AMERICANS LOVE to super-size—and not just their fast food. They favour huge sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks over small cars. Some 8.7m hit the road in 2023, accounting for more than half of all sales of new vehicles, according to JATO Dynamics, a research firm. Although European cars are also getting bigger, American ones still have a comfortable lead: in 2022 the average car sold in America weighed 1,857kg, almost 20% more than the average in Europe. Wide roads and big parking spaces accommodate this preference for hefty rides—and so does the law. But a loophole that for nearly 50 years has incentivised sales of big vehicles will soon be tightened. Will that lead Americans to buy smaller cars?
In 1973 oil-producing Arab countries cut shipments to America to punish it for supporting Israel in the Yom Kippur war: sharp increases in fuel prices, long queues at petrol stations and a deep recession followed. In 1975, in response to the crisis, the federal government imposed fuel-economy standards on carmakers. By 1985 all new models would have to reach 27.5 miles per (American) gallon (11.7km/litre), up from an average of 13mpg. Today the law mandates 40mpg. To increase efficiency, manufacturers had to use more complex engines, which made their cars costlier. To ease the burden on small businesses that relied on big vehicles, the government exempted “light trucks”, any vehicle that could be used off road and weighed less than 8,500lb (3855kg). That meant SUVs—typically among the biggest and least-efficient cars—were swept into the category and avoided the new fuel standards.
Such models are convenient for suburban living, and consumers see them as safe. Even when buying cars that are not exempt from efficiency standards, Americans favour chunky sedans over small city cars, which made up just 8% of vehicle sales in 2023, compared with 36% in Europe.
For half a century, a litany of federal policies has favored large SUVs and trucks, pushing automakers and American buyers toward larger models. Instead of counteracting car bloat through regulation, policymakers have subtly encouraged it. That has been a boon for car companies, but a disaster for everyone else.
Car shapes and sizes have steadily ballooned since the late 1970s. The reasons for this increase are various and complex. The addition of safety features like lateral and frontal airbags and "crumple zones" required more space, while consumers began to seek out luxury, exotic and import vehicles.
Due to the design in OHV engines, four-valve systems are not used. This means that at higher engine speeds, they have an insufficient gas flow, which greatly limits their potential. Another aspect affecting the power of American engines is the matter of symmetry in the combustion chamber, or rather the lack of it.
Common features of cars made by American companies include larger size, affordable luxury, support for American workers and ease in having parts replaced. Many American car brands focus on larger vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks.
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