86% see need for more 35+ mpg cars
 

U.S. Consumers Frustration Grows with Lack of Fuel Efficient Car Choices
...and:
U.S. ?stuck in reverse? on fuel economy
It's what everyone here already knows, lives, and breathes ... so to speak. They even think so in Michigan.

But of course, as they always do, the automakers' CEOs will whine and dine congress, and feed them the rhetoric they'll use to convince their constiduents that "it jus ain't good fer 'merika."
Big 3 face heat in D.C. over global warming

This is the part that bugs me. Why does Europe get all the "good" cars.

Much of that 86% probably can't afford new cars, and therefore have to settle with those inefficient vehicles that can commonly be obtained 2nd hand. Those wealthy enough to buy new generally don't have fuel economy as their main concern.

It comes as no surprise that fuel efficient, reliable vehicles like Toyotas and Hondas retain their value better. There is huge demand for them on the 2nd hand market.

Standing there pumping gas into their cars where they probably took the poll. ;)

Another one from the Stuck in Reverse article:
And you wonder why detroit can't stop driving their companies into the ground? Hint: Their top execs have a price, and it isn't paid in their salaries or sales bonuses.

Hidden Info
 

What the article doesn't say is if the 86% is willing to drive the cars themselves. They probably want everyone else to, "for the benefit of the environment".

Probably how the survey went:

Surveyor:

"Do you think there should be more cars available to buy that offer an EPA highway rating of greater than 35 miles per gallon?"

Respondent:

"Sure, yeah -- that sounds like a good idea"...all the while thinking to themselves, "I'm not trading in my Jeep Commander HEMI on one, though".

RH77

I"ll have to call BS on this. The buyers actions speak louder than words. I think the poll must of been conducted from people when they were leaving An inconvience truth. Top 10 best selling cars only 2 had highway epa above 35 MPG last year. 53.6% were pickups 17.6% have EPA highway above 35. I think the general though is that if it get 30 MPG Highway that's great mileage:(

https://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2...t_sellers.html

First, price drops do speak loudly to consmers, even to those of us who think of ourselves as skinflints and iconoclasts. There are 2 kinds of people: those who put people into 2 categories and those who don't. :D

It's also well known that marketing research only proves what respondents are somewhat likely to say on a survey. ;)

And then there are statistics... :rolleyes:

It's really to bad that exotic cars like geo's and civics are out of everyones price range, I meen, even mini coopers are $18,000 with the 2nd generation modles getting 40mpg, it's to bad you would risk looking like some poor hillbilly... I love sarcasim.
Amaricans don't belive cars can get 40mpg, EVER, I had a number of people at a party a while back arguing with me that the Yaris could get 40mpg "you can't build a car that gets that kind of mileage" I was suprized as well that they build cars that get that poor of mileage, but that wasn't the point they were trying to make, they own a car that gets 25-30mpg, and belive that is the best that can be built.

New Civics really are out of the price range of most ordinary people. $18,000 is a lot of money to spend on a car for your lower middle class American, even if it's a Mini cooper. Joe Average making $30k a year is typically going to be able to afford a $5,000-10,000 car if he's lucky. Your working poor usually have to go much cheaper(and with low demand for them, you don't get much cheaper than beat up old land yachts, pickups, and SUVs, at least as far as purchasing price is concerned). There is reason that the average age of our current fleet of onroad vehicles is 9 years.

When gas prices get over $2.50/gallon, in my area, demand for old Metros, Tempos, CRXs, Civics, Corollas, and the like in good working order and emissions-compliant get so high that those who can afford to buy used cheap cars suddenly find themselves out of the price range of these vehicles.

Poor buy barges also because if they're cheap enough, the money saved can often buy years worth of gas.

Haven't you noticed that people buy cars for the percieved status it gives them? Big cars are (through no effect by advertising, I'm sure ;) ) often associated with success. I've always identified with small cars so I admit I don't completely understand it, but it seems to be a kind of American icon. And, I bet there is a low correlation between that barge=living-the-high-life mindset and the members here...but I digress.

I think Rick hit the nail on the thumb: 86% probably figure those small FE cars are what everyone else ought to be driving. ;)

theclencher -

I'll venture to guess it's also the Wal-Mart/fast food effect. Why get the little Cavalier when you can go "big size" for comparable payments? More for your $$, right? What do you think?

- Pardon me, I'd like a car please.
- For $1000 more you can "go big".
- Oh ... well, ummm, ok.

CarloSW2

However when the Jones pulls in with an 08 Denali loaded to the gills, suddenly buying that 98 Denali with a 6L V8 doesn't seem like a bad idea....

Another example is luxury cars. When there was a spike of people buying BMWs and Mercedes everyone had to have one even if they couldn't afford em. So people picked up beaters just for the name plate.

The people whom they look up to buy or drive certain types of vehicles and those same people follow those trends.