I was shocked recently when I read the report for the Top 10 Best Selling Vehicles in the US in May.
The report showed that 17 of the top 21 fastest selling cars were trucks and SUV's. The numbers 1,2 and 4 vehicles were all trucks!
I thought to myself, who wants to drive a truck? I can understand that some people have to drive a truck for work,
but there seems to be a lot of people who don't have to drive a truck, but buy one anyway.
Trucks are not the least bit economical. Most have large V6 engines or V8's and are much heavier than cars, so people aren't buying trucks to save money.
I don't understand why someone wouldn't want to drive a European sedan, instead of a big heavy truck, but Americans bought them more than anything else!
On another note, I was shocked at the gas pump when I noticed that diesel fuel was almost the same price as gas.
For many years, diesel has been 20% higher than gas, slightly higher than premium gas. 2 years ago, I was disappointed to see that diesel was 50% higher than gas.
At that price, I worried that we would see heavy trucks with gas engines, just because diesel was so expensive.
In most of the world, diesel is 10-20% cheaper than gas.
Outside of the US, diesel is considered much more economical not only because it gets 20% better fuel economy, but the price of diesel fuel was 20% lower as well.
This was a win-win situation for drivers looking to save money.
In the US, things are different. People looking to save money buy a hybrid.
Few people think about buying a diesel car.
I think there is now a perfect storm brewing for diesel powered cars.
Not only are they clean, powerful, and fun to drive, but now they not only get great fuel mileage, but the price of diesel fuel will not put people off.
Currently, only VW, Audi and Mercedes sell diesel powered cars. Can you really go wrong with any of those brands? Maybe the rest of the population will realize what the drivers of VW and Mercedes diesel cars already know.
Or maybe more people will buy diesel powered trucks to drive to work and back...