New Standards

[LKTraz]

I would have to say you're very very wrong. It doesn't take a car smaller than a Fiesta to achieve 35mph. My Chevy Cavalier got 32 on the highway. And it needed an O2 sensor replaced and some other minor things that affect fuel efficiency. When I first bought it I drive my sister from Traverse City, MI to someplace near Gary Curtis, IN (to her Baptists [read Cult] college [Hyles Anderson College]) and On that trip we got 37 mpg. It was about a month later that the O2 sensor went. So yeah. I do agree with your sentiment for the most part, but I suggest you check your sarcasm a little.

It's not ENTIRELY sarcasm D. Yes I'm aware of many cars that get great mileage that aren't quite tin can clown car sized. I have a GEO Metro that although not very large can at least fit 4 adults and some cargo in the hatch. It gets 42 MPG.

The thing here is......with the electronics and massive amounts of required (mostly by CA type standards) anti pollution gear, to achieve the same MPG you in fact do need to make them smaller and lighter.

Explain why my 1983 Chevy full sized 4 wheel drive pickup with the V8 carbureted, non-catalytic converter engine gets 20 MPG around town and lighter, newer, more aerodynamic, V6, 2 wheel drive trucks get less @ 17 MPG.

Bear in mind here that I also have a heavy plow mount and light set welded to the frame and as such can't remove it for the summer. (A bit of extra weight there.)

The answer here is the electronics and anti pollution devices.