Automotive News reports that, for the first time in almost 17 years, a car outsold the F-150 pickup truck. And as it turns, out, FOUR of them did.
It looks like people are finally starting to wake up to the reality of high gas prices. The F-150 has been the bestselling vehicle on the road in this country since the year of the flood -- and it looks like that ridiculous trend is finally coming to a trend.
There's nothing inherently wrong with the F-150 as a pickup truck, but there's lots wrong with using a full-size pickup truck as daily transportation. Frankly, I used to feel a tinge of guilt driving my 23-mpg Porsche 911 down the Interstate at 80 mph (when I could have been driving the 33-mpg Scirocco)... but then I'd look over at some little 5'1" woman driving an empty CrewCab ExtendedBed MonsterMotor F-150 that was probably getting 12 mpg... and think "why do I feel guilty?"
Last month, not one but four sedans outsold the F-150. Some preliminary sales numbers for May 2008:
Toyota Corolla 52,826 units
Toyota Camry 51,291 units
Honda Accord 43,728 units
And in other news released by Automotive News, it appears that four-cylinder cars are now suddenly back in vogue. Gee, and it only took gas to triple in price to wake people up.
Sorry if I sound a little harsh here people, but as a society, we're spoiled rotten. For the longest time, it seemed that no one was willing to make any concession for fuel economy -- everyone wanted the biggest, heaviest car with the biggest, thirstiest engine and every single option. For their 3-mile urban stop-and-go commute. That makes no sense.
I'm driving a Honda Civic Si this week -- and after all the big, heavy monsters I've had lately, it's nice to be in something with a shortly geared, close-ratio manual and a visceral four-cylinder that loves to rev. In fact, I suggest you all give small cars another chance--after being coddled with so-called "luxury" (I call it isolation) I think you'll enjoy actually feeling like you're driving again.
And bravo to the people who are finally purchasing cars based on their needs, not on greed. I'll never criticize a family for driving a minivan -- it may be uncool, but it's also a rational decision. But I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that one person traveling without any cargo in an F-150 is just plain wasteful.