Cars in Anchorage

[Dakster]

That has to do with aerodynamics for better fuel mileage. It helps to increase a companies CAFE ratings... And rental car companies car size definitions astound me sometimes. Granted, you want a diversified fleet and have to charge different amounts for different vehicles... But instead of Economy, Compact, and Mid-size - they should call it miniature, small, and clown car sized.

My opinion - drive what you want, what you want to afford, and what suits you. I won't apologize for our capitalistic society that lets you choose what type of vehicle you drive. Personally, when my kids start to drive, I'm thinking a Hummer H1 - since I can't get an Abrams Tank anymore... (That was sarcasm, for the humor impaired)

[attrapereves]

Originally Posted by Alaskan Mutt

One of the reasons I have driven either a truck or full size SUV for the past 25 years is due to cars getting smaller and smaller. It seems that every few years the roofline on cars get lower. At 6'1" I do not consider myself to be tall. Yet once last year the only rental car I could get was considered a mid-size car. The roofline was so low I had to drive with the top of my head sticking out the open sunroof.

Actually, I find it to be the complete opposite. Cars seem to keep getting bigger and bigger. I think this is done to combat EPA emissions requirements.

[Dakster]

Originally Posted by attrapereves

Actually, I find it to be the complete opposite. Cars seem to keep getting bigger and bigger. I think this is done to combat EPA emissions requirements.

Yes, but it is interesting. What starts out as a small car grows. And then the Auto manufacturer has to make a "new" smaller, compact model to replace it. For Example, The Honda Civic used to the smallest Honda car, now you have a Fit. Chevrolet Now has Sparks, Sonics, and Cruzes. Toyota has a Yaris instead of a Corolla. Ford's large Sedan is now the Taurus, followed by the Fusion, Focus, and now Fiesta - because the Focus is too big now. The CMAX replaces the Escape as the small SUV/CUV....

Not all manufacturers do this, but I can see a pattern with many of them.

Now in some cases the newer is smaller and has less utility than the previous one - like the Honda CRV. It is sleeker and now you can't put as much stuff in the back of it, because the tailgate isn't square like it used to be... A friend has one and she won't buy another one because her dog cage won't fit in the back of a new one... Honda lost a sale there, unless they change it soon.

[Alaskan Mutt]

Originally Posted by Dakster

And rental car companies car size definitions astound me sometimes. Granted, you want a diversified fleet and have to charge different amounts for different vehicles... But instead of Economy, Compact, and Mid-size - they should call it miniature, small, and clown car sized.

You must rent from the same place I do

[attrapereves]

Originally Posted by Dakster

Yes, but it is interesting. What starts out as a small car grows. And then the Auto manufacturer has to make a "new" smaller, compact model to replace it. For Example, The Honda Civic used to the smallest Honda car, now you have a Fit. Chevrolet Now has Sparks, Sonics, and Cruzes. Toyota has a Yaris instead of a Corolla. Ford's large Sedan is now the Taurus, followed by the Fusion, Focus, and now Fiesta - because the Focus is too big now. The CMAX replaces the Escape as the small SUV/CUV....

Not all manufacturers do this, but I can see a pattern with many of them.

Now in some cases the newer is smaller and has less utility than the previous one - like the Honda CRV. It is sleeker and now you can't put as much stuff in the back of it, because the tailgate isn't square like it used to be... A friend has one and she won't buy another one because her dog cage won't fit in the back of a new one... Honda lost a sale there, unless they change it soon.

I think another reason for it is marketing. People like seeing that a car has increased in size. Very few people would buy a car marketed as "reduced in size, same price."

My old 2006 Toyota Corolla was more the size of the 2014 Yaris.

One thing that is nice about these new cars is they seem to have decent fuel economy. The Honda Accord gets almost the same mileage as the Fit.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by attrapereves

I think another reason for it is marketing. People like seeing that a car has increased in size. Very few people would buy a car marketed as "reduced in size, same price."

My old 2006 Toyota Corolla was more the size of the 2014 Yaris.

One thing that is nice about these new cars is they seem to have decent fuel economy. The Honda Accord gets almost the same mileage as the Fit.

Maybe a lot of this (vehicles getting larger) has to do with us getting bigger and bigger?

[Dakster]

Ray, It definitely has to do with what we are buying.

A paradigm shift in fuel mileage has started. So even an "economy"/compact car of 5-10 years ago will look like a gas guzzler compared to the mid to full size cars coming out in the next couple of years.