Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic
I see the point, but I think the external dimensions matter, especially for public perception. Most people know nothing about EPA standards for subcompact or midsize. They think a Fit is a small car because of length and such--and also think the Civic is a midsized car (or at least bigger than a Fit). However, by EPA standards for "EPA Interior Volume" both the 2020 Fit (112.3 cu ft) and the 2020 Civic sedan (112.9 cu ft) are midsized. So how can the CAFE standards affect a Fit differently than a Civic sedan?
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- EPA vehicle classes are set by interior volume. The Civic is classified as a midsize sedan (110 - 119 cu ft) while the Fit is a small station wagon (less than 130 cu ft)
- CAFE is set by the NHTSA. It is based on footprint (Wheelbase x Track)
- The fuel economy posted on the window sticker of a new car is set by the EPA, based on the CAFE number, but adjusted down by ~ 25% to get the combined rating.
(Yes, it is confusing to have two different government bodies talking about fuel economy and using different ratings for the same car)
- The Fit has a footprint of 40.3 sq ft so it is required to get 49 mpg (CAFE) or 37 mpg (EPA).
- The Civic has a footprint of 45.4 sq ft so it is required to get 44 mpg CAFE or 33 mpg (EPA)
If you take the same platform and lift the vehicle a little bit a car becomes a "Light Truck"
- The Honda CRV is built on the same platform as the Civic and is a very similar size (46.4 sq ft) but because it is a light truck it is only required to get 36 mpg (CAFE) or 27 mpg (EPA)
- Same with the HR-V built on fit platform. It has a footprint of 43.3 sq ft and is required to get 38 mpg (CAFE) or 29 mpg (EPA)
Also cars must increase fuel economy by 5% per year while "light trucks" only have to improve by 3.5%. The lower standards and smaller yearly increases are part of what is driving the push for automakers to replace cars with crossovers.