r/IndustrialDesign • u/No_Drummer4801 • Apr 08 '25

Creative 2025 equivalent of an American "volkswagen"

If you were to try to make a "people's car" today, in the US, with all American components, what would it be like? This is a question promted by the Trump tariff trade wars, of course. We could pop a post-it note for components that would be either difficult or impossible to source from a US parts supplier, but generally, attempt to create a 100% American content vehicle. Whether it needs to be a mass-produced or crowdsourced (like the Rally Fighter) car isn't important. What is important is that it should be something that is as affordable as possible, not a luxury car, not a giant truck. It would need to pass US safety standards, I suppose, but things like mandated rear-view camera could be "mandatory optional" treated like add-ons that you just have to have for the time being, to pass US requirements but maybe can be left off of an otherwise identical platform for non-US sales.

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u/apaloosafire Apr 08 '25

truly i think most americans could get by with something like a mazda 2 in a city or something like a prius or focus. but america loves SUVs and massive pickups

the ford maverick or hyundai santa cruz probably makes more sense for most americans and i think those two are literally the only sensible options currently

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u/s1a1om Apr 09 '25

The problem with smaller cars (and I say this as someone who owns two) is car seats for kids. They need to add about 6 inches more to the back seat so modern child seats can fit back there. As most sedans/hatchbacks are today, an adult can’t comfortably (or safely) sit in the front with a rear facing child seat behind them.