Have you ever taken a trip to Europe? Did you notice that there aren’t too many large American cars and SUVs on the road? Well, there’s a reason for that. Most notably, European roads prefer leaner and more efficient vehicles, per industry experts on the continent.

Industry experts suggest that American cars are too big, citing European preferences for ‘smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles’

“Try to go around Italy in a big SUV. I’ve done it, and it’s very difficult.” Those were the words of automotive industry analyst Hampus Engellau. I feel inclined to agree with Engellau. I’ve driven in several European countries and a hulking leviathan like a Chevrolet Suburban or Hummer H2 simply isn’t a great fit.

Instead, Europeans tend to skew toward smaller, lighter, more economical cars. “We tend to have higher fuel prices than the Americans, so we prefer smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, while they generally prefer larger vehicles,” says the CEO of The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, Mike Hawes.

Fuel costs are a major factor for European car buyers. Gasoline tends to cost considerably more in Europe than it does in the United States, prompting buyers to buy fuel-efficient options. “They [Americans] pay per gallon what we pay per liter,” Engellau says of the different fuel costs. Incidentally, larger American cars, trucks, and SUVs tend to have a larger appetite for fuel than the average European best-sellers.

The preferences show when you take a look at the best-selling vehicles in Europe and the United States. In 2024, the seven best-selling vehicles in the United States were pickup trucks and SUVs. Conversely, Europeans preferred smaller, lighter hatchbacks like the Dacia Sandero, Volkswagen Golf, and Renault Clio.

Consequently, the US tends to buy many, many more vehicles from Europe than EU countries purchase from North America. According to the BBC, the United States imported 692,334 European vehicles in 2022. Conversely, Europe imported just 116,207 new American-made cars, trucks, and SUVs.