[Fr3AkAzOiD]

My '08 Cobalt XFE only cost like $13k and I get 40+ mpg highway and 50 mpg at 50 mph on side roads and I like the looks of it, though it could do to be lowered 1.5 inches. Dang thing looks like it wants some offroad tires for it.

I know that the old VXs got around that but emmissions and airbags and crumple zones and all that nice stuff makes the "compacts" fatties in comparison to compacts made 20 years ago.

But if you put a late '80s Nissan Sentra which was called a compact next to a Cobalt and an Aveo the Sentra would probably be closer in size to the Aveo which is considered a sub-compact.

In fact, let me research that a little bit....

My point is, what was once considered a compact is now considered a sub compact.
The late '80s Sentra 4 door was 168 inches long and weighed 2500 lbs, the 4 door Cobalt is 180 inches long and weighs 2750 lbs, while the sub-compact Chevrolet Aveo 4 door is 170 inches long and weighs 2544 lbs.

So now that we realise we need to compare apples to apples take what was considered a mid size car in the '80's.

How about the Toyota Camry from '86 - '90. It was 178 inches long (2 inches shy of the Cobalt) and weighed in at between 2,700 - 2,850 lbs (same ballpark as Cobalt). Now it's mpg rating were 22, 27, 24 mixed. The '09 Cobalt XFE is 25, 37, 30 mixed.

So there has been improvement.
Albeit less then there should have been.

Granted when some nub like me can with some coroplast and duct tape get an extra 2 or 3 mpg out of a car there is certainly a whole lot more the auto makers could do to improve mpg ratings on new cars.

As for build quality I personly think it's allways been as bad as it currently is. I just think people tend to look back fondly at their old cars.

My '08 Cobalt is a squeeky POS, so was my '97 Cavalier, as well as my '89 Sentra, and my '73 Plymouth Scamp had it's hood up on a monthly basis and still left me stranded several times.

So....
There were ugly cars in the past as there are now.

All cheap cars are cheap for a reason and start falling apart after 5 years (some less).

I believe average mpg for cars from the past and current of same size and weight has gone up but nowhere near what is possible.