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Don't forget that many of the cars in europe are tiny little bean cans and the passenger side window crank is within reach. 
Like you Kelly, I'm well humoured.
In the pic is the 'tiny little bean can' Mercedes-Benz (the socalled 'Heckflosse' model) I had in my student years. It was very basic, had no electric windows, not even power steering let alone... cupholders. The horror!
About quality and quantity. Some emperor seems to think we Europeans don't buy American cars because of high tariffs. That's not the case. He confuses tariffs with the 21% VAT added to
all consumer goods. US cars are not more expensive for us than others. Here's why we're not interested. Many American cars - even today - do not meet our EU safety standards. That's one. Second. The reputation as far as quality of American cars is poor. When interviewed, Lee Iacocca once sighed: if only we could force ourselves to build quality cars like the Honda Accord. Don't we know it... Although it is a long time ago, I'll never forget that documentary the BBC broadcasted about that year Japan - pressured by the US administration - had opened their market for US cars. Even with the 0% tariff in place, US automakers had not been able to sell more than a meager 10.000. Nor can I forget that Japanese lady in that same documentary that had fallen victim to the idea of owning an American car and had bought a Jeep Cherokee. She summed up all the repairs the car had needed. Unbelievable! Even the drive shaft had to be renewed. I admired her, when – whilst summing it all up - she couldn't help giggling about it, politely behind her hand.
Then there is the matter of taste. In the US market quantity equals quality. Big, big, big. It's been used as propaganda: when you are/have bigger, some think they are better. Well, this will make you happy: my country is just a little bit bigger than the average Walmart parking lot.
Most Europeans prefer sensible cars. Not many want to be seen in a Dodge Ram for instance. Many consider such a car vulgar and you don't want people to think you must be suffering of some inferiority complex. Moreover, such a car is too big for some of our streets. Realise we still have medieval towns, so streets can be narrow. Where I live, I don't need a car at all. In the center of Amsterdam 60% of the households do
not own a car and let me assure you, that's not where poor people live... I have everything within walking distance, even the US consulate
! It's nice to be in the streets on foot or on a bicycle, among people and not have to be in one of the 'full metal jackets' you are condemned to for every move.
But in all honesty, we can't help admiring cars like that Dodge Van which, in spite of its 7 seats, had no less than 17 cupholders. That's 2,4 per person! Only the US is capable of such an achievement!
