I just want to clarify having a bunch of EVs or not is not a show of success in my opinion. Toyota more recently and Kia/Hyundai have continued to make more affordable options while almost every other manufacturer has focused on trucks and SUVs. Toyota’s focus on CAFE seems to be to make a boatload of hybrids and make the regular Corolla extremely efficient. The result of incremental improvements across the board. I do see a lot of new Corollas here. Hyundai is on a big push for EVs and still offer their small cars. I still think small cars would be a great way to make strides in the market and I think it’s under served. It seems to be working for Toyota.
Ford and GM gave up on cars. They make more expensive vehicles as a result. The whole push to buy an American badge isn’t an option for most that want a new affordable vehicle. There’s the Envista/Trax, but I don’t think they’re selling specifically because it’s playing a crossover. It’s a sorely lacking price point it sits in and cheap will sell.
They need to figure out what the masses want. I know I’m not the masses. I’ll keep buying my niche vehicles. Those don’t necessarily keep the light on. If they can’t sell to the vast majority of the people, there won’t be a company to make the stuff I want. It seems to most common complaint is the cost of new vehicles and more standard tech and options than we need causing it. I wonder how much of that can be attributed to only making higher trim larger vehicles? I’d say it’s safe to say that’s a huge part of it. Those aren’t cheap.
