteristic of the vehicle itself.
All those self-involved Hummer drivers will still be on the road creating hazards, albeit in slightly less obnoxious cars. Unfortunately, now they’ll be less conspicuous and, thus, more difficult to identify and avoid. (They’ll also be harder to mock. In my part of the world, the mountains southeast of Sacramento, mocking Hummer drivers is considered great fun.)
I doubt this has a lot to say about SUVs in general. The Hummer (at least the H2 and H3 models) was not only a badge of entitled jerkdom, it was a lousy SUV. By all accounts it had worse mileage, carrying capacity, off-road capability and comfort than other vehicles in its class. So you had to be particularly intent on broadcasting your personal and policy preferences. Most other SUVs impose a far lower cost for doing this.
And the self-involved rich jerkwad market seems to have moved on to the “crossover” hightop station wagon category.
As Jim Bradsher suggested in ‘High and Mighty’ the large SUV is evolving towards the CUV/ Crossover vehicle. More car like in its construction, drivability and features.
Looking at target demographic, European estate (station wagon) cars are getting popular again, and I can see a return of the station wagon in American life. Ford actually makes some quite good ones (in Europe).
We will still have SUVs (consider those not particularly environmentally friendly Lexus Hybrids) but the ‘super SUV’ class is probably dead, unless gas prices go low and stay low.
The pickup, the people mover and the station wagon together seem to fill the main demographics that drive SUVs. The SUV is really a derivative of the 4WD offroader (Jeep, Land Rover etc.) and that will remain a durable market segment.
For Hummer to stick around, they really would have had to drive the diesel angle, and that did not conform with US EPA restrictions especially in California. Even now, the diesels being introduced to the US that do meet that standard, have an unknown reliability record- they are based on European designs but the standard met is tougher.
No coincidence, I think, that the peak Ford Explorer year was 1998, the year that gas prices dropped to their 1950s low.