Like their owners, cars have been piling on the pounds in recent decades. When the Volkswagen Golf was launched in 1974 it weighed 0.75 tonnes and was 3.8 metres long. By 2008, when the mark six Golf was launched, its weight had soared by more than 50% and it had stretched by 38cm. Apart from making their cars roomier, motor manufacturers have added all sorts of gadgets and safety devices and each of these has meant a gain in weight. Finally, however, the pressure from regulators to make cars more fuel efficient, and the rising cost of materials are combining to make carmakers slim down their models.
Oh, boy……there’s nothing more uncomfortable and agonizing than driving 400 miles down I-5 in a downsized Honda compact, and I can personally attest to that! My Pontiac Montana was in for service, and my wife and I had to make the trip south for the weekend. The only rental car available was the Honda. We were cramped, sore, and tired when we checked into our hotel, and we vowed never again to even ride in one of those things! Nothing like feeling beat half to death! No, thanks…….I’ll keep my big cars until the wheels fall off!