Industry Analysis: Carflation, or The Ongoing Bloat of Once-Small Vehicles

aka UDMan

Have you ever noticed that the car model you owned in the past has grown in size, in weight, and in displacement? This phenomenon affects almost every car line from BMW to Honda, with a few exceptions. Remember when the name Honda was synonymous with lightweight, economical cars? The company established itself in the United States in 1970 with the N600, a small four-seater. It hit pay dirt with the introduction of the larger 1973 Honda Civic, a car that was light and fuel-efficient yet could fit four adults in modest comfort. Honda sold many first-generation Civics during its seven-year run, as the car was just what Americans needed during the first OPEC oil embargo. During subsequent redesigns, Honda offered more Civic models. What had been just a two-door truncated sedan became a three-door hatchback, a formal four-door sedan, even a five-door wagon. Engine size increased as well, growing from a 1.3-liter four-cylinder to a 2.5-liter. Read more about the ever growing models, including BMW, and a surprise Detroit entry at Automotive Traveler.

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Posted at 2:09 am in 3-Series, Automotive Traveler, BMW, Civic, Dakota, Dodge, Honda, Industry Analysis, udman

Comments

retroman
Oct 28, 2009 at 5:06 pm

If they want to keep these cars in production, they will have to shrink them and convince the public that bigger is not always better. I think of the Mustang as an example. Most would consider a ‘73 Stang as a muscle car and the ‘74 as an imposter. As much as what that may be true, if Ford had not come out with the II, the Mustang nameplate would have died. The ’73s were just too huge, even in comparison back then. What Ford needed was a small light car, and the production #s didn’t lie. 1974 proved to be the best sales year of all time for the Mustang. They may be hated now, but they were loved then, and I can assure you that a modified 302 does a whole lot more in a Mustang II!!! I know a guy who is running 8’s and he spent half the effort of what other Mustang guys in his racing bracket did.

OldsCruiser
Oct 28, 2009 at 5:16 am

Yeah , my neighbor had one of the 1st gen (in USA) Honda Civic CVCC back in the early 70’s. It reminded me of the Mini Coopers. It was bright orange, and had little 13in wheels. Everyone on my street kinda made fun of it, ( We all had big Detroit Iron) and the fact that the people driving it were some eco tofu eating west coasters hippies from cali. Little did we know…., the joke was on us.
About 6 months later, it was rear ended by a lincoln town car, and the rear end as well as the rear wheels were shoved up to within 2 to 3 feet of the front wheels. One would assume all was not lost, because you could weld some skids on the back end and let the FWD pull you around.
However, I seem to remember it had tiny chrome tube bumpers on it as opposed to the rubber ones seen in the Photo.

Troy_RUFFCUTT
Oct 28, 2009 at 3:47 am

Its really intresting in a place like Germany where Im staying and believe me, parking a Marauder in a German parking spot is hard, I usually have from my the rear of my back tire to the end of the bumper sticking in the road. However when im next to the newer civics, golfs, BMW 3 seriers the bodys have gotten alot bigger, the room inside isnt so much. I think alot of it is just extra bulk, like if u look at a compact car like a Nissan Versa or the NEW mini coopers where body wise they arent compact at all, but once inside you would easily fooled.