More Consumers Care About a Car’s Reviews, Safety Than Its Gas Mileage
The quality of a car as reflected in its reviews is determined by its maker; its safety is in satisfaction of government mandate. Both of these are beyond the direct control of the individual. On the other hand, gas usage can be managed through smarter driving and route planning. People prefer to handle that by themselves.
This is the reason behind the state government's love of things like light [expensive] rail, short-distance train lines, and [God help us] trolleys. They all rely on the government determining from whence people depart and where they may go; what times they may do this and the route they are to take. The individual is rendered into a passive participant in a system that permits them no control. Governments get excited about that notion.