Ohh, I do understand your huge distances, that your distances is more than a European is used to travel and might be able to comprehend. Just visited the in-laws a few weeks ago, going from FL to NC where they build WallyWorld's in the middle of a cornfield, and that's only like what, half way up the eastcoast? And a reason why we took her son's Jetta rather than my girl's 22mpg Tacoma, because it runs like 50% longer on the mileage ..
So with your distances, even more reason to evolve in technology and make your vehicles run longer per milage than what is the standard now. Like getting up-to-date with engine technology and decrease the size of some of your cars. But as one tolled me over-there, "there is a thing about our trucks. We love our trucks" ..
I do understand that some part of the population need a big-ass truck like on the far-out countryside, but for God sacke put a diesel in it - plain stupid having petrol in a truck ..
But for those using them just for shopping and other daily stuff, nothing justify a big-ass truck - and nothing justify why you need a big V6 or V8 in your family car except to show of that mine is bigger than yours ..
There are other ways of making horsepower and torque than just increasing the volume of an engine ..
- madman