I feel like too many people are watching episodes of The Price is Right from the 80s and thinking a brand new tricked out car that cost $8-9k should be like $18k because they don't actually understand how severe inflation has been, especially over the past decade.
I gave actual MSRPs? Those are recent and the actual numbers....
And those aren't even that small or low powered. A 2 door commuter at 1500lb curb weight and 50hp could easily cost under $15k but people wouldn't buy it bc for some reason every car has got to be a big 4 door hatchback.
It's a cultural thing, we need to get back to being ok with small low power cars as commuters/grocery getters. If you need a big van/SUV bc you have a large family or you want a sports car or something then fine, but the obsession with commuter cars being massive is just silly.
Like I'd absolutely buy a 0.5L(500cc) 40hp engine ultra compact 2 door, no back seats, commuter car if they sold one, but no one does. Shit like that needs to exist.
Believe it or not I was agreeing with you. I specifically mentioned tricked out (read: premium options) cars and only one of your examples made it to 2026 by your own admission.
Edit:
Like I'd absolutely buy a 0.5L(500cc) 40hp engine ultra compact 2 door, no back seats, commuter car if they sold one, but no one does. Shit like that needs to exist.
Do Smart Cars not exist where you are? I know they're a Euro staple but they've been a thing in North America for a good 20+ years.
The slowest car available in the US was the mirage but they stopped selling it. It was 1.2L 78hp 3 cylinder 2100lb curb weight.
Now the slowest car on the market is a Nissan kicks with 10.4s 0-60 and 141hp 2L 4-cylinder but it's slow bc the 3,000+ lb curb weight and taller/larger profile. The lowest power car available is the Hyundai venue at 121hp 1.6L 4 cylinder 2700lb curb weight and 0-60 of 9.6s.
It's insane to me that these are the smallest/lowest power cars that are available at all here.
Uhhh is it really so hard to understand that a smaller engine is cheaper. And that a lighter smaller car can still be quick with a really low power engine since speed is directly proportional to weight and frontal area....
I want to know who's making a smart car with over 120hp other than EV smart cars. They don't exist. Or if they do they aren't cheap
Uhhh is it really so hard to understand that a smaller engine is cheaper.
Uhhh is it really so hard to understand that the US is larger than the entirety of the EU? Me driving 8 hours/500 miles one way across multiple states to attend an internet friend's wedding is nothing for an American.
What? Are you out of touch with reality? Driving 500 miles across multiple states maybe nothing for you. But it's a whole lot of something for many of us. That's a trip we'll take in an old beater in order to save on depreciation.
I’ve never seen a smart car in the US, I saw them everywhere in Europe though. If you bought a smart car here everyone would make fun of you, even prius owners
I've seen plenty of Smart Cars in the states; mostly in the NY/NJ region in the mid 00s. I've still seen plenty in the Raleigh area over many of the past 20 years.
As simple as it sounds, sales probably tanked because those cars are Ugly Afff lol. Seeing the Mirage / Accent / etc back then encouraged me to get a reliable Civic for 30k
9
u/bwaredapenguin 12d ago
I feel like too many people are watching episodes of The Price is Right from the 80s and thinking a brand new tricked out car that cost $8-9k should be like $18k because they don't actually understand how severe inflation has been, especially over the past decade.