[slapshot]

Seems like this would be more appropriate a few years ago. Sales of the Trailblazer are down 73% (last year this month to current year) and sales of other SUV lines have dropped similarly.

Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C05%5C03...

The lesson for startups out of this are (1) don't chase fads, and (2) consumers really do care about total cost of ownership.

[tx]

I don't understand that industry although I've been a C&D subscriber forever. I picked up this month issue, and again: every single new car they previewed gained inches and pounds. Every freaking time, every month, every new car. How many more inches of wheelbase and cubic inches of trunk space do we need?

Sure, SUV sales are down, but overall the total mass that today's consumers demand to be riding on, keeps increasing. Look at a freaking "mid-size" Camry or Accord parked next to 10 year old Explorer or 4Runner - they're nearly equal in size. 4-cylinder engines have all surpassed 2L displacement mark, and anything less than 220hp is considered "inadequate".

The auto industry needs their own Steve Jobs, someone who's capable of telling these fat idiots what to like, as opposed to blindly following their reptilian instincts.

[menloparkbum]

According to the studies that keep track of such details, the size of car owners also keeps increasing. Perhaps the auto manufacturers are simply trying to ensure their vehicles can comfortably accommodate such trends.

[neilc]

  Seems like this would be more appropriate a few years ago

It was written in 2004, so that would make sense.

[omouse]

"consumers really do care about total cost of ownership"

...eventually ;-)