Those are stock photos. I wonder what the real trade-ins looked like.
Probably better than a lot of lower income or young folks. Remember, two of the requirements were that the vehicle be in running condition and that it must have been insured for the prior 12 months. How many people do you know that will insure a car that is truly a wortless clunker?
This is typical of how government will run things vs the private sector running things.
Government says give me your old car, i'll give you money, then we will destroy old car. (net loss tot he taxpayer = $3,500 - $4,500
Private industry says give me your old car, I will give you moiney for it, I will sell said car and make more money. Net loss to the taxpayer = $0.00. Actually will make the taxpayer money when next buyer pays sales tax on used car. (which brings me to another rant, if the original owner paid sales tax on the entire value of the car, why would the next buyer have to pay sales tax again on the remaining value of the car?)