With Gas Below $2.50/Gallon, Some Drivers Regret Move to Small, Fuel-Efficient Car
This year's record-high fuel prices drove some consumers to switch to smaller vehicles. Now, as fuel prices have pulled back, many are rediscovering some of the reasons they bought big cars and sport-utility vehicles in the first place, according to an article
in today's Wall Street Journal
(subscription required).
Perhaps the biggest draw for large vehicles: comfort. Having wide, soft seats to accommodate the ever-growing American physique and space to stash briefcases, totes and handbags has changed from a luxury feature to one drivers take for granted. And as people spend more time in their vehicles, they have come to crave the sense of safety, privacy and insulation that come with larger vehicles, the Journal reported.
Sometimes what seems like a small downgrade can lead to big regrets. Blake Schomas traded his 2002 Chevrolet Suburban, an SUV with room for eight, for a relatively fuel-efficient Chrysler Pacifica. The Pacifica is big, but it carries two fewer passengers than the Suburban and cannot tow as much.
"I kind of regret the decision to get rid of the Suburban, which had a lot to do with the price of fuel," Schomas, a marketing manager in Hudson, Wisconsin, told the Journal. While his Pacifica's fuel economy beats the old truck's by as much as 40 percent, the new vehicle seems downright small compared with the Suburban. The big problem is that its third-row seat takes up what would otherwise be room for cargo.
"We have two kids, and if one of them wants to bring a friend, our storage space is reduced to nothing," Schomas said. It also lacks the bigger truck's "family room" comfort, he said.
Even though average gasoline prices have fallen from a peak of $4.05 a gallon in July to about $2.40 -- dropping about 26 cents in the past week alone -- the broad move to smaller cars is still going strong.
Sales of compact cars like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris have risen 28 percent through the end of September compared with the same period last year. Midsize cars like the top-selling Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are flat. Nearly every other segment of the auto market is declining, with large SUVs down 36 percent.
- Posted by
- Scott Doggett November 5, 2008, 9:46 AM
- Permalink
- Categories:
- Fuel Economy, MINI, Smart
- Technorati Tags:
- Chevrolet Suburban, Chrysler Pacifica, Fuel Efficient, Gas Prices
Yes, I'm sure some people regret getting rid of that paid-off gas-guzzler for another five years of car payments just to save a little on gasoline. Brilliant.
People will whine about anything. Gas prices go up, they whine about how they can't downsize quickly enough. Gas prices go down, they whine about all they've sacrificed for a smaller vehicle. Get over it. For 99% of us, buying a car isn't like buying lunch. You can't return it or just run out and get something else if you decide you don't like it. It's not a time for impulse shopping. This is a long term decision that you'll have to live with for at least a couple years. So deal with it, Mr Pacifica Owner. If you didn't want the vehicle, nobody made you buy it.