Driving Stereotypes

Red-blooded Americans drive Ford pickups while crunchy-granola Californians drive Priuses. Blah, blah, blah. Care to deal in any more stereotypes?

Oh, wait. That one is true. The Los Angeles Times reports that while the bestselling vehicle in America is Ford's F-Series pickup, California's favorite car is the high-mpg Toyota Prius hybrid. In 2012, the Prius toppled the Honda Civic for the number one sales spot in the Golden State; nationally, the Prius ranks number 14. In fact, California accounts for more than a quarter of all Prius sales in the U.S. According to the Times, “Ford's F-Series pickup truck, perennially the national bestseller, placed seventh in California with sales of 25,434 — less than half of Prius sales.”

Yes, you can have sprouts with that.

Image of Toyota Prius v and the Golden Gate Bridge by Toyota Motor Corporation.

Reed McManus is a senior editor at Sierra. He has worked on the magazine since Ronald Reagan’s second term. For inspiration, he turns to cartoonist R. Crumb’s Mr. Natural, who famously noted: “Twas ever thus.”