I live in the UK and I drive an Astra. It’s a four door hatchback style car from the late 00s, I bought it used and still runs fine even if it’s getting on a bit. I know it won’t last forever, so I’ll probably buy another used car.

Right now, it seems like every new car for sale is a SUV - maybe a crossover which is more moderately sized, but basically an SUV. Buying a new car like my Astra feels niche, I don’t think I have ever seen one at a dealership in the last 5 years.

What’s going to happen to all of these SUVs in 5-10 years? The used market is going to be filthy with them and people are going to buy and drive them because they’ll be cheap - regardless of the fact they are unsafe, costly to run and damaging to road infrastructure. I don’t think we will see any car other than a SUV style car, or a van, on the roads in 5 years.

Does this not terrify anybody else? Something has to change here - either a shift to micro mobility scooters and e bikes or a massive increase in transit investment - or we are headed towards an even bigger disaster. Anybody else feel this way?

  • sanzky@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    That idea of pickup trucks being for required ‘working people’ is totally made up. Construction workers all over the world do fine with simple white vans.

    • greenteadrinker@midwest.social
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      1 year ago

      Agreed. Like I can understand when you need a truck, you need a truck. But most of the time, those guys seem to need storage space that’s covered more than they need towing/hauling capabilities with a short bed that’s