Another related issue is that any powertrain options in the US tend to move vehicle cost from depressing to stupid, as people in the US demand foo foo options. I'd much prefer a stripped down vehicle as a baseline with the ability to start with oprions of my choosing, but one typically can't do that in the US. Instead we have an industry that seems to depend upon options for lots of profits, look at the junk that pickups and SUVs have been loaded down with, and apparently very successful marketing which has lots of friends and coworkers telling me that 'options make the vehicle'. No Virginia, options just vehicles more expensive, which might be good for a few months of status but after that your arm gets tired from flushing so much money down the toilet as the thing depreciates.
I recently listened to someone telling me that just before gas prices really took off they had managed to get their dream vehicle, a full size GM SUV with enough options to push it over $60k, a vehicle that is kind of worthless now as it'a obviously large, has a gas engine, and gets pretty bad mileage. I'll bet it even has fancy wheels and low profile summer performance tires, like putting lipstick on a pig, really expensive lipstick. The powertrain makes the vehicle as it basically defines capability and durability, and everything else is window dressing. For mileage please give me a stripped down small sedean with a diesel and a manual tranny, but I know I'll never get such a vehicle in the US.
