UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: Why Americans like big cars. "When you have kids, you suddenly realize that [a small car] just isn't going to cut it. Car seats are big, and often mandated by law until children are quite old. Babies especially require lots of baggage and toys. And larger children require space. I shudder at the thought of a future in which I have to cram three non-infant children into the back of a Ford Focus."

Reality is tough.