Small cars...not so small any more....

[Slinky1989]

Seeing bug_ones thread got me thinking.

Why are these "small" cars now so....well, massive?

As you can see from his pictures the new fiesta is as near as makes no difference, the same size as a 1st gen focus which is supposed to be the model up from the fiesta.

I mean fair enough there are still some small cars around like the smart car and the toyota IQ, but most of the old stereotypical small cars (clio, saxo and the aforementioned fiesta) are much much larger these days, so much so that they're often 1.5-2x the size of the old generations they replace and could be classed as a family hatchback.

I don't get it....someone explain it to me please.

 

[arknor]

probably realised jeremy clarkson couldnt fit in the old smaller models

 

[MikeHunt79]

Look at the golf, it just keeps growing!

I think may cars just get bigger due to all the extras they have now...

 

[Lum]

Car models gain bloat over the years (kind of like operating systems), usually in the form of safety measures such as airbags and side impact bars, but also as manufacturers seek to show that the new model is somehow improved over the old one, such as it now has 17" wheels instead of 16" and now has an extra 3 ft^3 of boot space. Then they have to bring out a new model as they no longer have a small car any more.

The one that amused me is when I noticed a year or so back that the (then) current generation Corsa (I have no idea if that was a Corsa C or a Corsa D or whatever, it was some horrible Vauxhall) was taller than the 1999 Subaru Legacy I was driving, which was once considered to be a large family saloon.

 

[snowdog]

They still are imo, just look to the other side of the Atlantic, those aren't small, what we have here is still very very small. However I don't like the development, the cars get wider, which I like, but the length ( front to back) stays quite short which I really don't like and the height increases ( which I absolutely hate). Think cars these days are far uglier than 5 years ago tbh.

 

[ChoÞÞer]

Just think about the Ka. Says it all.

 

[adam cool dude]

Most new hatches weight more then 90's family saloons. In ten years time we will be driving 2 tonne hatches!

 

[Fido McNasty]

The bigger these 'small' cars get, the louder adverts become on tv.

 

[Lashout_UK]

 

[mjt]

massive. even medium-sized cars of the mid 90s are the size of large cars now.
the new mondeo is the same size as an e39!

you'd need something stupidly small like an aygo to compare it to something like a polo of the 90s
the new polo is probably bigger than the mk2 golf..
*edit - i've just looked.. it is slightly wider, if a few mm shorter :/

 

[a1ex2001]

massive. even medium-sized cars of the mid 90s are the size of large cars now.
the new mondeo is the same size as an e39!

you'd need something stupidly small like an aygo to compare it to something like a polo of the 90s
the new polo is probably bigger than the mk2 golf..
*edit - i've just looked.. it is slightly wider, if a few mm shorter :/

It's quite funny how it pushes the top models out of the range alltogether Ford used to offer the granada/scorpio above the mondeo but were they to do it today you'd need a HGV license, same with vaxhaul who've ditched the Carlton size model as the Vectra caught up.

 

[Moeks]

They still are imo, just look to the other side of the Atlantic, those aren't small, what we have here is still very very small. However I don't like the development, the cars get wider, which I like, but the length ( front to back) stays quite short which I really don't like and the height increases ( which I absolutely hate). Think cars these days are far uglier than 5 years ago tbh.

I agree, for the first time in my life I am looking around at many of the new models thinking, I'd rather have the old one. Many newer cars have an odd looking profile and are proportioned all wrong to my mind.

The latest generation of many cars haven't really lifted the levels of refinement and the amount of toys you get much over the last, they have just gotten fatter and uglier for the most part.

The previous generation was generally quite a good improvement over the one before it, take the MK 6 Fiesta, it was much better than the MK5, the MK3 Mondeo was miles better than the MK 2 and the E39 5 series was leagues a head of the E34 and the E46 was a hell of a lot better than the E36.

I don't believe the same is true of the newer cars.

 

[Spunj99]

I have been thinking this...until I saw a new Ka on the road - looked tiny.

 

[JonnyT]

I agree, for the first time in my life I am looking around at many of the new models thinking, I'd rather have the old one. Many newer cars have an odd looking profile and are proportioned all wrong to my mind.

The latest generation of many cars haven't really lifted the levels of refinement and the amount of toys you get much over the last, they have just gotten fatter and uglier for the most part.

The previous generation was generally quite a good improvement over the one before it, take the MK 6 Fiesta, it was much better than the MK5, the MK3 Mondeo was miles better than the MK 2 and the E39 5 series was leagues a head of the E34 and the E46 was a hell of a lot better than the E36.

I don't believe the same is true of the newer cars.

I'm finding myself doing the same. The classic example for me is the SEAT Leon. The new one just looks like another mini-MPV

I put the blame on the pedestrian-impact regs which are now part of Euro-NCAP. This has meant that all cars have to have more sloping bonnets so as to provide better protection for pedestrians in the event of a collision, neglecting the fact that if people (& especially young people) were better educated about crossing the road (Green X Code etc. (showing my age a bit here ) then these collisions wouln't happen in the first place.

Unfortunately most cars are now going down the previous-model Civic route of looking like breadvans.

 

[MeAnBoY]

The small cars of old have grown into much larger cars, i guess that's why we have the size below like the KA, Twingo, Panda, C2 etc etc. Almost seems pointless to have a class in between say for example the KA and the Focus?

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

It's something that been going on for years. It's a subtle way to get people to upgrade to a larger more expensive car without realising. Not only have a lot of tiny cars been released but many of the larger cars (particularly from the volume manufactures have disappeared).

Those lost in action.

Vauxhall Omega,
Ford Scorpio,
Renault Vel Satis,
Toyota Camry,
Nissan QX,

 

[ScoobyDoo69]

When I park my 306 next to the neighbours new Fiesta.. it makes me wonder, WHY SO TALL!! My 306 roof is even lower than my brother's lowered MINI. Cars are far too big these days, they may set faster track times etc, but the feel of cars is slowly deteriorating..

 

[SeatIbiza]

I put the blame on the pedestrian-impact regs which are now part of Euro-NCAP. This has meant that all cars have to have more sloping bonnets so as to provide better protection for pedestrians in the event of a collision, neglecting the fact that if people (& especially young people) were better educated about crossing the road (Green X Code etc. (showing my age a bit here ) then these collisions wouln't happen in the first place.

This is the truth. It's the EU and their never ending list of controlling regulations...

 

[Vern1961]

The "new" Corsa seems massive compared to the old one and is easily the same size as the older model Astra I had a few years ago. However noticeable it's all at the front with a long bonnet and plenty of space for the driver/front passenger. However rear seats still cramped and the boot space under the hatch is barely enough to get the weekly shopping in.

 

[Stelly]

I also use new mini stuff

Mikey is a top bloke

Stelly