There are always exceptions. But I also grew up in a rather rural area of Canada - and spent great period of time in very rural Canada - as in on an actual working farm 20 km from the nearest town. Some people needed their trucks, no doubt. But I have two observations about this:

As others have said - full size trucks and SUVs make sense on a case by case basis - what the individual uses it for. Not on a ‘location by location’ basis. The simple fact of the matter is that lots of people want to need a truck, but don’t actually need a truck.  

Again, you don’t seem to understand my point. But that’s OK - continue with your righteous indignation as you pretend that something can’t be both a work of art and aesthetically pleasing as well as the product of a corrupt system or a corrupt individual. We’re all impressed that your moral compass is so incredibly…

It’s actually quite refreshing to see a car maker doing something like this. Getting rid of a lot of the nonsense that adds to cost, keeping the essential safety features, and actually offering a new, practical, reliable, vehicle (that isn’t a compact) for less than $30k. I mean - yeah, it’s still expensive, but it’s…

Nah, you can’t be like that. The person in the wrong is the person who committed the fraud. Period. That Levine is rich beyond our comprehension and maybe a little too smarmy for his own good doesn’t matter. He shouldn’t have been taken like that.

I’m not saying they’re replacing their personalities.  I’m saying they’re replacing their puny little leg muscles.

The only people that need to go off road in an SUV, are people without the quads and glutes for mountain biking or trail running.

I’m sure it does. But I’m equally sure that most of the problematic data - the payments that are being missed, or the payments that make up a significant portion or income are disproportionately from new cars. Acknowledging, of course, that a lot of used cars are still quite expensive - and certainly more expensive…

Don’t get me wrong, it’s great and important to have interests and hobbies. And cars can definitely be one of them.  I just seem to know a lot of people that have no real interest in cars or driving - but they still cycle through new cars every 4-5 years.

What could possibly go wrong with this plan?

I think most people are motivated, genuinely, to do the right thing. The nefarious thing about green-wash marketing is that it appears to appeal to that instinct (here’s how you can help!), but it really is based around a more fundamental desire for more cool new stuff (by buying this fancy EV, right now!) The desire…

Honestly - even if you don’t make shit money. People are way too tied up with cars being an extension of their personality. Just because you’ve reached a place where you have a decent salary doesn’t mean you need to ratchet your spending up to match. But that seems to be the status quo for my generation (young gen-X /…

This just goes to show the, I think, obvious fact that there are no perfect solutions to our current environmental crises. ICE vehicles aren’t the future. They can’t be. And EVs are a viable (seemingly inevitable) alternative. We should encourage EV adoption - but not mindless consumerism half-heartedly justified with…

Used cars are also, of course, more expensive now than they ever have been. But I still think you’re right. It’s still possible to buy a good, cheap, used car if you need a car.  At least in my local market.

As always, we find out that it’s the girth - not the length - that matters in situations like these.

Am I missing something here?

Well I clearly missed that. 

And what, exactly, are these vehicles competing against?  Common sense? 

Public facing, gut-reaction, anger-informed, righteous indignation is typically not a good way to govern. And it’s a REALLY bad way to regulate.

Interesting.  Is there still an application process with the government?  Or is it just as easy as going to the local DMV and filling out the right paperwork?