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All of this focus on fuel economy doesn't take into account car efficiency. There are more factors than mpg to take into account when considering the efficiency of a vehicle. For instance, if we were to require that children travel to school in vehicles that get the highest mpg, then we would have 10 or 20 priuses traveling the same route. This is much less efficient than one 5 mpg school bus going the same route.

A large family may be more efficiently carried in a minivan or sportute than two or three passenger cars, which can only hold two children each thanks to rules restricting children to the back seat and laws requiring car seats for children up to 4'9".

My sportute is my tool, to take my children places, to carpool, pick up extended family, to get groceries, carry supplies, drop off at goodwill, etc., etc., I need and use a sport utility vehicle and I WON'T GIVE IT UP WITHOUT A FIGHT.

Very well said sportutegrl.

Its frustrating how many people - primarily those who live and work in a major city, see no reason why the rest of us need SUVs or large vehicles. They just don't seem to comprehend things like needing to get to work when the roads aren't plowed yet in the winter, having a family with more than 4 people (either children, or other relatives requiring care), driving on rural roads in general (which sometimes aren't paved), needing to haul tools, supplies or equipment to work or clients on a regular basis or even commuting to work on interstates and not wanting to travel in a vehicle that disintegrates on impact in the unfortunate event of an accident, or gets easily pushed around by crosswinds, or floats on top of rain/snow rather than pushing through it.

That's not even considering the possibilities of needing to tow a trailer for a boat, camper, horses, ATVs, motorcycles, or other recreational/work uses. Plus, if you ever do any regular, long-distance highway commuting, you'll find a vehicle with a little more substance is far more comfortable than a smaller vehicle.

We live in a diverse country and a cookie-cutter econobox with no ground clearance, or no hauling capacity, doesn't work for everyone.

What happened to the overwhelming virtue of "choice"?