Cars are getting bigger every year

Sep 8, 2025 7:09 PM

BearMcBeary

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1145

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25

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10

On the left is my Skoda Felicia Mk2 estate wagon 1999 and on the right BMW X5 2021

technology

cars

mildly_interesting

Stupid CAFE standards.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

I've driven Tacomas since before they had that moniker; if I want to know what tacos'll be like in 5 years, I just look at a current Tundra.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I found it funny how small an estate wagon can look these days :'D

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Left is a european style car. Right is american style.

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

And for that size, you don't even really get much more internal space.
So much of that bulk is just body work.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

For nothing but that one stupid reason

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I mean, I agree. But you're also comparing two completely different body styles. Like parking a mini next to a semi and saying "cars just keep getting bigger!"

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Well! That’s because gas is now $1.899 just like Donald promised. And we all know that we should sore up the petroleum industry s/

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

*Shore up!

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

And yet parking spaces are staying the same width.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Because those are backed into the locations' geography.
And in a lot of places, legally mandated to have a set amount of parking spots for area of the store.
So they can't actually resize them because they would end up with fewer spots. Which would mean they would fall under the amount they are mandated to have.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Penis size is shrinking

1 year ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Comparing two different cars isn't proving your point though. Maybe compare the BMW with a camper from 1980 and suddenly it's the other way round with the same logic

1 year ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 1

Cars are getting bigger for emissions standards, its mpgs per volume so manufacturers just need to make the car bigger without making it more efficient but because its bigger in the eyes of the epa it is more efficient, this isn't a point to be argued its just the fact of the matter, cars are 100% getting bigger and now you know why

1 year ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

I'm aware of it. I'm saying this comparison in OP isn't a useful point in any way

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

A wagon once considered a big car next to a mid-size suv once considered not much bigger than a wagon (think 90s Ford explorer) now massive in comparison, just look at the camry from the 90s to a new camry which is 16 feet long and 6 feet wide

1 year ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

That only applies for vehicles sold in the US. BMW is a European manufacturer.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Fewer and fewer cars are made to be global. They usually target a particular market/region.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

A European manufacturer that............ you guessed it is sold in the US and therefore has to comply with our new standards

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Actually, it complies with Europe's, much stricter emissions standards. By default, it complies with ours.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Bigger, less safe, and more dangerous.

1 year ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Less safe for everyone outside of the car.
It's technically more safe for everyone inside the car.
Mostly because they are functionally in a tank.

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Exactly

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I'll give you bigger and more dangerous. But they are a lot safer. Crumple zones is a big contributor to this growth.

1 year ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Safer for the drivers of the overly giant cars, perhaps.

Safer for drivers of reasonably sized cars, no

Safer for pedestrians, especially kids, absolutely not

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna52109

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I'm not talking about cars from the 1960s vs today.

I'm talking about 2025 cars vs 2025 light trucks exploiting regulatory loopholes to be sold as private vehicles with lower safety requirements.

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0