[Thommas]

... the rise of the ugly, dangerous and catastrophically fuel-guzzling sports utility vehicle, after all, was the result of a fuel efficiency standard mandated by government, from which SUVs, as "trucks" were exempt.

Ooooooooooh! What a gratuitous slap in the testicles this statement conveys. I thought I bought my SUV's because they carried people (my kids, parents, boy scouts, soccer & basketball teams) safely and efficiently.

It is interesting how the enviro propaganda slides into so many otherwise informative screeds.

[newgeezer]

There is some validity to what the author wrote. If auto mfrs. would have been forced to classify SUVs as "passenger vehicles" rather than "trucks," they would have counted toward their CAFE-standards compliance calculation. Then, SUVs would have been a drag on the aggregate MPG, and -- if they ever sold well enough -- the mfrs. would have had to pay BIG fines to the govt. With that in mind, any anticipated fines would have been added to the price of the SUV and, due to their higher prices, rather than gaining popularity with customers, the Bronco, Suburban, et. al. likely would have disappeared altogether.