'carspreading' Is on the Rise – and Not Everyone Is Happy About It

I've always driven small sedans (sentra ser back in the 90s, currently a toyota corolla). Learning to drive in 1980, it was common to be able to see traffic through the two cars in front of you because (1) most cars were small sedans, and (2) really dark window tinting hadn't become a thing. Now I'm usually looking at the rear of a SUV or tall pickup truck and can't anticipate traffic even one car ahead.

Anyway, for years I've always responded to the "I feel so much safer in my big car/truck" with "I always stand up in movie theaters because the view is so much better"

I'm patiently waiting for a > 200hp Miata/Fiat 500 sized RWD/AWD electric, even if it's low range. Fingers crossed for an electric Toyota MR2.

You'd have to actually turn them into cars since what you're talking about are trucks: vehicles built on truck frames to avoid the MPG requirements of cars.

It is as if professional politicians are completely incapable of learning about perverse incentives and unintended consequences.

Minivans are a terrible driving experience compared to SUVs. I wouldn't even wish them on my enemies.

I think many people don't appreciate that large MPVs/minivans are almost exactly the same size as mid-size SUVs like the Lexus RX450h mentioned in the article. The dimensions tell the story:

Ford Galaxy (large MPV, 2015): 4,853mm × 1,916mm × 1,811mm Ford S-Max (mid-size MPV, 2015): 4,796mm × 1,916mm × 1,655mm Renault Espace (2015): 4,878mm × 1,888mm × 1,675mm Lexus RX (2015): 4,890mm × 1,895mm × 1,685mm

The Galaxy and S-Max are actually wider than the Lexus, while the Espace is only 7mm narrower. Length differences are minimal, the S-Max is 94mm shorter, the Galaxy 37mm shorter, and the Espace 12mm shorter than the RX.

Beside both the Galaxy and S-Max have been discontinued, and the Renault Espace, the vehicle that essentially created the MPV segment has rebranded itself as a "mid-size crossover SUV" for its sixth generation and follow on generation. The distinction between MPVs and crossover SUVs has largely collapsed.

Microvans still exist in Europe too. I can carry driver + 3 + a lot of luggage or driver + 5 with little luggage. Or driver + 2 if the luggage includes a tuba, euphonium and trombone. They're fabulously space efficient. I'm annoyed that you can't buy them in North America ever since the Mazda 5 was discontinued in 2015.

> they need a Land Rover Defender

This is an English thing and I don't really get it, despite being English originally. Our English neighbour imported their Land Rover when they moved here from the UK, all the way to NZ. As far as I can tell their appeal is just for talking about it in-between trips to the mechanic, which is where they'll spend a lot of their time. Said neighbour's one is currently unroadworthy. They're ugly (subjective), inefficient, rattly, unreliable, not super fun to drive. I could understand if it was a nationalistic thing, but LR is owned by Tata motors.