# Where have the 40+ MPG cars gone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858 "2008-04-18T07:45:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858/41 "2008-04-20T00:01:08Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar] I’m sorry, I wasn’t asking the question, I was answering it – the photos were just to prove my point. Hopefully no one gets the idea that they’re the same size, because I’m expressly trying to show that they’re not! The Honda Fit is about comparable in size with the original Civics and CVCC’s (Civic predecessor). The current Civic is about the size of the Accord a couple of generations ago. My two Civics were fun, sporty cars. Looking at them now, though, makes me wonder what the hack happened to Honda. They _scream_ “grandma car.” There’s no way I’d be caught dead in one these days. Well, until I become a grandma (and me being male and all…). [/QUOTE] Have you seen the new Civic Si? It’s certainly no Grandma car! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858/42 "2008-04-20T00:06:47Z")
[Here](http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/17/autos/honda_civic_hf/index.htm) is the article I referenced. > [@](#): > > If the old CRX HF were tested using today’s rules, its highway fuel economy would drop to 51 mpg, according to the EPA’s calculations. That’s still much better than any mass-market car sold today, including hybrid cars. > [@](#): > > Today’s consumers also expect safety. In the 1980s, car companies would sell cars that got one-star or two-star crash test ratings. Numbers like that would now cause car companies fits. Four out of five stars is considered the minimum acceptable rating. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858/43 "2008-04-20T00:22:51Z")
I agree with the OP. I had a 1987 Chevy Nova that routinely got 40 mpg or better, and when freshly tuned it got 50 mpg on the highway. If its body hadn’t rusted out I would still have it – I got rid of it in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858/44 "2008-04-20T00:56:10Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] Have you seen the new Civic Si? It’s certainly no Grandma car! [/QUOTE] I’ve yet to see one on the road. The photography looks nice, but it always does. I had an Si, and then an EX when there was no Si. Which is why I say they were fun, sporty cars, and why what I see on the road (oh, yeah, and) and at the North American International Auto Show are such disappointments. Of course for the money, I’d prefer a Mustang these days. ---
**Author:** ![Scientia\_est\_potentia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@Scientia\_est\_potentia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scientia_est_potentia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858/45 "2008-04-20T01:11:53Z")
Why aren’t cars like this still available in the United States? 50mpg [/QUOTE] ```auto I just got a 2008 Elantra that gets about 30 mpg. I used to drive a 1990 golf diesel that got 60 mpg before that. (yes sixty). It got to 500,000 k and then dropped a motor due to a timing belt. I got a new rebuild and sold it too my son. he just goes to school and such and went 3.5 weeks before he had to fuel up! Yikes. It had only 50 horse power but was a great city car. I miss it.. A lot................................................................... ``` [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-the-40-mpg-cars-gone/445858.md?page=2)