Trading the Hummer for a Honda

[midnight armadillo]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/18/business/18trucks.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

March 18, 2006
Trading the Hummer for a Honda
By MICHELINE MAYNARD

DETROIT, March 17 — For Janna Jensen, it was the dirty looks and nasty gestures from other drivers that finally persuaded her to give up the family's $55,000 Hummer H2. Her husband, Michael, meanwhile, was tired of the $300 monthly gasoline cost and the quality problems that began soon after they bought it.

So the Jensens of Reno, Nev., dumped the sport utility vehicle this year for a more modest Honda Element, still an S.U.V. but one with better gasoline mileage and a lower profile than the H2. And they are not alone.

Luxury sport utilities are becoming decidedly less cool than just three years ago, when they were the hottest things on wheels and dealers had long waiting lists for the most popular models.

On top of the sales drop that has hurt all sport utilities, fewer than half the people who bought luxury S.U.V.'s are going back for another one. Incentives for the vehicles are at record levels and for the first time, luxury automakers are paying out more for rebates and lease deals to entice consumers to buy luxury S.U.V.'s than to buy cars.

The higher cost of gasoline plays a big role, as it has for the last year of high oil prices. But wealthy buyers, who used to shrug off the expense, are shifting gears, as excessive energy consumption is becoming socially embarrassing.

(more at link)

[bloom]

1. "excessive energy consumption is becoming socially embarrassing"

that's good

people shouldn't be proud of it - that's for damn sure.

[Wilms]

2. A friend stares at SUV drivers with a "WTF?" look on his face.

Just doing his part. :D