In am part of a VERY small minority of consumers here in the USA that like small cars.
We had a Prius C and loved it ( daughter now has it ). It was small but mighty in the winter here in Minnesota as well ( with snow tires, of course ). I'm currently looking for another one. The Prius C has been incredibly reliable, and cheap to maintain ( cheap tires due to small size, etc... ). Shame they discontinued it in the USA.
I don't think the minority is as small as you indicate. People simply get pressured into buying far more car than they need, want, and can use. Hedonic adaptation sets in, and people become used to the idea that what they're seeing is normal.
Personally, I like a smaller car or ultra-light truck for economy and for ease in navigating parking lots, and I have a strong preference for hatchbacks or small trucks. It's because I live alone, do my own home improvement, and nearly always have a side hustle, charitable venture, or repair project that requires me to schlep stuff around or make a dump run. A couple times a year I tend to be asked to help someone move. But it's never reached the level of requiring or justifying a full-sized work truck.
I've tried larger vehicles such as SUVs and bigger trucks but they are a pain in the duff to own. On the very rare occasions I really do need something bigger, such as the minivan I used to take my daughter and grandkids to Dallas to see the eclipse, it's far more economical to rent. For the cost of what it would cost per year to buy, insure, and fuel that extra five or six hundred pounds of vehicle mass, I can comfortably rent a vehicle for a week twice a year and still come out ahead.
