They need the Model X, because the squat, flat 'sedan' body style of all their other cars seems very out of date these days. They do it for air resistance I think, but most people want a much more upright car.

> the squat, flat 'sedan' body style of all their other cars seems very out of date these days

In the non american world, where "trucks" are not a daily commuter, a sedan is not out of date. Nor is a hatchback, nor is a ferrari. The family wagon, truck and hybrid truck/suv have been an out of date style for the last 50 years in the developed world.

SUVs have not been around for 50 years …

But they have!

The Ford Bronco was introduced in 1965. The Jeep Cherokee arrived in 1974. I remember seeing a lot of them as a kid, though if I had to pinpoint the start of the SUV craze, it would probably be closer to 1990 when the Ford Explorer first came to market.

Sure they have. Chevy Blazer and Ford Bronco came out in the late 60s.

Wow, you’re right! I had no idea. Thanks. 1965 Ford Bronco: https://images.app.goo.gl/P4seF3jQfQfs69oL9

the person you are replying to never said otherwise

"SUV" is a marketting term that came into common use in the 80's in America.

There is no commonly agreed-upon definition of an SUV, and usage of the term varies between countries. Thus, it is "a loose term that traditionally covers a broad range of vehicles with four-wheel drive."

As such I am happy to claim, given there is no formal definition of what is and what isnt an SUV; that they dont exist at all, if only wishing made it so.

If one wants to claim they do indeed exist - there are plenty of examples from the 1940s and 1950's. “Sport utility vehicle” appeared for the first time in 1974 in the brochure of the first-generation Cherokee. So by the measure of marketing material, they have not been around 50 years, they have been around 47 years.

What do you mean by out of date then? They're the best selling form-factor in many countries aren't they?

And it's not a US thing - the Germans, French, and British are also more and more switching their focus to the SUV form-factor.

> They're the best selling form-factor in many countries aren't they?

Even allowing for the massive definition creep that basically every car where the bonnet / windscreen angle is shallow being an SUV. No - around 30% would be my best guess.

I think for definition what people really care about in practice, even if they don't know it, is it a car they have to crouch down into, or can they simply sit into it. Most people don't like those flat cars that you stoop down into anymore.

I think Ford, that massive iconic US car brand, have discontinued all sedans in the US now, since they're so unpopular.

they said "truck/suv", not "suv"

pretty sure members of ((the set "truck") + (the set "suv")) have existed for more than 50 years, because that union includes trucks

Hmm, I must had misunderstood then, my bad. When they said trucks and SUVs have been out of style for 50 years … that to me implied that they were around 50 years ago (how can something that doesn’t exist go out of style? :))

It seems the root of the misunderstanding is interpreting the slash (/) as "and", when it really means "and/or", in this case, or

> suv have been an out of date style for the last 50 years

I guess people just want to sit high. SUVs waste a lot of vertical space on a raised floor. Really bad for driving dynamics, but hey, you sit high.

Yeah, I'm going to be looking for a new car in 2-3 years probably, but I have absolutely zero interest in SUVs and crossovers, so the market is looking more and more dire every year.

If I need an electric (most likely), and unless my finances improve sharply to include luxury models, I will probably be able to count my options on one hand.