I think the more important reasons are to prevent the groceries from sliding around in the bed and to protect them from the sun and precipitation.
replyStill see this in the ones with tonneau covers as if they intended to put cargo in the bed
replyBut who knows maybe it’s already full of stuff under there
Dang, if only someone made an everyday car with a soft weather proof enclosed cargo area, possibly you could have the tailgate open up and away as well so it's not in the way. I would think Americans would love to have something more practical than a work vehicle
replyAnother reason is to avoid letting the inside of the bed get scratched. I lived in Texas for a while, and people were that fussy about their trucks.
replySo true! My Ram 1500 was purchased to pull our travel trailer. It has the tow package and is factory raised up some. I'm kind of old, so I keep a three-step ladder in the bed so I can easily climb into it.
replyBecause of the poor gas mileage, I always wonder at why people drive these gas guzzlers as their main transport. But each to his own. (BTW, some claim safety, but it's probably fashion.)
The safety aspect is intersting. The driver might be safer, but they are vastly more likely to kill anything they hit.
replyhttps://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2025/being-hit-suv-i...