I’m currently driving around Iceland. I have seen a Renault Megane, a plethora of newer Yaris’, one Yaris Cross (I lost my damned mind) and a crap ton of Suzuki Jimnys. Now, I’ve driven in some awful conditions in the states. Blizzards in Montana, Tornadoes in Texas, hail storms in the South and ridiculous wind in Arizona. I have driven in all of that in this tiny country, all in a short wheel base Kia Sportage. I was also outpaced by a fucking Yaris today, absolutely bombing down the mountain in 1c weather. Mind you, it was not a GR so AWD was out of the question.
I am so impressed by this Kia and all of the insanely capable Jimnys I am seeing coming off of F-roads.
If a harsh place like Iceland can coexist with RAM 2500s and modern Yaris’, why can’t we?
Oh, and when I say around I don’t mean poking around Reykjavik, I am literally driving the Ring Road around an entire country. Coolest experience ever.
I will also point out that larger vehicles that fill up the road width more are more prone to causing wrecks in the event of a distracted driver, as it gives less “wiggle room” for the lane, and less time before you enter into the other lane. Given the prevalence of distracted driving these days, that does not strike me as a good thing.
Larger vehicles are also more difficult to see out of properly, by comparison, especially if you are a shorter person. Not to mention the headlights sitting up higher and often times being blindingly bright at night to other drivers.
Additionally, small vehicles have a tendency to be lower cost, which means you get vehicles for much less, not only in the car cost itself, but in fuel costs, oil changes, transmission fluids, tires, and are pretty much guaranteed to be able to be fixed for much less in the event of a non-totaled accident, at equivalent severities.
I personally don’t get motion sickness nearly as bad in cars as in SUVs or trucks, which is a nice bonus for many.
I won’t say big vehicles don’t have their uses, but it astounds me just how much “I want to drive a big car because it feels good” outweighs so many objective benefits there are to smaller, lighter vehicles.
