U.S. new vehicle fuel economy stuck at 25 MPG, 4th year running

[MetroMPG]

You can lead a horse to water... Or you can just let it drive there in its BRAND NEW SUV!



After years of increases...

Despite ever-increasing new vehicle efficiency, the sales-weighted fleet average for new vehicles in the U.S. has been stuck at 25 MPG for 4 years in a row now.

Common wisdom: low, low fuel prices plus a steadily improving economy have allowed people to buy the biggest, thirstiest vehicles they can't really afford.

The thirst for SUV's, pickups & crossovers is so great, automakers are cancelling midsize sedans and subcompacts, left & right! The market is speaking.

Crossovers for everyone! I like to sit up tall, so I can look at the back of the SUV in front of me.

[redpoint5]

Not surprising given the reasons above (low fuel prices, strong economy).

Concerning ride height; I look through the rear window and front windshield of the car ahead for both safety and efficiency. I'll monitor what traffic is doing up ahead and anticipate coasting or braking as needed. This is all fine when I'm in a sedan and the person ahead is in a sedan, but when they are in an SUV or other tall vehicle, I'm not able to see through them any longer. All I see is their bumper. My preference would be for most cars to be a sedan, but since this isn't likely, I see the appeal of being in a taller vehicle myself.

That said, I'm not going to buy a tall vehicle just so I can see better.

[MetroMPG]

Can't argue with wanting to see well ahead. Forward vision can also be improved by not tailgaiting, but that's asking too much of many drivers.

But the downside of the desire to sit up high: It effectively turns into an arms race.

Also unfortunately, a lot of new SUV's/crossovers are coming with heavy tint on the rear glass, so you can't see through them anyway!

Where is my robot car?!

[MetroMPG]

Automakers are not innocent bystanders in this trend, either: many crossovers are built on the same platforms and use the same drivetrains as existing car models.

Yet the jacked-up CUV's also get jacked-up prices, by many thousands of dollars more than the cars on which they're based.

[redpoint5]

I'm all about using the right tool for the job; vanity be damned.