The World Is Embracing S.U.V.s. That’s Bad News for the Climate

I&#x27;ve noticed a growing number of people at my work&#x27;s parking lot seem to have giant trucks, the type that barely fit into the parking space. Given that they work in IT (as everyone in the building does), I wonder why they need such large vehicles.<p>When my kids get bigger, I&#x27;m getting a Fiat (or something small). Seems like it would be more fun and less hassle.

Conspicuously missing is any attempt to put a number on how much greenhouse emissions would be saved if people who bought SUVs had bought sedans instead.<p>Also: if SUVs are 30% less efficient, it’s the same as someone who chooses to live 10 miles from work versus 13 miles. That’s a difference that wouldn’t even register in conversation much less warrant a New York Times article.

As someone who moves a lot of computer equipment around, the sedan was painful to work with. So I&#x27;m definitely attached to the RAV4 if mostly for the hatchback trunk and fold down seats. I don&#x27;t have one, but hybrid RAV4s are on the market now.

About 20 or so years ago, the big knock on SUVs was how dangerous it supposedly was for a much heavier vehicle to crash with a &quot;normal&quot; vehicle, e.g. a compact car. Does that hold any weight?

Why haven&#x27;t SUVs fallen prey to the soccer Mom curse yet? Station wagons and minivans fell out of fashion because they were family vehicles. That&#x27;s what SUVs are now, yet they&#x27;re still cool.

Or just buy a Model X. :p