I really liked the “That’s Quite Interesting to Mo Rocca” on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Here are some quotes:
“SUVs: They are big, they are bold and they consume ungodly amounts of fuel. In short, they embody America.”
“Now you may say, yes the car is an improvement over the horse, but why must it be so big? Well for one thing, Americans need their space. Just ask the Indians.”
“Yes the SUV is dangerous and environmentally irresponsible. But what other vehicle has the high torque 4-wheel drive essential for dropping the kids off, delivering the laundry or picking up prescriptions. Soon everyone will have an SUV, making roads obsolete and saving millions of dollars in highway costs. Besides, smaller, fuel-efficient cars are terribly unsafe, especially if you are hit by an SUV.”
Kidding aside, I think a lot of people who have SUVs do not really need them. However, need is not exactly the most important factor in most people’s decisions. For example, I like roadsters and will buy one if I can afford it. Regarding fuel-efficiency standards (CAFE), I believe the present requirements distort the automobile market. Either there should be no CAFE standards or they should be applicable on all vehicles including SUVs and light trucks.
