Can’t buy a small cheap vehicle, that would be unsafe!
You can thank the CAFE standard for that. Enacted in 1975 under a republican president - Ford. That said, it was a democratic congressional super majority that passed this.
CAFE set to make the world better. Corporations figured out how to game it. The Lexus RX350 convinced the public to buy crossovers, but it was the PT Cruiser that convinced the corporations to make them. The PT was classed as a light truck under CAFE due to cargo space and footprint, massively swinging to fleet economy of Durango and Rams. Then they dug down with the requirements by making everything an “off road” vehicle. Ever notice the massive overbite of the NX200? It barely manages a 28deg approach angle, helping class it as offroad (along with departure, breakover, body ground clearance, and axle ground clearance).
You can thank the CAFE standard for that. Enacted in 1975 under a republican president - Ford. That said, it was a democratic congressional super majority that passed this.
CAFE set to make the world better. Corporations figured out how to game it. The Lexus RX350 convinced the public to buy crossovers, but it was the PT Cruiser that convinced the corporations to make them. The PT was classed as a light truck under CAFE due to cargo space and footprint, massively swinging to fleet economy of Durango and Rams. Then they dug down with the requirements by making everything an “off road” vehicle. Ever notice the massive overbite of the NX200? It barely manages a 28deg approach angle, helping class it as offroad (along with departure, breakover, body ground clearance, and axle ground clearance).