Wrong. American car choice has everything to do with government subsidies, car safety standards and fuel standards. Consumer choice doesn’t matter in the US Auto market.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g64457986/bestselling-cars...
It's trucks and SUVs.
It doesn't matter if regulations favor small and fuel efficient. That's not what consumers buy. In fact, they flock to the exact opposite.
Occam's razor here is that American auto isn't stupid. It's just building what the consumers want.
American preferences don't match that of the broader world.
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/24139147/suvs-trucks-popu...
Consumers aren't buying trucks because they're incentivized with money - because the truck is double the cost. Theyre buying trucks because they want them.
Does that make American consumers stupid? Yeah probably.
Id sooner blame marketing and advertising than regulations and tax codes. The reality is that when these gas guzzlers are priced outrageously, Americans still want them.