It seems like car manufacturers are not using the term SUV any more. They are using things like "multi-purpose vehicle" and stuff like that. Are they recognizing that SUV may be a term that customers are considering to mean "large vehicle that sucks fuel" vs something useful? I think the first time it kind of struck me odd was the hummer and hummer 3 commercials. I'm not saying thats what an SUV is, but it may be what people are starting to think of them. Anyone else notice this, or am I just not seeing the right comercials.
I can't answer on the commercial, but maybe people are wising up. If you need a larger people hauler, why not a lower FWD CUV or minivan? If you need a thing hauler, get a truck when it's needed? I hope people take this a step further when they look at these things.... do I need 4WD? am I going off-road, esp if the rims are nearly as big as the wheels? do I need a five-seater that does not have that much additional room than a Civic or Prius and needs about three times as much gas? Why does a "cool" or bold look have to have a 0.50 cd?
I’ve noticed the difference in commercials, but I think it is just a different way of marketing the vehicle. I do think people are thinking about what they drive, but in the end you buy what you want or can for various different reasons.
I think this is exactly true for far too many people. I've been talking with a coworker about cars/trucks/SUVs over the past year or so and she often comments about what expensive monster she would buy if she could afford it and never talks about what she needs. Judging by her title, the Infinity Qsomething she bought new a few years back has to have cost her 2/3 of a year's income plus whatever interest she paid on it and now she's paying through the nose for gas too. She still talks about gas guzzling monstrosities as desirable even knowing that I often get 100+MPG on my commute and have a lifetime total cost per mile of about 12 cents. A month or three ago, we saw each other on the highway and I downshifted to demonstrate what a small but efficient car can do and she was impressed but went right back to her old theme within a few days. Chisight '00 Red 4453 AC MIMA 120K miles 81.3LMPG
Chisight, Welcome to CleanMPG! The only difference in what I drive is it's silver, has "only" 110K on the odometer and is unmodified. Doesn't this sound like addiction? So many salespeople will try to hook you on a product before mentioning price. Your co-worker like many other people is telling herself that some optional things are "needs". You are neighbors to Wayne - right now he is over 2000 miles on a tank of gas in Oklahoma!
At the early part of this year I noticed a reduction in the promotion of horsepower and other performance features. In their place were huge promotions of mile per gallon. To me, the switch seemed almost over night. For example, those commercials for the Maxima where they are flying through the streets at ridiculous speeds were replaced with someone simply talking about the car and in the background was the MPG rating.
