American cars are growing like...well Americans.

I saw a brand new Ford Focus Sedan parked next to a Mercury Mystique (aka Ford Contour) yesterday. The sizes looked almost identical to me. I decided to see how much the mainstream Ford 4-door sedans have grown.

Escort (2nd Gen)
Wheelbase 98.4 in
Length 170.0 in
Width 66.7 in
Curb weight 2,404 lbs

Contour
Wheelbase 106.5 in
Length 185.3 in
Width 69.1 in
Height 54.4 in
Curb weight 2,769 lbs

Taurus (1st Gen)
Wheelbase 106.0 in
Length 188.4 in
Width 70.8 in
Curb weight 3,050 lb

Crown Vic Wheelbase 114.4 in
Length 212.4 in
Width 77.8 in
Curb weight 3,776,000 lb

2011 Fiesta
Wheelbase 98.0 in
Length 173.6 in
Width 67.8 in
Curb weight 2,420 lb

2011 Focus
Wheelbase 104.3 in
Length 178.5 in
Width 71.8 in
Curb weight 2,907 lb

2011 Fusion
Wheelbase 107.4 in
Length 190.6 in
Width 72.2 in
Curb weight 3,720 lb

2011 Taurus
Wheelbase 112.9 in
Length 202.9 in
Width 76.9 in
Curb weight 4,015 lb

Yep, everything has moved up a class from the mid 90's.

pinchvalve wrote: Crown Vic Wheelbase 114.4 in Length 212.4 in Width 77.8 in Curb weight 3,776,000 lb

Wow! I knew those crown vics were heavy..

Also, the original CRX could do upwards of 50 mpg on the highway if driven correctly, and all these new car makers are really stoked about their 40 mpg cars. Really, guys? A car from the late '80s can do (much) better. I understand some of the weight increase is from gubment-mandated safety crap (Tire pressure monitoring on all new cars? This is what I fund their paychecks for?), but not every car needs sat-nav and power everything standard.

And further proving the point of this thread, park a '90s Subaru Outback next to a new Subaru Outback. Or a '90s Ford Taurus next to a new Ford Taurus. It's amazing these things are still classified as 'cars' and not 'tour buses.'

So I'm a pinto?

Grtechguy wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Crown Vic Wheelbase 114.4 in Length 212.4 in Width 77.8 in Curb weight 3,776,000 lb

Wow! I knew those crown vics were heavy..

Did someone add a few extra zeros?

I too thought that the weight was wrong on the Crown Vic, but I drove one and sure enough, it is in fact correct.

Cars have been getting larger for oh, about 100 years now...

This weekend I was following a first gen explorer on the freeway as it passed a new fusion. I swear the fusion was larger in every dimension but height and that was close!

ditchdigger wrote: This weekend I was following a first gen explorer on the freeway as it passed a new fusion. I swear the fusion was larger in every dimension but height and that was close!

Wait until you see a new Taurus next to a first gen Explorer or first or second gen S10 Blazer. The Taurus looks as tall or taller.

Funny how the illustration is the American car maker.

Honda has done the same thing. The first gen Accord was slightly smaller than the current Civic. early camrys were smaller than current corollas.

It's not limited to Ford and GM, yet they get all the blame.

Heck, if you look at actual reported CAFE- while Ford and GM are consitently right at the target, Toyota has been on a free fall toward the limits. All without making anything bigger than the Taurus, or a base 1500 pick up. No large RWD cop cars or limos or taxis, or larger versions of the trucks, let alone vans or full size SUV's that people like to use for work.

The 80's crx is brought up to compare to the Focus or Fiesta- being that they are at the head of the class, how about vs. the Civic or Fit?

The new Jeep Libery DWARFS the XJ Cherokee.

A large part (har har) is how cars are marketed. A new model has to be bigger than the one that it replaced - that's one of the things that makes it "better" from a marketing standpoint. So it's not surprising that they gradually swell from generation to generation. There are a few rare exceptions, but they are exceptions.

The 1985 CRX HF was rated at 48 mpg highway. The normal 1985 CRX was 33 (with the same size engine - what exactly was done differently?). The 1991 CRX Si was rated at 30 highway, 24 city. The new CRZ? 37 highway, 31 city - and it's cleaner and safer. So the new models aren't so shabby in comparison. Automakers have to use the ratings in their advertising, whether or not they can do better.

At work on the PA system there are advertisements for the new Ford Explorer that we're "guaranteed to love." It goes on to say, "It was meant to do big things-- It's larger in every dimension." And i'm just thinking, "Look, you're developing these "two new 6-speed transmissions," why not just do what car manufacturers did in the 80s? Cut the car's weight by nearly 1,000 pounds. Gives more power, mileage, ect.

I hate big cars, i like my little Celicas, Integras, Civics, Cobalts, Z4s, ect.

pinchvalve wrote: Contour Wheelbase 106.5 in Length 185.3 in Width 69.1 in Height 54.4 in Curb weight 2,769 lbs 2011 Focus Wheelbase 104.3 in Length 178.5 in Width 71.8 in Curb weight 2,907 lb.

Bringing up 2000 Focus specs, for an LX sedan, for comparison. Wheelbase 103 in
Length 174.9 in
Width 66.9 in
Curb weight 2,564 lb.

It's put on a decent amount of weight, but the outside isn't much bigger.

I had the Veloster last week. Small car, right? It dwarfed my mx3!

In reply to Lesley:

Well what's with new cars nowadays looking like big puffy marshmallows? For instance, i saw the 1970 Challenger next to a 2010 Challenger, and the bottom of the 70' is like 3-4 inches higher on the body than the 10'. The 10' is so puffy and the body is so tall and thick. Like the 70's body is thinner. Here's what i mean:

DOHC Neons 2385/2415#(coupe/sedan), 150 HP, 40 Highway(old rating)

These days anything close to this weight only has around 100~hp.

Corvette - 1953:

69.8" width, 51.5" height, 167.3" length, 102" WB, 2,886 lbs, 150 HP

Corvette - 2012

72.6" width 49.1 height, 174.6 length, 105.7 WB, 3208 lbs, 430 HP

I'd say GM's done a decent job with the corvette even with regulations - which makes me think the car mfgs are giving us the cars the public wants (like the saying, none of us are as dumb as all of us).

That's the main thing i like about the Celica: 2,500lbs 180hp 133tq 36mpg (hwy)

Mine after some fun changes 2,400lbs 190hp 143tq 45-51mpg (hwy)

EdenPrime wrote: In reply to Lesley:

Think of the children! (read: "safety")

Edit- Its like one guy was afraid to track a miata because of how small it was (on this very forum). It's an emotional, non-logical response. Whenever I see people talk about buying family cars (ON THIS VERY FORUM), it's "ZOMG, the new FUSISTAR DIDN'T GET A 5 STAR SAFETY RATING, MY WIFE CAN'T DRIVE THAT!"

Why ever the F not? Even Hyuandai's are billions of times safer than any 1990's vehicle. I put on more mileage than most in a year, and let me tell you, the number one thing that has saved my bacon is situational awareness. The only time this doesn't really apply (and it still does, as you should be checking your rear view mirror when stopped) is in a standstill rear-ending situation. Other than that, AVOIDING an accident is the best way to not have to deal with it.

In reply to HiTempguy:

You don't put a child in a challenger! You put a Stig in a Challenger!

In reply to EdenPrime:

No, you put Stig's-American-cousin-who-only-drives-in-straight-lines in a Challenger...

Yeah, all those safety systems come at a heavy penalty. I can't get over how nimble my old mazdas feel after weeks of driving press cars. Of course, neither of them have an airbag between 'em. And I agree about awareness being a far better safety measure than all this cocooning. People have become so complacent, they consider their cars to be mobile offices.

In reply to Lesley:

I did however hear good things about the 2011 Mazda Speed 3. I think Mazda's doing it right. I think Nissan has been pretty decent at keeping sporty nimble cars... but then i saw that the 350Z weighs as much as a Mustang with 30 less hp. But i just keep telling myself, "Independent Rear Suspension, Independent Rear Suspension..."

A couple of years ago I had my Volvo 850 wagon parked next to a current Nissan Sentra. I was amazed at how tall the Sentra was. It made my boxy Volvo look sleek.
In an interesting reversal, I took this picture last month of my e30 next to the wife's Mazda 5. The front bumpers of all three cars are lined up and I was surprised to learn that the BMW and Mazda5 are the same length.