From the commercial birth of the automobile in the 1920s, Americans have always subscribed to the thesis that you are what you drive. And that, in most cases, has meant driving big. The heyday of the huge gas-guzzling 'house on wheels' came in the 60s and 70s, when parking spaces were plentiful and petrol was as cheap as Pepsi.
A downsizing occurred in the 80s, when Americans began favouring compactness and reliability over size, and flocked to Japanese imports. That did not last long, because the last five years have seen the re-emergence of grandeur in a different form.
Almost unheard of 10 years ago, the 'sport utility vehicles' - jeep-style four-wheel drives stylised for suburban tastes - have become pre-eminent in the US market. Sales of original suppliers such as Jeep and Suzuki took off in the early 90s, so much so that every domestic and Japanese car-maker rushed their own versions into production. Utility vehicles are now the favoured car of yuppies, teenagers and nuclear families, and account for one in five of every car sold. Gas-guzzling is back in style.
Wanting to go one bigger, Hollywood celebrities - pioneered by Arnold Schwarzenegger - have started rolling round Los Angeles in tank-like objects called Hummers, hugely expensive former military vehicles modified for civilian use. But one thing Americans don't like big is bills. Which is why a new report has sent insurers up the wall and drivers running for cover.
Crash statistics have shown that because utility vehicles are much heftier than the average car, they are accounting for the vast majority of damage costs during accidents, and sending liability claims skyrocketing.
Insurers, not the most indulgent of service providers, have decided it is time owners of such vehicles paid the price for their superior might, and are planning to raise premiums by as much as several hundred dollars a year.
