Ask Nathan
In this week’s Ask Nathan, we’re diving into some pressing questions from viewers and readers:
- Will the small work van make a comeback in the USA?
- Are all crossover silhouettes starting to look the same?
- Can you even afford a new car these days?
The Small Work Van’s Ghost
The first question comes from a gas station clerk, a familiar face who recognized me and posed a surprisingly insightful question about the absence of small work vans on our roads.
Q: (Paraphrased from a conversation at an ARCO in Torrance, CA): “I don’t get why all the small work vans disappeared. Just a few years ago, we had the Nissan NV200 (and the Chevy City Express), the Ford Transit Connect, the Ram ProMaster City, and the Mercedes-Benz Metris. Now, nothing! I did some digging, and there’s nothing out there! My work van (Nissan NV200) has over 150,000 miles, and all I’ve changed are brakes and tires. It hauls stuff every day, and nothing beats its fuel economy. I can load my van way easier than my wife’s SUV. It holds more and is easier to park. Why did they get rid of them, and will they be replaced?” – Nice guy at the gas station.
A: Honestly, I’m a bit baffled by the rapid disappearance of small work vans in America as well. My research paints a similar picture. At its peak, Nissan sold just under 19,000 NV200s annually in the United States, with Canada averaging about 10% of that figure. Mercedes-Benz’s Metris, a slightly larger option, mirrored Nissan’s sales, hitting a high of over 23,000 units sold here in 2023. The Ram ProMaster City trailed Nissan by roughly 10 percent, while the Ford Transit Connect, which is in the process of being discontinued, far outsold all of them. Oh, and the rebadged NV200 variant, the Chevrolet City Express, barely made a dent in sales.
In a relatively short period (less than a decade), hundreds of thousands of these small work vans were sold in the USA, only to vanish almost overnight. Why? One of the main culprits was the import tax, also known as the “chicken tax,” and the complex workarounds it necessitated. Vans were often imported with windows, rear seats, and seatbelts to evade the steep 25% import tax. Those components then had to be removed once they reached our shores, an expensive and cumbersome process. Sure, manufacturers could have built these vans here. Mercedes-Benz started doing just that with their larger vans, avoiding the tax and creating local jobs. However, the return on investment (ROI) is low for those who must build a production line just for one vehicle that shares few parts with related models.
Rumors also point to electrification as a driving factor behind the sudden exit of these vans from the market. Almost every van builder had, or still has, an electric equivalent of these discontinued models. I even test-drove a Nissan E-NV200, essentially an NV200 paired with a Nissan Leaf, at an event. Ford and Stellantis have small EV vans overseas, and they’re thriving. EV vans work well for short-distance deliveries in populated urban areas, and smaller, lighter models could be a real advantage. Rumor has it: Toyota might be considering a hybrid version of their HiAce delivery van for North America. Imagine a small work van capable of around 30 mpg when fully loaded? It’s possible, but it remains just a rumor.
I wish I could give you a definitive answer. While we know minivans are moving toward electrification – look at Toyota and Kia –they don’t quite meet the criteria of a purpose-built cargo van. It may take time, but I believe we might see a small work van of some kind return to the United States. What it will be powered by, however, is anyone’s guess.
Are SUVs All the Same?
The next question comes from a viewer who feels that automakers aren’t exactly pushing design innovation.
Q: (Via: YouTube) “Modern car design stinks. I seriously can’t believe you genuinely think some SUVs look good. You’ve said it yourself many times! I’m not buying it. Name one attractive SUV!” – TL86t22
A: As I always say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder; however…
The Rivian R3X. How about that? To me, it’s the absolute bee’s knees. I know, some people are iffy about the nose, or classify it as a tall hot-hatch design, but Rivian considers it an SUV. Actually, you failed to mention what qualifies as an SUV, verses a crossover. I’m unpredictable like that. Look, I get it: the silhouette of many crossovers, and many SUVs are very close. I daresay it’s hard to tell the difference between many, in profile, at dusk. I think, if you look hard enough, you can find some pleasing shapes among both SUVs (Wranglers, Land Cruisers, G-Wagons and the like) and crossovers (just about everything else, sans pickups) here and there. You know what? I bets some readers can name some sweet looking rigs they’ve seen too!
The Quest for Affordable Cars
The final question comes from Juan TT, a regular who’s frustrated by the lack of affordable new cars.
Q: “Thanks for replying to my question about cheap trucks in that email. Now I’m asking about cheap cars for my girl. It’s nearly impossible for her to find anything new for 2024 that can work for her family. The Mitsubishi Mirage is disappearing soon, and it’s still too small anyway. There aren’t any realistically priced cars! Nothing under $20,000 after taxes and fees. It’s getting stupid and depressing. We just can’t afford anything on a $100,000-a-year combined income with a kid and a house.” – Juan TT
A: Besides the Nissan Versa (which starts under $17,000 for the manual, and the CVT FWD model starts at over $18,000 – before tax and fees), there isn’t a lot available. Sorry.
I highly recommend the 2024/2025 Chevrolet Trax. Yes, it is just over $20,000, but you get a lot of car for the money. Seriously, it’s one of my favorite “affordable” cars of the year. The only thing that comes close is its cousin, the slightly more expensive Buick Envista. I wish I knew of something on the horizon that may come with more cost effectiveness.
