The negative impact on the climate from passenger vehicles, which is considerable, could have dropped by more than 30% over the past decade if not for the world’s appetite for large cars, a new report from the Global Fuel Economy Initiative suggests.
Sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, now account for more than half of all new car sales across the globe, the group said, and it’s not alone. The International Energy Agency, using a narrower definition of SUV, estimates they make up nearly half.
Over the years these cars have gotten bigger and so has their cost to the climate, as carbon dioxide emissions “are almost directly proportional to fuel use” for gas-powered cars. The carbon that goes in at the pump comes out the tailpipe.
Transportation is responsible for around one-quarter of all the climate-warming gases that come from energy, and much of that is attributable to passenger transport, according to the International Energy Agency.
I prefer smaller cars. Every once in a while I browse what’s available in new cars. Every time there are fewer and fewer options in the compact/sub compact category. I guess I’m just going to hope nothing ever happens to my Civic (which is honestly larger than I’d wish) because I don’t know what I’d replace it with.
Of course giant vehicles as a share of sales is going to increase, when that’s 75%+ of what is available to buy.
There are almost no truly small cars available in the U.S. The only recent one I can think of is the Smart, and they’re pieces of shit.
I was going to say the Ford Fiesta but then I saw it was apparently axed in 2019? And took the Mazda 3 with it (same platform). I think you can still get the Honda Fit.
Uh, as your attorney I advise you to buy a Miata. I guess.
Honda Fit is gone too. The VW golf and Toyota Corolla are still around!
The Golf isn’t exactly a small car, either. It’s just a Jetta with a hatchback. The real VW small car that we don’t get in the states is the Polo
The Up! is our smaller one. The Polo seems like it’s gotten bigger over the years.
Are they even selling Miatas anymore?
Yes. They also teased an “electric powertrain” version a little while ago, although there are no details on it (i.e. whether it will be a BEV or hybrid).
Nice. If I could ever afford another car, maybe they’ll make them as BEVs.
I would not recommend a Ford Fiesta. I have a 2012 and it’s laterally falling apart. Side mirror started to sag on the passager side guess it was a common issue. Trim around the windshield is dry rotted along with all the other trim. Only saving grace for me is that’s it’s a manual. The automatics liked to explode because of really bad Ford designs in that era of car. Focus has the same tranny issues as well
Yeah, we had a Focus of that era for a while which was an automatic, and the transmission was a pain in the ass too. It started bucking and juddering and jerking every time you took off from a stop, and I ultimately cured it by draining and refilling the special $40/quart Ford DCT transmission fluid. We got rid of it shortly thereafter.
I drove a rental Chevy Spark around on one trip. The size was fantastic. The engine was crap.
Hey! Smart cars are/we’re awesome!
The only smart car I’ve driven was the single worst driving experience of my life. I think that was in 2010 though? Maybe they’re better now?
I mean they aren’t a comfortable ride with the short wheel base, but for the utility that is driving they’re pretty great.
Really? I’ve never been in one, but I have read that the interior doesn’t muffle very much of the noise and the suspension is really poor (the tiny wheels probably don’t help there).
Yeah they aren’t a Buick and to expect them to be is the wrong way to look at them. As a “point A to point B” vehicle they’re perfect.
I drive a mid-size sedan, and I feel like a minnow swimming with whales when I drive. I’m not planning on buying a bigger vehicle myself. But I really hate how SUVs and stupid-big pickup trucks are 80% of what I see on American roads.
Civics ain’t small cars anymore.
I know, crying shame. I have a 2008 and can’t just get another one when it dies. I just need 4 seats, so already I have more than I need.
Yep, my last car was a Civic and it was way too big for me. The second car I had was a 1986 Toyota Corolla and it felt ‘average’ to me, but it would be considered a small car now.
I was sad to see the new Hyundai electric cars just look like small hatchbacks in photos. IRL they’re bigger than my Volvo
This pissed me off. The new Hyundai Kona EV’s release is nothing but “we made it bigger!” The battery range isn’t even longer by a noteworthy amount… Just “bigger and look how futuristic” cringe.
The key reason I got the 2020 was that it was the only EV that was comparable in size to my old Honda Fit. Making it bigger is the absolute worst thing you could do.
I used to love mini coopers because they’re tiny. Apparently not even that’s true any more :(
Yep, Mini Coopers are quite popular in my neighborhood. They used to be a dream car for me, but now they are just as big as everything else.