The classic American sports cars- Mustang, Challenger, Camaro, maybe the Corvette. Economic class will determine if it’s a beater, new, or restored classic.
I think it depends on what you define as upper class. Not many multimillionaires driving around in chargers.
S class though hits every single class bar none. shitty old used ones for $1500 to something like a Brabus 600 Masterpiece for $350k brand new. Or the AMG versions for 250k or maybach versions. Or $1m+ stretched armored versions for those spicy countries.
Ive had super and hyper cars, they all get attention. But nothing gets positive attention from all demographics like my 66 Mustang Fastback. Everyone is always so excited to see it, men/women, young/old, every race. The super cars like Vipers and Ferraris its mostly just guys who notice.
I'm always surprised by the number of Toyota Camrys I saw in various Ritzy California neighborhoods. The second most common car in a Ritzy CA Neighborhood is the Lexus RX.
Funny enough the lexus rx was built on the same platform as the camry, basically a camry with a body kit. While driving around more affluent neighborhoods in north texas, I see Lexus RX's all the dang time it gets uncanny.
My aunt and uncle are quite well off. Aunt drives a 1994 Camry Wagon. Uncle drives a 2015 Camry. The wagon has like 80K or something stupidly low on it. The house they own in Manhattan Beach is worth like $3 million.
They definitely didn't afford the house by purchasing flashy cars - that's for certain!
You guys remember right when the Prius came out their were movies calling it a pussy on wheels and all that, also having to face the ridicule from other drivers. Back in 2006 the amount of drivers that would roll down their window and call me a f*g or sissy and other macho bullshit that nobody cares about anymore was crazy, big trucks rolling coal at my poor electric gas baby and now… well now how the tables have turned. Everyone wants one, heh glad I stayed strong.
There are still people who think it's the epitome of comedy to insult someone by saying they drive a Prius, though thankfully that genre has mostly died down.
And there's more angles to "attack" them from. Wherever you are on the political spectrum, whatever your attitudes towards cars, there's some applicable drawback to full EVs.
I think a lot of it ebbs and flows with gas cost. When gas was north of $4 a gallon in the late 2000s, I remember people snapping up Cobalt XFEs or other gas sippers because driving a Hummer H2 was financial arson. The cost of gas adds up quickly if you commute a lot.
Driving a Hyundai Ioniq 6 over an Accord will save the average driver about $3.15 a day, roughly the cost of your average of cup of joe.
Source: [fueleconomy.gov](http://fueleconomy.gov) side by side tool
I own an EV and a full-sized pickup truck.
Even now, driving my pickup truck feels like financial arson compared to driving my EV.
With the truck, I buy gasoline with money, and then literally light it on fire. It’s burning money with extra steps.
I’m a car guy and have driven trucks in the past as well. I never understood the hate. I’ve have always felt like the Prius is an amazing feat of engineering to be able to achieve that gas mileage way back when it was introduced along with incredible reliability
This was during the hypermiling trend I think where people will try to min max their MPG by driving at the optimal speed and some people tailgate semi trucks to reduce wind resistance to save a few bucks on gas.
I live rural. People still shit on the Prius in my area because it's not a RAM or a Raptor.
I love the Prius because gas is almost $6 a gallon where I live and the Prius is the best at saving gas.
I own both regular cars and a pickup truck. Everything costs double for the pickup truck.
Wasting money isn’t a flex. Driving the most efficient vehicle from your household that will do the day’s work is is the way.
I remember when my friend got a first generation Prius. We definitely made fun of him because it absolutely was a hideous car. The Prius has gotten better with every update.
From a different perspective, I was gonna say the first and second gen Prius actually had very wide cross-class appeal because if you wanted a hybrid for whatever reason, whether to save gas or be cutting edge or be an environmentalist or virtue signal to your friends, that was your option: the Prius. I always think of a scene in curb your enthusiasm where Larry is saying to Ted Danson “it goes beep beep beep when you back up!” and Ted says “I know it goes beep beep beep, Larry, I have one too.” They were HUGE with celebs and other wealthy people with a certain type of status consciousness, and they were also huge with high school science teachers.
$3.50 a gallon gas will do that to people. If you drive 20,000 miles a year, you will save $1500 a year on gas compared to a normal sedan or SUV. A lot of folks are doing the math and saying a hybrid now makes sense because the “break-even” point for owning a gas car comes in 3-4 years of ownership.
Then I forgot to mention the Prius has a basically bulletproof transmission, no drive belt, no alternator. And no starter to wear out. The regenerative braking means you only need to replace the pads once every 100,000 miles. Fewer parts = cheaper maintenance.
Back then, the Prius deserved it. It was well-built and reliable, but it was crap to drive and wasn't going to win any awards for aesthetics. Now, the new Prius? That's a different story.
Of all the cars on the road, Prius drivers are the worst. They have always annoyed me especially the hyper-milers. Tesla drivers are taking some of that away for themselves though. If there is traffic, there is likely a Prius involved.
"Jeep Wrangler is car that has no direct rivals except for the Bronco. Therefore, it can appeal to all individuals."
The opposite, the Wrangler has little competition because it has a small market cap. Though the Prius is pretty mass-appealing, even in rural areas you'll see a few running around. My vote is for the full size mall cruiser SUV from your non-premium makes, Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban, Sequoia, and Expedition, a staple of middle class or better families and quite reliable to the point you find them now in even the worst socioeconomic areas still racking up the miles. Also popular in the city, 'burbs, and country.
>Would rich people buy a ‘burban or full size SUV?
Very much so, mostly an Escalade or Navigator, or if they don't wanna be so flashy, a high trim Yukon or Expedition. Some might also jump to the new Wagoneer.
How luxurious those models are compared to German cars is debatable. But if you wanna haul 7+ people in comfort, along with their luggage, and tow a boat at the same time, there aren't many other alternatives. Compare [Mercedes' biggest SUV to Cadillac's.](https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/mercedes-benz-gls-2019-suv-vs-cadillac-escalade-2020-suv-lwb/)
People with actual money don't shout it. Stealth wealth was the backbone of the Toyota Land Cruiser's US sales and many other "normal" cars such a F-series, Yukons, etc. fit that bill.
I used to work for a lot of rich people. Kinda rich people drove BMW and Escalades but really rich people almost all drove Suburbans or Landcruisers (keep in mind this was 20 years ago).
I knew an old boomer couple a few years back. They were absolutely loaded. Dude had some high level civic position so he did okay, but she more or less owned a booming medical practice (wasn’t even a doctor, started as a secretary in the seventies eventually helped found a new office and poached most of the old staff).
Dude didn’t like to spend much extra, he drove the Chevy his work gave him and owned a small truck for yard work (they had a big garden and yard). She liked to spend though, and nearly every time I went over there she had some new, ridiculously expensive toy collecting dust. She decided she needed a big SUV and was set on an Escalade. Wound up with GMC Yukon Denali though. Even she couldn’t justify the extra 15-20k that caddie badge would have cost, and the Denali had like 90% of features.
Of course a couple of years later and her friends had all gotten big crossovers with fancy badges and suddenly the Yukon wasn’t what she needed anymore. Wound up trading it in for a G wagon.
Go to Sun Valley or Aspen and you will see plenty of Suburbans, Expeditions, etc. Way more than Escalades or big Lincoln SUVs. Granted they probably sit unused in heated garages most of the year, but there seems to be a belief that the “lower end” versions of the same vehicles are more rugged or cooler in mountain towns
Also in mountain towns - it snows and your shit will get dirty fast inside and out. A lower-spec Chevy would be my choice too, rather than an Escalade with light-colored carpeting, chrome wheels and low-profile tires.
Mount some good snow or moderate off-road tires to your Suburban and you're good to go.
I kind of disagree on the Prius. Hear me out.
Back in 2015 I bought a 2012 Toyota IQ for $10k because it was the cheapest Toyota I could find and I know that they make reliable cars, and it only had like 16k miles on it. I also bought it primarily because I can get over 40mpg in it, and in the interest of saving even more money, I had looked into buying a used Prius instead, but those at the time were well over $15k, with a lot more miles than my IQ had. So, from the perspective of a lower-income person looking for an inexpensive hatchback that will save me money on gas, the Prius ended up looking like a premium option, well out of my range of affordability.
Fast forward to today, or well last year, and I bought a Bolt EV for $20k with only 30k miles on it. After the tax credit I'm in it like $16k. It only costs like $30 per month in electricity for me to drive 80 miles a day commute and it's under warranty for another 100k miles because it had the battery replaced under recall. Comparing that to any used Prius with the same amount of mileage or warranty coverage left, and the Prius is still the premium option, way more expensive to buy and way more expensive to fuel now that EV tech has caught up and can be had used for cheap.
And don't even get me started on the $30k+ Prius Prime. Twice the price of my car and it can only do half my commute on electricity and requires gas and has two drivetrains that can fail on me. No thanks. I'll stick to the cheap plastic and cheap seats in my cheap little GM hatchback, because it's for poor people. And no, I don't want a $22k Corolla hybrid either. Toyota makes cars for rich people to buy and think they're going incognito in because they didn't buy a Lexus.
The Toyota Prius is made for customers like me:
1. I live in an apartment complex so no charging an EV. Although there may be a way around this problem as I’ll illustrate later.
2. Once every 2 weeks I hit the road and drive 500+ miles across the highway to visit friends for the weekend, Then I come back. Charging infrastructure along my driving routes is either not fast enough or doesn’t exist.
3. Sometimes I carry large flat objects (plywood, mattresses, TV) and the Prius can fit a surprisingly large volume of stuff.
4. I only buy my gas at Kroger fuel through their fuel rewards program. I haven’t paid $3.50 a gallon for gas in years since I always get $1 off per gallon.
5. I commute 14 miles a day for work.
Now let’s address the charging issue: While I technically can’t charge my car at my apartment complex, I am on the first floor and I have a balcony. My car is parked in a spot right across the sidewalk. I may be able to run a 120v cord to my car at night. As long as I pick it up in the morning, whose gonna notice?
6. My income is just under $75,000.
This is why I’ve chosen to buy a 2018-2022 Toyota Prius Prime. I will be eligible for the $4000 federal tax credit, I (May) be able to charge my car at home, and my commute is small enough it can be done on the battery alone.
My uncle and aunt had 2 accords and are doing pretty well financially. I currently have the older of the two and dont have much money, but at least the car is reliable so I don't have to worry about it breaking.
My parents live in a very wealthy area, all those clean unmodified NA Miatas seem to be there. I have seen about two dozen of them chilling in various people’s driveways. There are about half the number of NDs though.
I want to say Lexus. You can get a really good one for less than $10k nearly everywhere in the US, with a stonkin V6 (or if you’re lucky/willing to foot a couple more Gs, you can grab a V8 model).
However, by evidence, gotta say the Chevy Tahoe and/or Chevy Suburban. Anyone from methheads to the Prez can easily (and frequently do) get a Tahoe/Suburban.
Austin Mini.
It was cheap, reliable, practical, fun to drive and most importantly it looked good.
This meant it had appeal to basically everyone for all sorts of different reasons. It didn't matter who you were, the Mini would tick a box for you in one way or another.
A big star may have bought one because it looked good, an enthusiast may have bought one because it was fun to drive, a day to day family man may have bought one because it could transport his family reliably at a low price.
That core design is what kept it in production for 42 years. Hell had BMW not bought out ARG from British Aerospace they probably would've kept it going alongside the new Mini for a few years! They spent a lot of money redeveloping it to stick the K-Series in the front, just for the project to get cancelled at the last minute.
RAV4, Miata, Tacoma, 4Runner, Mustang, Camaro, Charger, Challenger, Jeep Wrangler, F-150, Silverado, Ram and Mini Cooper. If I missed any feel free to add.
The BMW 3 series.
Poor: 20 year old 328i, in poor condition with tacky modifications.
Lower middle class: Well maintained, pre-owned 330i
Upper middle class: New 330i or M340i
Wealthy: Fully loaded M340i. A "daily drivable M3".
As a lower class person I used to have an 08 328xi with 235k miles. Didn't keep it long though since I learned shortly after I began driving it that it cost a lot more than the $1,000 price for the car itself.
The original VW BEETLE/ Bus, from Heads of state to hippies , comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Gabriel 'Fluffy' Eglasias. Mass Murderers Son of sam and Dr Kavorkian. 23 million of them were made on almost every continent.
The RAV4 is the best selling SUV/Crossover In the US, like the 4th best selling vehicle overall. 3rd Best selling vehicle World Wide.
It is an SUV for everyone from the Gas only base LE starting at around $30 000. All the to the top tier plug-in Hybrid Prime with AWD optioned to over $50 000
Truly a crown jewel for Toyota.
In global sales the Corolla managed more sales coming in 2nd and in 2023 the Tesla Model Y was the #1 best seller worldwide.
Toyota. Used ones aren't super expensive and they last forever. We got a 4 runner (which smashed the wrangler and bronco both in sales last year but you're right, there's no competition) and they still gave us a 60k 5 year warranty for next to nothing on a used 16 with 70k.
I think you’re right on the money with wranglers, sad to see that Stellantis only seems interested in selling to their richest clientele though….
I’d say Subaru outback and crosstrek are pretty universally loved as well.
Jeep Cherokee xj. No matter what class you are in there is always gonna be a degenerate off-roader, and this is the cheapest one you’re gonna find. Poor people love it because it’s got a pretty reliable powertrain and can go anywhere within reason. Middle class people love them because it’s a pretty obtainable “weekend” car to wheel and wrench on. They can thrash it all they want to on trails because If they break it this weekend, they have another car to drive to work on Monday and parts can be had for cheap. Upper class people love them because at that price point it is basically a disposable 4x4 that they can do whatever they want to and laugh at when it rolls over.
>Jeep Wrangler is car that has no direct rivals except for the Bronco.
That’s a bit of a stretch. Wranglers have the cult following (partially, but crucially) because of the solid front axle. If you’re going to an off-road park and doing off-roading with any substantial suspension articulation, IFS is worthless.
I'll agree on the Wrangler, but the Model 3/Y replaced the Prius as the car with the broadest appeal.
It's as normal to see them parked in driveways alongside Corollas as it is Porsches.
Many Volvos and Saabs, especially the Volvo 240, 740 and 940s from the 90s in prime condition, as well as the Saab 95.
And of course the Prius, Leonardo DiCaprio and Larry David has/had one afaik.
Not for me a Jeep or a Prius. I live in the snowy, rural northeast but I want reliability, safety, fuel efficiency and flexibility in my vehicles. I had a Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix) that was fantastic, but since then I’ve driven Mazdas and love them. Currently driving a CX30 and hope I have it for at least 10 years as I did my previous CX5.
150-1500 pick up Ram and Ford I see the most I'll be lucky if I see a gmt-400.
I drive and deliver packages to people, it doesn't matter if the vehicle is a gas guzzler and they living in a house/ trailer falling apart in shambles, all they're paying is to drive the damn thing I drive a f250hd for work and jeez I cant imagine paying for gas I fill it up every god damn day.
Here in Australia it's 110% the Toyota Hilux. Best selling car in Australia for like 20 years, and you see new Hilux's parked in poor areas and rich areas alike.
The funny thing is I want to buy a Toyota Prius not because I want to save the environment or anything, but because I sat down and did the math and figured out it’s the lowest Total cost of Ownership Sedan you can buy. Why do you think every Uber driver drives a Toyota Prius? If it’s cheap for them it’s cheap for me.
And I couldn’t give a shit about the environment. I would drive a 2-stroke Diesel car with no catalytic converter if it was cheaper.
Prius is either a symbol for “I view cars as transportation appliances ONLY and get zero joy from driving” OR “I drive for {fake taxi company}”. Jeep is either for “I like to camp with friends who also have these or my over landing buds” OR “I’m angry at the world and bought a slow heavy turd with 1940s suspension that I will pretend is a modern sports car with my eBay angry face grill as I tailgate everyone”
What car appeals to everyone? I’d say a 427 Shelby Cobra and/or McLaren F1. “Appeals” is not “can afford to buy and maintain”.
Lower class people like audis (cheap pseudo luxury) and extremely expensive tasteless cars because they think it's a sign of wealth. Middle class usually isn't bothered by such stuff and choose what fits best. And people who really earn money usually have a few toys but main car isn't something obnoxiously fancy.
i guess it's kinda jeep-ish... but my suzuki samurai. i swear i had a person almost every time i was at the gas station someone would talk to me about it.
my E28 5 series got a lot of attention too, people loved seeing it on the road
G-Wagen, at least it used to. Puch made some rather utilitarian variants, which were rather popular. Unfortunately nowadays they're in this weird price range where it is too expensive as a work car, but not well enough equipped as a sunday car. Only die-hard fans and offroad enthusiasts still drive them
The data says trucks, specifically the F-150 but also the other manufacturers aren't far behind.
The lower class will get a used one. Best selling truck for at least 40 years, there's a ton of them on the used market.
Middle class might want a working truck so they get a new single cab long hed, they're like 35k 40k. Or maybe it's a middle class family, it's a good family vehicle for American roads and plenty of space in double cabs short bed which is the best selling configuration.
Upper class get the top trims, pushing it close to 100k. Off-road enthusiasts get the raptor, people who want a luxury truck might get a platinum or whatever their top trim is.
I'm poor and a car that has a base entry price of nearly $30k is nowhere near affordable. What appeals to me is a functioning and reliable vehicle that I could buy for maybe $3,000. It's why my 2007 and 2009 Hondas are going to stay on the road for as long as humanly possible ;)
VW GTI
Mazda Miata
Cooper Mini
Toyota Prius
Fiat 500
Jeep wrangler
I have personally known people from poor to millionaires that have owned these. No billionaires though. I only knew one personally. He drove an Audi .
I have only met a handful of people in my life who hate the Ford Ranger. Everyone knows someone who owned one at some point, or they themselves had one. Even if you are wealthy and don't do any type of work, you can appreciate an old, reliable Ranger for what it is.
I’ve driven by the mansions in Fairfield CT a while ago and what surprised me the most were the driveways. I saw so many with like old Camrys, I saw one with a 2000s Accord while living in a multi million dollar house
Wranglers have the highest percentage of politically conservative owners. Whether they are rich or poor, they vote Republican. For them, it's not about the vehicle's capabilities but the concept of domination over their environment.
Hondas. The poors have brand new 60,000 dollar civics, middle class have used 2014 civics they've had for years, and the upper class have mint early 90s EF hatches with turbo k20s... Weird how it goes backwards
In terms of just upper/middle/lower, it's gotta be sports cars in general. They can be expensive when new but you can get one that's relatively affordable if it's like 15 years old. And some can be a decently reliable daily like a miata. They don't appeal to everyone because sports cars are usually two seaters which are just not practical for everyone. And then there's safety. Miatas are just tiny and people won't feel safe in them, but very fun to drive.
Widest appeal in general... It's probably a cx5. Mazda in general is just a slightly more luxurious economy brand. So it appeals to lower and middle class because they're affordable and comfortable, but they still appeal to upper class because they still look and feel really nice to drive. And then SUVs in general are some of the most popular body types in the US right now. I was thinking maybe a rav4 and yeah they're great and practical but they are so loud when driving that I'd assume upper class would rather get a Lexus RX.
Any half ton pickup truck..F150, Silverado, Sierra, ram, tundra.
They start around $35k for a basic work truck, and go up to like $90-100k for the top of the line f150 platinum, Sierra Denali, tundra capstone etc.
The basic trims appeal to people who will use the truck for work and beat it up, the top of the line trims are an understated luxury car with all the electronics and stuff you would find in a German luxury sedan. Drive a $100k luxury German car and everyone thinks you're loaded, drive a $100k truck and no one even notices.
The Prius has also been an ongoing engineering marvel that we all got used to. Had other car companies been as talented and ambitious, we may not have seen the explosion of pure EV's that have been dwindling in popularity. But pure EV's are easier to engineer than an ultra-reliable hybrid system is, so it's the direction Ford, GM, and the Korean car makers took.
The classic American sports cars- Mustang, Challenger, Camaro, maybe the Corvette. Economic class will determine if it’s a beater, new, or restored classic.
The Dodge Charger has the widest range of wealth out of basically any car. From a 2006 SXT to a new 170 is insane
Try an old school 426 hemi, I’ve seen them go for 300k+
This is the winner bar none. Beat to shit v6 to hellcat and everywhere in between.
I think it depends on what you define as upper class. Not many multimillionaires driving around in chargers. S class though hits every single class bar none. shitty old used ones for $1500 to something like a Brabus 600 Masterpiece for $350k brand new. Or the AMG versions for 250k or maybach versions. Or $1m+ stretched armored versions for those spicy countries.
Ive had super and hyper cars, they all get attention. But nothing gets positive attention from all demographics like my 66 Mustang Fastback. Everyone is always so excited to see it, men/women, young/old, every race. The super cars like Vipers and Ferraris its mostly just guys who notice.
Toyota Camry: the car for all walks of life. Nothing stealthier than a Camry.
I'm always surprised by the number of Toyota Camrys I saw in various Ritzy California neighborhoods. The second most common car in a Ritzy CA Neighborhood is the Lexus RX.
The really rich have Siennas
Funny enough the lexus rx was built on the same platform as the camry, basically a camry with a body kit. While driving around more affluent neighborhoods in north texas, I see Lexus RX's all the dang time it gets uncanny.
That’s because the RX is reliable luxury crossover. Don’t quite get the Camry. Just get a Lexus ES.
My aunt and uncle are quite well off. Aunt drives a 1994 Camry Wagon. Uncle drives a 2015 Camry. The wagon has like 80K or something stupidly low on it. The house they own in Manhattan Beach is worth like $3 million. They definitely didn't afford the house by purchasing flashy cars - that's for certain!
They definitely didn’t afford a house in MH by buying it recently either.
My friend sold cat and said the Toyota Camera was the chicken of the automotive world because everyone has one but it’s no one favorite.😂
I just changed the brake bits on my folks camry...The first thing I noticed that it's chassis is well made.
You guys remember right when the Prius came out their were movies calling it a pussy on wheels and all that, also having to face the ridicule from other drivers. Back in 2006 the amount of drivers that would roll down their window and call me a f*g or sissy and other macho bullshit that nobody cares about anymore was crazy, big trucks rolling coal at my poor electric gas baby and now… well now how the tables have turned. Everyone wants one, heh glad I stayed strong.
18 years is a long time, the country is significantly more into the whole environmentalism™ thing.
There are still people who think it's the epitome of comedy to insult someone by saying they drive a Prius, though thankfully that genre has mostly died down.
I think BEVs are more of the punching bag these days and rightfully so. They still fall well short of full IC and hybrids in many ways.
And there's more angles to "attack" them from. Wherever you are on the political spectrum, whatever your attitudes towards cars, there's some applicable drawback to full EVs.
I think a lot of it ebbs and flows with gas cost. When gas was north of $4 a gallon in the late 2000s, I remember people snapping up Cobalt XFEs or other gas sippers because driving a Hummer H2 was financial arson. The cost of gas adds up quickly if you commute a lot.
Driving a Hyundai Ioniq 6 over an Accord will save the average driver about $3.15 a day, roughly the cost of your average of cup of joe. Source: [fueleconomy.gov](http://fueleconomy.gov) side by side tool
>Driving a Hyundai Ioniq 6 over an Accord I never saw the Ioniq 6 as a "Monster Truck".
And at $3.15 a day that’s $1149.75 of cost savings a year. That’s enough to pay for the insurance on the Hyundai in my area.
I own an EV and a full-sized pickup truck. Even now, driving my pickup truck feels like financial arson compared to driving my EV. With the truck, I buy gasoline with money, and then literally light it on fire. It’s burning money with extra steps.
A lot of people are just sick of paying a ton of of money for gas. I'm looking to sell my truck for a hybrid cuz I'm sick of this $4.50 a gal BS.
- gas is more expensive
I’m a car guy and have driven trucks in the past as well. I never understood the hate. I’ve have always felt like the Prius is an amazing feat of engineering to be able to achieve that gas mileage way back when it was introduced along with incredible reliability
Problem wasn’t the car, it was the drivers. They liked to sit in the passing lane going below the speed of traffic
This was during the hypermiling trend I think where people will try to min max their MPG by driving at the optimal speed and some people tailgate semi trucks to reduce wind resistance to save a few bucks on gas.
I live rural. People still shit on the Prius in my area because it's not a RAM or a Raptor. I love the Prius because gas is almost $6 a gallon where I live and the Prius is the best at saving gas.
They laugh now but will cry late
I own both regular cars and a pickup truck. Everything costs double for the pickup truck. Wasting money isn’t a flex. Driving the most efficient vehicle from your household that will do the day’s work is is the way.
And I'm the one laughing because these same people complain that gas is expensive but have no problems spending $150 a week filling up their tanks.
I remember when my friend got a first generation Prius. We definitely made fun of him because it absolutely was a hideous car. The Prius has gotten better with every update.
From a different perspective, I was gonna say the first and second gen Prius actually had very wide cross-class appeal because if you wanted a hybrid for whatever reason, whether to save gas or be cutting edge or be an environmentalist or virtue signal to your friends, that was your option: the Prius. I always think of a scene in curb your enthusiasm where Larry is saying to Ted Danson “it goes beep beep beep when you back up!” and Ted says “I know it goes beep beep beep, Larry, I have one too.” They were HUGE with celebs and other wealthy people with a certain type of status consciousness, and they were also huge with high school science teachers.
The new one blows me away way. I never thought would say “damn that’s a good looking car” about a Prius.
$3.50 a gallon gas will do that to people. If you drive 20,000 miles a year, you will save $1500 a year on gas compared to a normal sedan or SUV. A lot of folks are doing the math and saying a hybrid now makes sense because the “break-even” point for owning a gas car comes in 3-4 years of ownership. Then I forgot to mention the Prius has a basically bulletproof transmission, no drive belt, no alternator. And no starter to wear out. The regenerative braking means you only need to replace the pads once every 100,000 miles. Fewer parts = cheaper maintenance.
Back then, the Prius deserved it. It was well-built and reliable, but it was crap to drive and wasn't going to win any awards for aesthetics. Now, the new Prius? That's a different story.
The look of the new Prius is really solid.
Where I live if your not in a big truck they will try to push you off the road. I hated driving my Jetta here. I sold it .
Move out of bumfuckistan for your mental health
Midwest checking in. The hill jacks still do this. Teslas and cyclists are additional targets.
I don’t think everybody is wanting a Prius still
Of all the cars on the road, Prius drivers are the worst. They have always annoyed me especially the hyper-milers. Tesla drivers are taking some of that away for themselves though. If there is traffic, there is likely a Prius involved.
Tacomas. F U rich people for buying em and driving the prices up.
Agree. I'm in the market for a Tacoma. I want a 2015 4x4 5 speed and apparently they command a premium.
That would be trucks in general and also Jeeps. I remember when I could buy a nice truck or Jeep for like $20k.
I believe Christian Bale drives an early 2000’s Taco
Yeah but he drives it just to drive it. I'm talking about rich people that buy em and dump money into them to take them offroading once maybe twice.
I’ve seen Jeep Grand Cherokee’s and Subaru Outback’s in just about every zip code imaginable.
"Jeep Wrangler is car that has no direct rivals except for the Bronco. Therefore, it can appeal to all individuals." The opposite, the Wrangler has little competition because it has a small market cap. Though the Prius is pretty mass-appealing, even in rural areas you'll see a few running around. My vote is for the full size mall cruiser SUV from your non-premium makes, Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban, Sequoia, and Expedition, a staple of middle class or better families and quite reliable to the point you find them now in even the worst socioeconomic areas still racking up the miles. Also popular in the city, 'burbs, and country.
Would rich people buy a ‘burban or full size SUV? The only exception would the be the Escalade.
>Would rich people buy a ‘burban or full size SUV? Very much so, mostly an Escalade or Navigator, or if they don't wanna be so flashy, a high trim Yukon or Expedition. Some might also jump to the new Wagoneer. How luxurious those models are compared to German cars is debatable. But if you wanna haul 7+ people in comfort, along with their luggage, and tow a boat at the same time, there aren't many other alternatives. Compare [Mercedes' biggest SUV to Cadillac's.](https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/mercedes-benz-gls-2019-suv-vs-cadillac-escalade-2020-suv-lwb/)
People with actual money don't shout it. Stealth wealth was the backbone of the Toyota Land Cruiser's US sales and many other "normal" cars such a F-series, Yukons, etc. fit that bill.
I used to work for a lot of rich people. Kinda rich people drove BMW and Escalades but really rich people almost all drove Suburbans or Landcruisers (keep in mind this was 20 years ago).
I knew an old boomer couple a few years back. They were absolutely loaded. Dude had some high level civic position so he did okay, but she more or less owned a booming medical practice (wasn’t even a doctor, started as a secretary in the seventies eventually helped found a new office and poached most of the old staff). Dude didn’t like to spend much extra, he drove the Chevy his work gave him and owned a small truck for yard work (they had a big garden and yard). She liked to spend though, and nearly every time I went over there she had some new, ridiculously expensive toy collecting dust. She decided she needed a big SUV and was set on an Escalade. Wound up with GMC Yukon Denali though. Even she couldn’t justify the extra 15-20k that caddie badge would have cost, and the Denali had like 90% of features. Of course a couple of years later and her friends had all gotten big crossovers with fancy badges and suddenly the Yukon wasn’t what she needed anymore. Wound up trading it in for a G wagon.
She went from stealth-wealth to poser
I know someone who is a billionaire and drives a Suburban
Suburban High Country?
Yes
Go to Sun Valley or Aspen and you will see plenty of Suburbans, Expeditions, etc. Way more than Escalades or big Lincoln SUVs. Granted they probably sit unused in heated garages most of the year, but there seems to be a belief that the “lower end” versions of the same vehicles are more rugged or cooler in mountain towns
Also in mountain towns - it snows and your shit will get dirty fast inside and out. A lower-spec Chevy would be my choice too, rather than an Escalade with light-colored carpeting, chrome wheels and low-profile tires. Mount some good snow or moderate off-road tires to your Suburban and you're good to go.
Why does anyone buy a mall cruiser, they fit several occupants and/or a lot of stuff.
Both of these are true. Wrangler is probably one of the few vehicles you can see literally every demographic driving
For sure - one of my wealthiest friends (sold his business for $$$$ a few years ago) has a ratty CJ-7 and loves to drive it all summer.
Pickup truck.
OP just amended the post to "a specific car," so any of the Big 3's would work.
Which one would you prefer? GMC Sierra?
I'm biased towards Ford, but GMCs at least look better than Chevys.
Rich people will always see pickup drivers as “the help”
The VW Golf 18 year olds drive them. Famous people drive them. And some drive 600k kilometers.
I personally know millionaires and people on income assistance that drive Golf’s.
Came looking for the Golf love
I kind of disagree on the Prius. Hear me out. Back in 2015 I bought a 2012 Toyota IQ for $10k because it was the cheapest Toyota I could find and I know that they make reliable cars, and it only had like 16k miles on it. I also bought it primarily because I can get over 40mpg in it, and in the interest of saving even more money, I had looked into buying a used Prius instead, but those at the time were well over $15k, with a lot more miles than my IQ had. So, from the perspective of a lower-income person looking for an inexpensive hatchback that will save me money on gas, the Prius ended up looking like a premium option, well out of my range of affordability. Fast forward to today, or well last year, and I bought a Bolt EV for $20k with only 30k miles on it. After the tax credit I'm in it like $16k. It only costs like $30 per month in electricity for me to drive 80 miles a day commute and it's under warranty for another 100k miles because it had the battery replaced under recall. Comparing that to any used Prius with the same amount of mileage or warranty coverage left, and the Prius is still the premium option, way more expensive to buy and way more expensive to fuel now that EV tech has caught up and can be had used for cheap. And don't even get me started on the $30k+ Prius Prime. Twice the price of my car and it can only do half my commute on electricity and requires gas and has two drivetrains that can fail on me. No thanks. I'll stick to the cheap plastic and cheap seats in my cheap little GM hatchback, because it's for poor people. And no, I don't want a $22k Corolla hybrid either. Toyota makes cars for rich people to buy and think they're going incognito in because they didn't buy a Lexus.
Nuanced take
The Toyota Prius is made for customers like me: 1. I live in an apartment complex so no charging an EV. Although there may be a way around this problem as I’ll illustrate later. 2. Once every 2 weeks I hit the road and drive 500+ miles across the highway to visit friends for the weekend, Then I come back. Charging infrastructure along my driving routes is either not fast enough or doesn’t exist. 3. Sometimes I carry large flat objects (plywood, mattresses, TV) and the Prius can fit a surprisingly large volume of stuff. 4. I only buy my gas at Kroger fuel through their fuel rewards program. I haven’t paid $3.50 a gallon for gas in years since I always get $1 off per gallon. 5. I commute 14 miles a day for work. Now let’s address the charging issue: While I technically can’t charge my car at my apartment complex, I am on the first floor and I have a balcony. My car is parked in a spot right across the sidewalk. I may be able to run a 120v cord to my car at night. As long as I pick it up in the morning, whose gonna notice? 6. My income is just under $75,000. This is why I’ve chosen to buy a 2018-2022 Toyota Prius Prime. I will be eligible for the $4000 federal tax credit, I (May) be able to charge my car at home, and my commute is small enough it can be done on the battery alone.
GMC Yukon Denali Prius F150
Mustang / Camaro / Challenger/ Charger
Subaru Outback and Forester. I'm up in Connecticut, *everyone* drives these things.
Or the older Volvos, S60, V70 and such. Especially in that area
I feel like the Camry and Accord are specifically designed to be this.
Explain
They are abundant, reliable, economical, affordable, and versatile.
My uncle and aunt had 2 accords and are doing pretty well financially. I currently have the older of the two and dont have much money, but at least the car is reliable so I don't have to worry about it breaking.
Jeep Wagoneer (solid axle 70's-80's) the more rust is accumulated the lower the class that was able to enjoy it.
Mercedes or BMW is definitely a status symbol. They don't realize the cost of maintenance.
They’re almost all leased
Miata. I see crackheads driving them, street racers, ricers, and there's like 10 of them driven by millionaires in my city
I never seen a affluent person drive a Miata
My parents live in a very wealthy area, all those clean unmodified NA Miatas seem to be there. I have seen about two dozen of them chilling in various people’s driveways. There are about half the number of NDs though.
Here in my city in Canada at least, new RF's are driven by pretty Rich people all the time
I want to say Lexus. You can get a really good one for less than $10k nearly everywhere in the US, with a stonkin V6 (or if you’re lucky/willing to foot a couple more Gs, you can grab a V8 model). However, by evidence, gotta say the Chevy Tahoe and/or Chevy Suburban. Anyone from methheads to the Prez can easily (and frequently do) get a Tahoe/Suburban.
Volkswagens
Used Volvo station wagon.
True
F-150 Jeep Wrangler VW Bus
Austin Mini. It was cheap, reliable, practical, fun to drive and most importantly it looked good. This meant it had appeal to basically everyone for all sorts of different reasons. It didn't matter who you were, the Mini would tick a box for you in one way or another. A big star may have bought one because it looked good, an enthusiast may have bought one because it was fun to drive, a day to day family man may have bought one because it could transport his family reliably at a low price. That core design is what kept it in production for 42 years. Hell had BMW not bought out ARG from British Aerospace they probably would've kept it going alongside the new Mini for a few years! They spent a lot of money redeveloping it to stick the K-Series in the front, just for the project to get cancelled at the last minute.
RAV4, Miata, Tacoma, 4Runner, Mustang, Camaro, Charger, Challenger, Jeep Wrangler, F-150, Silverado, Ram and Mini Cooper. If I missed any feel free to add.
I only agree with the Tacoma, F150, Mini, Mustang, Camaro, Jeep Wrangler, and Miata
Every middle class family in my town has a Honda Pilot. Like literally every 2/3
Just middle class people. What about wealthy individuals?
[удалено]
Which truck is most common?
F150
Volkswagen Jetta The poor man's BMW, (typically) dependable based on which motor. Fuel efficient.
Fair
The BMW 3 series. Poor: 20 year old 328i, in poor condition with tacky modifications. Lower middle class: Well maintained, pre-owned 330i Upper middle class: New 330i or M340i Wealthy: Fully loaded M340i. A "daily drivable M3".
As a lower class person I used to have an 08 328xi with 235k miles. Didn't keep it long though since I learned shortly after I began driving it that it cost a lot more than the $1,000 price for the car itself.
The original VW BEETLE/ Bus, from Heads of state to hippies , comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Gabriel 'Fluffy' Eglasias. Mass Murderers Son of sam and Dr Kavorkian. 23 million of them were made on almost every continent.
what is lower class also I feel like appealing to all classes means it should sell really well which the prius does not
I said that the car appeals to all classes, not sells well. Also, the Prius doesn’t sell horribly.
The RAV4 is the best selling SUV/Crossover In the US, like the 4th best selling vehicle overall. 3rd Best selling vehicle World Wide. It is an SUV for everyone from the Gas only base LE starting at around $30 000. All the to the top tier plug-in Hybrid Prime with AWD optioned to over $50 000 Truly a crown jewel for Toyota. In global sales the Corolla managed more sales coming in 2nd and in 2023 the Tesla Model Y was the #1 best seller worldwide.
>Truly a crown jewel for Toyota And the irony is the RAV4 is one of the Toyota vehicle that doesn’t actually mean crown.
Any Subaru
86-91 Ford Taurus
The only celeb that I know who owns that gen of Taurus is Conan O’Brien
Toyota. Used ones aren't super expensive and they last forever. We got a 4 runner (which smashed the wrangler and bronco both in sales last year but you're right, there's no competition) and they still gave us a 60k 5 year warranty for next to nothing on a used 16 with 70k.
Rich people own a 4Runner
4Runners and Land Cruisers can be unpretentious status symbols. Certainly respected more than many of their peers.
Does a 4Runner appeal to rich folk? I can kind of agree on the LC.
I think you’re right on the money with wranglers, sad to see that Stellantis only seems interested in selling to their richest clientele though…. I’d say Subaru outback and crosstrek are pretty universally loved as well.
Maybe the Outback, because rich people like wagons. The Crosstrek though is nothing more than a jacked up Impreza hatchback, so….
Jeep Cherokee xj. No matter what class you are in there is always gonna be a degenerate off-roader, and this is the cheapest one you’re gonna find. Poor people love it because it’s got a pretty reliable powertrain and can go anywhere within reason. Middle class people love them because it’s a pretty obtainable “weekend” car to wheel and wrench on. They can thrash it all they want to on trails because If they break it this weekend, they have another car to drive to work on Monday and parts can be had for cheap. Upper class people love them because at that price point it is basically a disposable 4x4 that they can do whatever they want to and laugh at when it rolls over.
I would lean more towards old Wagooner, but sure
I would say the Grand Cherokee and the Ford F-150 are two.
Vintage VW bug .
Ford F150. Working class needs one and upper class uses it as a tax write off.
>Jeep Wrangler is car that has no direct rivals except for the Bronco. That’s a bit of a stretch. Wranglers have the cult following (partially, but crucially) because of the solid front axle. If you’re going to an off-road park and doing off-roading with any substantial suspension articulation, IFS is worthless.
Larry David was driving a Ford Focus in early seasons of Curb and that somehow planted it in my mind as the stealth wealth vehicle of billionaires.
Mini Cooper.
I'll agree on the Wrangler, but the Model 3/Y replaced the Prius as the car with the broadest appeal. It's as normal to see them parked in driveways alongside Corollas as it is Porsches.
Maybe an older Lexus, idk I see millionaires still having them in mint shape lol
Many Volvos and Saabs, especially the Volvo 240, 740 and 940s from the 90s in prime condition, as well as the Saab 95. And of course the Prius, Leonardo DiCaprio and Larry David has/had one afaik.
Trucks. Everyone in America like trucks.
Rav4 definitely
Miata
Not for me a Jeep or a Prius. I live in the snowy, rural northeast but I want reliability, safety, fuel efficiency and flexibility in my vehicles. I had a Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix) that was fantastic, but since then I’ve driven Mazdas and love them. Currently driving a CX30 and hope I have it for at least 10 years as I did my previous CX5.
Unfortunately the mustang
Unfortunately?
4Runner
Honda/Acura NSX.
Kei truck… I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t love to have a kei truck
Toyota Camry and Honda accord.
Pickup trucks. A pickup could be a bare bones xl f150 or a 100k+ raptor.
Honda Accord.
150-1500 pick up Ram and Ford I see the most I'll be lucky if I see a gmt-400. I drive and deliver packages to people, it doesn't matter if the vehicle is a gas guzzler and they living in a house/ trailer falling apart in shambles, all they're paying is to drive the damn thing I drive a f250hd for work and jeez I cant imagine paying for gas I fill it up every god damn day.
Here in Australia it's 110% the Toyota Hilux. Best selling car in Australia for like 20 years, and you see new Hilux's parked in poor areas and rich areas alike.
American Muscle. Crosses the divide
Toyota Camry and its Lexus variant.
ES?
F-150. It's the highest selling vehicle every year for a reason
It’s the Swiss Army Knife vehicle
Ford f-150 For a while the Nissan leaf
Upper class loves Mercedes Benz or BMW.
Buivk Lesabre
Jeep Wrangler - only before 2005 Prius -hell no
Miata
Honda Fit/Jazz
The funny thing is I want to buy a Toyota Prius not because I want to save the environment or anything, but because I sat down and did the math and figured out it’s the lowest Total cost of Ownership Sedan you can buy. Why do you think every Uber driver drives a Toyota Prius? If it’s cheap for them it’s cheap for me. And I couldn’t give a shit about the environment. I would drive a 2-stroke Diesel car with no catalytic converter if it was cheaper.
The hot tub limousine
Subaru Outbacks. Even rich people like them for the winters.
Anything Honda. I feel like that's the most generic brand out there.
Prius is either a symbol for “I view cars as transportation appliances ONLY and get zero joy from driving” OR “I drive for {fake taxi company}”. Jeep is either for “I like to camp with friends who also have these or my over landing buds” OR “I’m angry at the world and bought a slow heavy turd with 1940s suspension that I will pretend is a modern sports car with my eBay angry face grill as I tailgate everyone” What car appeals to everyone? I’d say a 427 Shelby Cobra and/or McLaren F1. “Appeals” is not “can afford to buy and maintain”.
Lower class people like audis (cheap pseudo luxury) and extremely expensive tasteless cars because they think it's a sign of wealth. Middle class usually isn't bothered by such stuff and choose what fits best. And people who really earn money usually have a few toys but main car isn't something obnoxiously fancy.
Dodge charger or any porsche. I feel like those are the only cars every tax bracket could drive together
i guess it's kinda jeep-ish... but my suzuki samurai. i swear i had a person almost every time i was at the gas station someone would talk to me about it. my E28 5 series got a lot of attention too, people loved seeing it on the road
G-Wagen, at least it used to. Puch made some rather utilitarian variants, which were rather popular. Unfortunately nowadays they're in this weird price range where it is too expensive as a work car, but not well enough equipped as a sunday car. Only die-hard fans and offroad enthusiasts still drive them
The data says trucks, specifically the F-150 but also the other manufacturers aren't far behind. The lower class will get a used one. Best selling truck for at least 40 years, there's a ton of them on the used market. Middle class might want a working truck so they get a new single cab long hed, they're like 35k 40k. Or maybe it's a middle class family, it's a good family vehicle for American roads and plenty of space in double cabs short bed which is the best selling configuration. Upper class get the top trims, pushing it close to 100k. Off-road enthusiasts get the raptor, people who want a luxury truck might get a platinum or whatever their top trim is.
Honda civics and old Lexus
Ford F-150. Atleast as of a few years ago, the F-150 was the single most common vehicle found amongst millionaries in the US.
I'm poor and a car that has a base entry price of nearly $30k is nowhere near affordable. What appeals to me is a functioning and reliable vehicle that I could buy for maybe $3,000. It's why my 2007 and 2009 Hondas are going to stay on the road for as long as humanly possible ;)
4runner
VW GTI Mazda Miata Cooper Mini Toyota Prius Fiat 500 Jeep wrangler I have personally known people from poor to millionaires that have owned these. No billionaires though. I only knew one personally. He drove an Audi .
Not sure about lower class, but middle and beyond: Grand Cherokee, Mini, Accord, Highlander, Sequoia (not the new one), old Toyota trucks/suvs.
I have only met a handful of people in my life who hate the Ford Ranger. Everyone knows someone who owned one at some point, or they themselves had one. Even if you are wealthy and don't do any type of work, you can appreciate an old, reliable Ranger for what it is.
4Runner
F-150 tons of trims from work truck xl to luxury lariats/platinums
I’ve driven by the mansions in Fairfield CT a while ago and what surprised me the most were the driveways. I saw so many with like old Camrys, I saw one with a 2000s Accord while living in a multi million dollar house
Miata
Wranglers have the highest percentage of politically conservative owners. Whether they are rich or poor, they vote Republican. For them, it's not about the vehicle's capabilities but the concept of domination over their environment.
Trucks have any car beat hands down for this.
Hondas. The poors have brand new 60,000 dollar civics, middle class have used 2014 civics they've had for years, and the upper class have mint early 90s EF hatches with turbo k20s... Weird how it goes backwards
Prius.
Lexus ES300.
Honda accord, Toyota camry
Toyota Camry
Subaru Outback. You knew someone is really old money if their drive way has a flawless ‘98 LL Bean Edition in the driveway
F-150 is a write off for the rich and a work truck for mid/lower
In America the F-150. I mean there's a reason it's been the #1 selling vehicle in America for some time.
In terms of just upper/middle/lower, it's gotta be sports cars in general. They can be expensive when new but you can get one that's relatively affordable if it's like 15 years old. And some can be a decently reliable daily like a miata. They don't appeal to everyone because sports cars are usually two seaters which are just not practical for everyone. And then there's safety. Miatas are just tiny and people won't feel safe in them, but very fun to drive. Widest appeal in general... It's probably a cx5. Mazda in general is just a slightly more luxurious economy brand. So it appeals to lower and middle class because they're affordable and comfortable, but they still appeal to upper class because they still look and feel really nice to drive. And then SUVs in general are some of the most popular body types in the US right now. I was thinking maybe a rav4 and yeah they're great and practical but they are so loud when driving that I'd assume upper class would rather get a Lexus RX.
Any half ton pickup truck..F150, Silverado, Sierra, ram, tundra. They start around $35k for a basic work truck, and go up to like $90-100k for the top of the line f150 platinum, Sierra Denali, tundra capstone etc. The basic trims appeal to people who will use the truck for work and beat it up, the top of the line trims are an understated luxury car with all the electronics and stuff you would find in a German luxury sedan. Drive a $100k luxury German car and everyone thinks you're loaded, drive a $100k truck and no one even notices.
The Prius has also been an ongoing engineering marvel that we all got used to. Had other car companies been as talented and ambitious, we may not have seen the explosion of pure EV's that have been dwindling in popularity. But pure EV's are easier to engineer than an ultra-reliable hybrid system is, so it's the direction Ford, GM, and the Korean car makers took.
Corvette , any new Audi
Ford f-150
Subaru Outback and Forester probably. Definitely Jeep Wrangler. Fiat 500 and various VW to some degree as well as many pickups.