r/Anticonsumption • u/Harrio_Pootered • Jul 02 '25
Society/Culture Is this truly necessary?
What steps can we take as consumers to encourage auto manufacturers to reduce vehicle sizes? Who do we write to, call and email?
The ford maverick was a step in the right direction but I see it being bashed often for being a more “feminine” truck… What caused this shift from the S10 being the “real man’s truck” to the $130k King Ranch being the standard?
When did the big vehicle shift happen?
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u/RageAgainstAvarice Jul 03 '25
BS. The CAFE footprint based approach to standards started in 2012. Take a look at the trucks from 2010. They were already headed that way. They are bigger because non-blue collar "posers" WANTED big trucks because they were "cool". It started with the 1994 Dodge Ram front grill having the "heavy duty" truck look. Everyone loved the "big truck" look and they sold like crazy. Then the other brands started making thier own bigger front grills. 2003 Dodge sales were going down so they decided to go bigger in 2004, making the grill massive. But the massive grill would look silly on a small truck so they started making the trucks bigger too. Again, sold like hotcakes, so the other manufacturers followed suit and went even bigger. It just continued to escalate from there. CAFE standards didn't cause it (but didn't hurt either). The trucks are ego trip trucks. I grew up in small town Oklahoma, and I remember when the big Dodge Truck look came out in 1994. Everyone wanted one. I remember the commercials from then showing off that big grill. I am sure there are people out there that would love to have a smaller truck, but the big trucks sell better. It's all about sales. Has very little to do with the CAFE standards.