[FrayAdjacent911]

I think it's culture. There's a lot more public transportation in most European countries. Cities are also smaller (tighter, smaller streets and such) due to having been built LONG before the automobile was common.

Gasoline is also taxed more, so comparitively, gas is CHEAP here. These factors have people over there leaning toward smaller more efficient vehicles.

I would also guess that Europeans are not like Americans when it comes to the 'appliance' frame of mind. A car to many Americans is an appliance. There are many of us that treat them that way - never washing them, barely keeping the interior clean, and almost completely ignoring maintenance.

Normy, my dad is still running a 1988 Ford Aerostar. I know it's got a V6. It looks like ass, the bumpers are both smashed up (they crack easily when they're old, no serious collision damage), the AC doesn't work, the radio is flaky as hell... but it fires up every time, and pulls strong!