Comment by auiya

Vehicles these days are on average more expensive simply because SUVs outpace smaller car options in terms of overall volume sales, and SUVs are on average more expensive. Somehow auto manufacturers have convinced the middle class of this ridiculous notion that they can't transport their children safely in anything other than an SUV. So the middle class tend to buy more expensive vehicles they can't afford as easily because of marketing propaganda. The irony is, as more of these nuisance-sized SUVs flood the roads, the less safe everyone in smaller cars become, and road wear increases exponentially, leading to higher fuel taxes, etc... lather, rinse, repeat.