Although today's SUVs are smaller and more fuel efficient than models from the halcyon days of the early 2000s, a recent resurgence of SUV sales proves the incredible persistence of the American thirst for SUVs.
"Big numbers from global auto-making giants Toyota Motor and BMW today showed that the global appetite for sport utility vehicles—which saw demand crater during the worst of the Great Recession in the US—are making a big, profitable comeback," reports Matthew Phillips.
Phillips notes that good news for car sales is good news for "near-term economic growth in the US," but he also adds that for "those who were hoping that the disruptions of the Great Recession would permanently dampen America’s automotive appetites, the return of the SUV has to be disappointing."
FULL STORY: America’s SUV addicts are having a major relapse
Bigger, More Powerful Cars Cancel Out Improvements in Fuel Efficiency
As carmakers improve the fuel efficiency of some models, many American car buyers are purchasing big trucks and SUVs that still offer low MPGs.
Climate Concerns Largely Absent in Auto Showrooms
A consumer survey found that less than a third of respondents considered carbon emissions or the environment when they last purchased a motor vehicle, yet three-quarters of Americans consider climate change a major problem or crisis.
Ford Follows GM to Prioritize SUVs
The efficient days of the post-auto industry bailout are over. American car companies are committing to larger, less efficient vehicles to keep up with the preferences of American consumers.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.
Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.
When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
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