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I wonder how far it will go. Or will Americans just complain but keep paying for fuel and their life style trucks at any cost?
The thing is that good alternatives aren't ever sold in the USA. There's a pretty big gap between utilitarian vehicles and fuel sipping compact cars. Before 2008 people were buying Hummers. Then in 2008 the Smart Car started to sell like pancakes. But then then people went right back to the utilitarian style of vehicles when the economy went back up. It wasn't until 2011 that the Prius v was offered, a vehicle that bridges the gap between a roomy SUV and a tiny compact grocery getter. I guess there was the VW diesel Golf Sport Wagen, but we know what ended up happening with that.
The thing is people are sold into "if it looks bigger it must be better". Take the RAV4 and Camry for an example. With the same options, the RAV4 is only about 60lbs heavier. It has less leg room than the Camry. If you put a net in the rear so your groceries don't become deadly projectiles in an accident it also has the same cargo capacity. Yet it costs more and gets worse fuel mileage. There is the RAV4 Prime, but the Camry would get even better fuel mileage if there were a Camry Prime. Also, last time I looked the RAV4 only got a 4 star crash rating with the NHTSA and didn't make the IIHS's Top Safety Pick, whereas the Camry got a perfect 5 star rating and made the Top Safety Pick Plus category.
What I would like is a Camry Prime wagon or similar option. But I'm the only American (or possibly Earth inhabitant) who does.
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