Dito driving at 80 mph instead of a (legal) 70 mph on the motorway.

That extra 10 mph typically uses 25% more fuel.

(Guilty as charged yr'Honour)

I don't think there is a large intersection between these two groups at least in Europe. Price sensitive people didn't buy SUV. Better-off folks who buy SUV unlikely to be significantly affected by this price increase. In the US it may be different because most cars on the market are SUV/tracks and it's harder to find a small car.

People obsess and complain, but the interstate drivers around me aren't driving like gas is expensive yet (currently $4-4.20/gal)

> but take a 20% fuel consumption increase for granted when they buy a big SUV

My '22 Subaru Outback burns less per mile than my '03 Volkswagen Jetta did, for what it's worth.