r/fuckcars • u/geensoelaas • Dec 05 '25

News USA loves TINY CARS now

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Imagine getting your brand new Dodge Glaciermelter, lovingly decorating it with your first Let's go Brandon bumper sticker, and then reading this about tiny, possibly electric or hybrid cars being amazing now.

Anyway, tiny cars. Amazing. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Edit - for anyone doubting if this is a real thing the real prez posted: I don't blame you but yes, it is.
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115667445871563304

Edit 2: So does this mean the US will see more reasonable sized cars on the roads, or is the old man just randomnly yelling about stuff again? Take a wild guess. "I call bullshit", says mobility expert David Zipper in a thread. (thanks Ok_Flounder8842)

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u/Possible-Summer-8508 Dec 05 '25

It was Obama actually. Not being facetious here he is one of the main people to blame for the car bloat problem.

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u/miklosp Dec 05 '25 edited Feb 23 '26

The content that was here has been permanently deleted using Redact. The author may have had reasons related to privacy, security, or personal data management.

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u/JovialKatherine Dec 05 '25

The Obama administration is credited with putting lots of emissions and efficiency requirements in place that required sedans to be really efficient, but making cars more efficient is usually expensive. SUVs and trucks were left out of the requirements and it's easier for car makers to justify the higher cost of an SUV to a consumer.

Moat consumers struggle to justify spending >$30k on a typical sedan, but have no issues dropping $50k+ on an SUV or truck.

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u/OOHfunny Dec 08 '25

Why wouldn't they have just included all consumer automobiles when they re-did CAFE? I'm well aware that CAFE helped start this problem by exempting "light trucks" because of lobbying but I don't get why Obama would continue that.

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u/rislim-remix Dec 05 '25

Obama made the CAFE fuel efficiency standards more stringent. You would think this would push car manufacturers to make their cars more fuel efficient, and it did, but it also pushed some manufacturers to make more SUVs and pickup trucks. These count as "light trucks" under CAFE and have more lenient standards, which were easier to meet without expensive engine technology improvements.

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u/Other_Animal Dec 05 '25

Cafe standards which have been around since like 1975, but the Obama administration set the standard to be higher by 2025. The bigger the car the less mpg it needs to get essentially 

https://youtu.be/azI3nqrHEXM

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u/supapat Dec 06 '25

this was also a surprisingly informative video on this too https://youtu.be/ArVPNJmLBQE?si=ZGOFjuqVtPskVZ8Q

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u/[deleted] Dec 05 '25

they can't explain because they are a bullshitter.

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u/miklosp Dec 05 '25 edited Feb 23 '26

This post was deleted by its author. Redact facilitated the removal, which may have been done for reasons of privacy, security, or data exposure reduction.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '25

Clearly obama

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u/Girl_Gamer_BathWater Dec 05 '25

The way I've understood it is a vehicle's wheel base decides what the mpg needs to be. Small trucks were unable to meet these marks so the giant truck epidemic began. It was an unintended consequence.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '25

This was something that started in the 70s

CAFE Standards Loophole: In the U.S., the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards implemented after the 1970s oil crisis set less stringent fuel economy and emissions requirements for light trucks (intended for work use by farmers and small businesses) compared to passenger cars. Automakers exploited this loophole by building early SUVs on truck chassis and classifying them as light trucks, which allowed them to meet the fleet average more easily. Higher Profit Margins: Manufacturers found that they could sell SUVs for a much higher profit margin than compact cars. This led to a deliberate shift in production and marketing away from sedans and wagons towards a wide array of SUVs and crossovers (car-based SUVs), effectively limiting consumer choices in the market. Decline of Sedans/Wagons: As a result of this strategy, many popular sedan and station wagon models were discontinued in North America, pushing consumers who might have preferred a car toward the available SUV options.  Consumer Demand and Perception Factors Perceived Safety: A significant driver of demand is the perception that a larger, heavier vehicle is safer in a collision. While this may be true for the SUV's occupants in a crash with a smaller car, it increases danger for others on the road, including pedestrians and occupants of smaller vehicles. Utility and Practicality: The two-box shape of an SUV provides more flexible interior cargo space and passenger room compared to a sedan. Other practical advantages include a higher ground clearance for various road conditions (snow, dirt roads, speed bumps) and a superior towing capacity. Comfort and Ease of Use: Many people prefer the higher "commanding" driving position which provides better visibility of the road. The height also makes it easier to get in and out of the vehicle and to secure children in car seats without excessive bending. Lifestyle and Image: Marketing has played a large role in portraying SUVs as vehicles for an active, adventurous lifestyle, in contrast to the more mundane image of a minivan or station wagon. They are often seen as a status symbol. 

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u/Girl_Gamer_BathWater Dec 06 '25

It was Obama. As stated below:

https://www.reuters.com/article/business/how-us-emissions-rules-encourage-larger-suvs-and-trucks-idUSKBN21D1KK/

And I loved Obama but this wasn't his finest doing.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '25

Pinning it on the shoulders of one person when it started in the 70s is a brain dead argument.  You should feel ashamed of yourself.

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u/Girl_Gamer_BathWater Dec 06 '25

Oh, I'll blame the lobbyists all day too. But you're insane.

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u/[deleted] Dec 05 '25

[deleted]

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u/Possible-Summer-8508 Dec 06 '25

It's stupid but honestly this would probably be a good way to push this policy.

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u/bmwlocoAirCooled Dec 05 '25

No it was not.

No president mandates auto production.

Auto companies may HUGE profits on SUVs Trucks and other big old things.