> And you can hedge your bets [ with multiple vehicles ]
In many countries that's unaffordable. In the UK I pay £350 per year car tax, £480 insurance and £50 mandatory roadworthiness testing. Best part of a grand before I've even driven a mile - and the UK is considered cheap in Europe. In Ireland the tax alone would be over £1000.
My partner pays about the same for her 20 year old petrol Honda SUV. Ironically if she chose the filthy, carcinogen-spewing diesel model she'd pay just £40 in tax, so it's little wonder that people compromise.
And then there is storage/parking and maintenance cost and time. This is really why the SUV is so popular in the US. It has OKish cargo space for dump runs, family trips, etc even if it is oversized for the daily commute. But the base cost of a vehicle is so high you might as well get one that can get all the jobs done.
In many countries that's unaffordable. In the UK I pay £350 per year car tax, £480 insurance and £50 mandatory roadworthiness testing. Best part of a grand before I've even driven a mile - and the UK is considered cheap in Europe. In Ireland the tax alone would be over £1000.
My partner pays about the same for her 20 year old petrol Honda SUV. Ironically if she chose the filthy, carcinogen-spewing diesel model she'd pay just £40 in tax, so it's little wonder that people compromise.