I think there is definitely some self delusion happening on the customer side, but automakers absolutely shape your purchasing choices away from what might be your ideal vehicle to things that are good enough vehicles for more people.
More people naturally want a RAV4 than a manual station wagon, but the automakers would prefer that even the folks leaning towards the manual station wagon leave the dealership with a RAV4 so they can just make the RAV4. So manufacturers offer nicer features it would make sense to offer in any vehicle exclusively in models they want to steer customers towards, like nicer seats, better sound systems, advanced safety features, etc. Subaru sells both the Impreza hatchback and the Crosstrek, which is literally just a lifted Impreza. But if you want non-cloth seats, roof rails, or even a spare tire, your only option is the Crosstrek. The conclusion that everyone wants crossovers is driven in no small part by the fact that buying a crossover is often the only way to get features customers want that should be, but are not, model agnostic.
More people naturally want a RAV4 than a manual station wagon, but the automakers would prefer that even the folks leaning towards the manual station wagon leave the dealership with a RAV4 so they can just make the RAV4. So manufacturers offer nicer features it would make sense to offer in any vehicle exclusively in models they want to steer customers towards, like nicer seats, better sound systems, advanced safety features, etc. Subaru sells both the Impreza hatchback and the Crosstrek, which is literally just a lifted Impreza. But if you want non-cloth seats, roof rails, or even a spare tire, your only option is the Crosstrek. The conclusion that everyone wants crossovers is driven in no small part by the fact that buying a crossover is often the only way to get features customers want that should be, but are not, model agnostic.