We're not talking about SUVs here, we're talking about utes. And that doesn't change the fact that a collision between an S and a small hatchback would annihilate the smaller car.
Dude, you said no Ranger weighed less than 2.2 tonnes. Even a double cab with a tray is less than two tonnes, and fleet buyers absolutely love those things.
Pretty much everything you've said so far has been absolutely wrong.
OK, so what about vans? Most cab forward van designs are just a wall, and even vehicles like the Transit would be worse than most SUVs. Why aren't we griping about those?
I know a few ute owners, I've never heard any of them mention safety as a reason for buying one. In the days of ANCAP safety ratings, it's very easy to know exactly how safe a vehicle is.
The reasons people typically buy utes and SUVs is as a lifestyle vehicle, something that can carry sporting equipment, camping gear etc, go anywhere they want to go, and tow.
It's also worth noting that some of the heaviest vehicles on the road are EVs, the difference in weight between a Leaf and a Ranger isn't actually much.
I honestly think you're barking up the wrong tree here.
A more generic aerospace and technology community would be better, in my view. I'd like to discuss the benefits companies like SpaceX can bring to NZ as well, for example.
My new van has the left hand wing mirror on an arm attached to the body, rather than attached to the door like most vehicles. This means you look through the windscreen at it, rather than the side window.
Whoever put the registration and RUC labels up put them right in the line of sight of the mirror.
There are four door, dual cabs with a tray that weight less than two tonnes. You're still full of it.
And those 2wd XL rangers are everywhere, fleet buyers love them. Especially for tradies and service techs.