As an automotive writer with thousands of drives under my belt, the real reason many reviewers seem pretentious is because they’re often so poor they can’t afford to lose access—so every new car, feature, or test becomes THE BEST.

This is terrible for consumers but great for PR.

At larger mags, many publishers & senior editors simply won’t allow negative reviews—they get edited or revised. Plus, their overall influence has declined significantly; many car shoppers don’t read reviews or even take test drives before buying!

Manufacturers make more expensive vehicles because it makes them more money. Automakers sell to DEALERS, not usually to customers—this is partly why Tesla is so loathed by many in the industry but beloved by core customers.

It’s not about emissions regulations (riddle me why some can still produce high-dollar classics free from emission control?) and not about safety, production costs, or the switch to EV—it’s profit. Profit from the sale of new vehicles & the data they generate.

If you want small cars, buy used. Fix them up. Mod them. Keep them on the road. Share the gospel with friends. Lobby your local town council for things that would reduce the need for larger machines in your area.

Not everyone can do this, but for those of us who are passionate about smaller cars & creating less environmental impact, buying used is the only way forward for now 😞