Those 'American' Vehicles

Recently I have the unfortunate and unexpected need to replace my vehicle after it was rudely destroyed in a hit-and-run accident.

After familiarizing myself with the US marketplace of consumer vehicles within my budget I have found myself paralyzed with closing on a purchase decision since there are simply no vehicles that meet my requirements. It is not that my requirements are overly ambitious, its imply that a lack of innovation in the auto industry driven by lackluster regulatory policy from the EPA results in overweight vehicles with hideously inefficient power-trains.

My vehicle requirements are as follows:

1. An SUV and/or vehicle with a minimum of ~10 inches of ground-frame clearance

2. MPG efficiency of ~30 mpg
3. Purchase price of < $24,000
4. 4 Wheel Drive

Potential options within the US market are:

1. Nissan Xterra
2. Subaru Forester

3. Jeep Patriot

4. Ford Escape

However, upon closer examination none of these vehicles satisfy the requirements, primarily due to lack of fuel efficiency; quite simply they were built with the premise that

1. Oil will last forever (rationing is merely a plot within a horror movie)
2. That burning fossil fuels damages neither our shared planet nor the short-term health of human beings

The only potential contender would be the Ford Escape and hats off to Ford who have innovated heavily on this vehicle however it is not designed for even mild off-road driving and thus is essentially a raised Ford Focus thus negating its "SUV" functionality.

Interestingly highly efficient SUV and off-road vehicles have been available in the UK and Europe for decades now as manufacturers have been forced to innovate due to tough governmental regulation heavily focused on emissions and combined with heavily taxed fuel. Consumers would not consider a vehicle < 40 mpg and thus to attract a loyal consumer base innovation has always been critical.

My only hope is that America will catch up to Europe sooner rather than later, it has the potential to lead the way, just sadly not the political will. Until then I remain on my quest to identify a vehicle that will get me around town and on the trail without destroying the planet.