[hedora]

I think the bigger problem is that cars keep getting taller for no reason.

Other than the cybertruck, larger vehicles have been trending more and more towards adding pedestrian safety features. However, the same vehicles are taller than they used to be, making them less safe, and generally worse.

Who wants to lift crap an extra foot into their pickup truck bed, and need a frigging step to get into the side door? The days of “reach into the side of the truck” are long gone, except maybe for basketball players.

Recently I heard some new cars detect imminent collisions, and emergency lift themselves a few inches so they win the game of “who gets to be in the other driver’s lap after the crush zone is exhausted”.

Speaking of the cybertruck, I realized it’s the same height as our aging 1500 class truck (which barely meets clearance in some parking garages). Current year models are even taller.

[cameldrv]

It's a combination of getting taller, the hood getting longer, and the hood not sloping down. The Ridgeline has much more of a sloping hood, and the visibility is better. Most trucks have the flatter hood and big flat grille presumably because it looks more aggressive. I don't understand why the hoods are getting so long though. Just as an example I've noticed, the Tacoma has about a foot between the bumper and the radiator that's completely dead space. The truck would be more useful if it were a foot shorter (easier to park), a foot more legroom, or a foot longer bed, so I don't know what the reason is. Maybe a crumple zone or something.

[pasttense01]

Think about going off-roading in your new $100,000 vehicle [although something I wouldn't do if I had such a vehicle]. Suppose there is a big boulder or you want to cross some water: you need the height!