There’s a lot of out of date info in there making your conclusions a bit innacurate. The yen is super weak right now, compared to USD and EUR especially.

Rice grown in California should not be cheaper than rice grown in Japan, just purely based on a currency analysis. Almost all other domestic foods in Japan are much cheaper in real terms than in California.

You aren’t having them redline the engine and slip the clutch going up a hill. Practicing idle starts in first is probably way less wear than a single sporty start on a highway on ramp.

I’m now imagining a bundle of 2x4s vertically sticking up 6 feet.

I think I’ve only once or twice had something not fit the hatchback because the roof was too low. And those items wouldn’t have fit in a 3-4 foot bed either. Plus a proper hatchback should have roof racks to put oversize cargo on anyway.

I’m not arguing a 5+ foot bed isn’t better than a hatch (my 97 Taco with 6 foot bed comes in handy sometimes), but the shorty beds make me laugh.

That’s got to be like a 3 foot bed? I just don’t get how that’s useful vs a hatchback with the seats down?