What are the car manufacturers doing??

[Compaq888]

The cars are getting heavier, and bigger. I know they make it bigger so they can introduce more smaller cars but they still suck on gas. Cars from 10 years ago are actually getting better fuel economy than the cars of today(ignoring hybrids).

I just see a trend, the more gas prices go up the worser the fuel economy of cars. It's like the oil companies and the car manufacturers are bending us over at the same time.

the new civic is rated for 25/36
the new corolla is rated for 26/35

you've got to be kidding me!!!

The fit sucks on the gas and so does the yaris. And what the hell happened with the Xb???? the last generation xb was so economical...did you see the new Xb???? 22/27 I laughed in the salesman face when he said it's economical, are you ****ing kidding me?

[SVOboy]

Emissions controls do not make for good fuel economy, and emissions standards have gotten (rightfully I think) strict.

Furthermore, gas hasn't been expensive for very long, markets are not infinitely, instantly adaptable to such price swings.

And, let's not forget, the EPA used different testing methods, the VX only got 45 by today's standards, and it was the MPG king of the time. You had to pay a premium for it just like you do for hybrids now.

*shrug*

Where have the consumers been demanding more fuel efficient cars?

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Emissions controls do not make for good fuel economy, and emissions standards have gotten (rightfully I think) strict.

Furthermore, gas hasn't been expensive for very long, markets are not infinitely, instantly adaptable to such price swings.

And, let's not forget, the EPA used different testing methods, the VX only got 45 by today's standards, and it was the MPG king of the time. You had to pay a premium for it just like you do for hybrids now.

*shrug*

Where have the consumers been demanding more fuel efficient cars?

I think it's bull**** to say that the consumers are demanding more bigger engines(car manufacturers), even if they were it was like 10 years ago. What do car manufacturers do??? check their opinion box every 10 years???

[SVOboy]

Are you saying that people don't like driving fast or accelerating quickly? I certainly do.

[c0da]

The mpg ratings changed in 2008 for more "real world" driving so every single car got hit with lower ratings. All the new safety features added lots of weight and hurt the mpg as well.

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Are you saying that people don't like driving fast or accelerating quickly? I certainly do.

I would tend to agree. Most people I talk to think 25 mpg is good. I think I remember that the National FE in the US is 17 MPG.

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Are you saying that people don't like driving fast or accelerating quickly? I certainly do.

I do, but my civic accelarates pretty good and I can get 40mpg tank. But why not make lighter cars??? why do we have to use metal when the technology is there to build cars with carbon fiber for the same price.

The reason i traded my altima for the civic is because the altima was slow and a gas guzzler like most cars driven.

The civic accelarates pretty quick, i'm pretty sure I could do some high 15's/low 16's passes in the 1/4 mile. Why can't we have accelaration and fuel economy??

What's the point of sticking all this crap?? why not build some lightweight economical cars, people want them!

[SVOboy]

Carbon fiber for the same price? Just looking at bikes, which is one place where it's easy to see side by side comparisons of the same things in steel, aluminum, ti, and CF, you'll see they're not the same price by any means.

[reformed]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I place some of the blame on the safety nazis and all their requirements for safety crap on new vehicles.

Agreed! and with all these cars getting heavier by the year, the lighter ones will not survive a wreck with one of those lead sleds. I really think there needs to be a restriction on a vehicles weight implemented and they slowly need to bring the weight back down. Every time I read car and driver or road and track I'm constantly amazed by the cars now weighing 4000+lbs everywhere. My 69 Dodge didn't even weigh that with a big block and an auto in it!

[Gone4]

Originally Posted by reformed

Agreed! and with all these cars getting heavier by the year, the lighter ones will not survive a wreck with one of those lead sleds. I really think there needs to be a restriction on a vehicles weight implemented and they slowly need to bring the weight back down. Every time I read car and driver or road and track I'm constantly amazed by the cars now weighing 4000+lbs everywhere. My 69 Dodge didn't even weigh that with a big block and an auto in it!

The weight and safety correlation has been a hot debate here before, and I definitely disagree with this. Modern vehicles can wreck many older ones and keep the passengers much safer regardless of the weight disparity. Now when you figure in crumple zones they may not look like they did better, but all that kinetic energy needs to be converted somehow.