Are Americans Too Big To Drive Small?

 Are Americans Too Big To Drive Small?

Analysts² say our waist size will keep us from buying small cars in big numbers

Analysts say Americans' waistlines may keep us from choosing small cars. (Adam Morath, AOL Autos)

Karen Steelman, a stay-at-home mom from Athens, Ga., has tried to like small cars. She read plenty of reviews, kicked their tires, and has even taken a few test drives.

But none of them make her feel safe. And none of them make her feel comfortable.

Steelman has a body mass index of about 37 – seven points above the obesity⁴ mark. She's among a growing number of Americans who feel they are too big to comfortably drive a small car.

"I want to be environmentally friendly, but unless I am in an SUV these days ... I find no pleasure or comfort in driving," she says.

Automakers have long tried to figure out how to get Americans to buy smaller cars. But with obesity rates climbing, at least one analyst¹ says there's little point in trying.

Growing waistlines simply prevent a lot of U.S. drivers from feeling comfortable or secure in smaller cars. So, unless the entire country goes on a diet, says Dan Cheng, vice⁵ president and partner at business consulting firm AT Kearney, we may be destined⁶ to keep driving big cars no matter how much a gallon of gas costs in the future.

Cheng says the number of light trucks – a segment of the car market that includes SUVs, minivans, and pickup⁷ trucks – has increased steadily⁸ since the 1970s. And so has the percentage of adults in the U.S. who are classified as obese⁹.

The number of obese people in the U.S. is expected to increase from 40% this year to about 43% in 2018, Cheng says. Cheng predicts that will keep almost half the population from even considering a small car except for purely¹⁰ economic reasons as small cars tend also to be cheaper than big cars or SUVs.

Calculating the "real" obesity rate in the U.S. is a little tricky¹¹. Cheng's 40% rate is at the high end of estimates. The Center for Disease Control says the overall self-reported obesity rate in the U.S. is 26.7%, with nine states reporting obesity rates over 30%. In any case, the rate is nowhere close to the 15% rate the CDC considers to be a healthy obesity rate.

Small cars have made up 22.6% of the U.S. car market so far this year. Back in 2008, small car sales made up about 28% of the market, back when gas spiked¹² over $4 a gallon.

Smaller cars and alternative fuels are critical to President Obama's plan to reduce the nation's dependence¹³ on foreign oil. The President last week promised to cut oil imports by a third by 2025. To do that, the country will have to slash¹⁴ its petroleum¹⁵ use.

First Lady Michelle Obama has made fighting childhood obesity one of her public service missions, but so far no one in the Obama Administration has made the connection.

Virtually All Cars and SUVs are Becoming Much More Fuel Efficient

Today's SUVs and mid-sized sedans and crossovers are becoming more fuel efficient than their predecessors¹⁶ of a decade ago. But it's smaller cars, which tend to be the most fuel efficient of all because they are smaller and lighter¹⁷, that are critical to automakers meeting toughening fuel economy standards imposed by Congress.

Automakers have to meet a Congressionally mandated¹⁸ fleet average of 35 mpg by 2016.

Some of the most fuel-efficient small vehicles on the road get over 40 mpg, like the Ford¹⁹ Fiesta. The most fuel-efficient pickup truck is the Ford Ranger²⁰, and it gets 24 mpg, according to the government site fueleconomy.gov. A new Kia Rio, debuting²¹ this fall, will also be above 40 mpg when certified²² by the EPA. But neither of these vehicles was especially designed to accommodate widening waistlines.

Ironically, there are a few small cars that are designed to be extra roomy inside making them noteworthy for their interior spaciousness²³, if not for exceptional fuel economy. The Honda Fit, Nissan Cube and Versa, and Scion²⁴ xB all have ample space up front, with good headroom and comfortable space for the driver. The Volkswagen Beetle²⁵ has long been a favorite among large people because of its easy egress²⁶ and excess headroom.

Of those cars, only the Fit and Versa get above 30 mpg, and only just barely. In order for automakers to reach a 35 mpg fleet average by 2016, automakers need to boost those ratings closer to 40 mpg.

The most fuel efficient compact SUVs -- the Hybrid²⁷ versions Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner²⁸ and Mazda Tribute -- get 32 mpg. Their non-hybrid versions get 25 mpg.

Resources For the Future, a Washington D.C. think-tank that explores environmental and energy issues, says they've found a link between obesity and large vehicle sales, too. They say policies that reduce obesity can also reduce fuel consumption, because smaller people drive smaller cars.

Automakers like Ford are trying to design interiors that keep the bigger population comfortable. Elizabeth Baron²⁹, Ford's technical specialist for virtual reality and advanced visualization³⁰, says the automaker has recently updated its database of model human sizes to incorporate the growing number of obese adults.

Automakers Looking at Console and Roofline To Make More Room

To keep drivers comfortable, her team focuses on a few key areas: The center console, seat controls on the left, and head room. If the center console is too large, it can press into peoples' bodies. And the storage space in the console can be awkward for larger people to use. Seat controls can also be difficult to reach. Also, because obese drivers sit higher in their seats, they often feel squeezed if the roof line is too low. Automakers also need to be aware of where they place sunroof controls, because those can get in the way.

Robert Dean Cole, from Kenosha, Wis., is 6 foot 7 inches and 240 pounds, and his six-year-old son is nearly 5 feet tall.

"Obviously, little cars are not going to be in our future," he says.

While he'd like to own a car with better gas mileage³¹, he says he can barely fit behind the steering³² wheel in most of them.

"And even if I could actually fit under the steering wheel of the car my next worry would be surviving a car accident," he says. "Good chance I won't be surviving due to my size."

So he recently purchased a Ford F-150 – one of the biggest vehicles in the U.S. It is also the most popular.

Jake Fisher, senior engineer at Consumer Reports, thinks it's more that fear of being crushed that keeps most people away from small cars. Fisher has recently been test-driving a Fiat³³ 500 for Consumer Reports, and he can fit his entire family in the car comfortably. They've enjoyed using it for around town.

But out on the highway, when they encounter some trucks, being in the small can feel a bit sketchy³⁴, he says. "When you drive up next to a Suburban³⁵, it's a little intimidating," Fisher says.

Consumer Reports, in fact, last year came out with a list of "Best Cars for Larger Drivers," to spotlight³⁶ their recommendation to auto³ companies to redesign seats and seat-belts for reasons of both comfort and safety. The consumer advocacy organization, which tests cars, recommended several cars for their roomy driver position and easy access. AOL Autos Editors augmented³⁷ that list with a few selections and can be seen in the gallery below.

Still, because SUVs have been so popular for so long, many consumers won't consider small cars out of fear they will come up on the short end of a one-on-one collision with one. Also, auto designers say many drivers, especially women, have come to like the elevated, commanding seating positions that come with SUVs. This attitude is especially prevalent in rural markets where pickups and SUVs make up a larger percentage of overall vehicles than in the cities and suburbs.

But the idea that bigger is safer is often not true. Many small cars get as good or better crash ratings than larger vehicles because automakers have engineered many safety features into small cars precisely³⁸ to make up for their lack of mass in a collision with a larger vehicle. The 2011 Ford Fiesta has a 4-star crash rating from the Federal government, as listed at www.safecar.gov, the same as the Ford F-150 pickup truck, and better than some larger corossovers and SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 (which gets 3-Star). The Scion TC, built by Toyota and a small car, earned a 5-star rating.

It's important to research each car under consideration for purchase because size of vehicle doesn't always tell the whole safety story. But the vehicle does need to fit in the first place when a customer sits behind the wheel.

Bottom Line

A vehicle needs to fit its occupant, and clever design and engineering can overcome size limitations. As any large person who has test driven cars can attest³⁹, the Honda Fit and VW Beetle are roomier for the driver than some larger vehicles like Ford Taurus or Nissan Maxima.

Automakers under pressure to achieve better fuel economy across their lineup may need to give greater consideration to making small cars more comfortable for average Americans. Those that place sleek⁴⁰ design over practical will lose customers and consideration. 

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

4 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

7 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

8 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

9 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

10 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

11 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

12 spiked   

adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的

参考例句：

• The editor spiked the story. 编辑删去了这篇报道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They wondered whether their drinks had been spiked. 他们有些疑惑自己的饮料里是否被偷偷搀了烈性酒。 来自辞典例句

13 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

14 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

15 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

16 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

18 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

19 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

20 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

21 debuting   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• New debuting analog thermostat welding machine, easy to operate. 新登场模拟式调温电焊台，操作简单。
• With the new tablet device that is debuting next week, Apple Inc. 苹果公司的新型平板电脑将于下周发布。

22 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

23 spaciousness   

n.宽敞

参考例句：

• A high ceiling gives a feeling of airness and spaciousness. 天花板高给人一种通风和宽敞的感觉。
• The tremendous spaciousness of it was glowing with rich gold. 苍茫辽阔的景色染上了一片瑰丽浓艳的金黄色。

24 scion   

n.嫩芽，子孙

参考例句：

• A place is cut in the root stock to accept the scion.砧木上切开一个小口,来接受接穗。
• Nabokov was the scion of an aristocratic family.纳博科夫是一个贵族家庭的阔少。

25 beetle   

n.甲虫，近视眼的人

参考例句：

• A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。
• He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

26 egress   

n.出去；出口

参考例句：

• Safe access and egress can be achieved by various methods.可以采用各种方法安全的进入或离开。
• Drains achieve a ready egress of the liquid blood.引流能为血液提供一个容易的出口。

27 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

28 mariner   

n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者

参考例句：

• A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.平静的大海决不能造就熟练的水手。
• A mariner must have his eye upon rocks and sands as well as upon the North Star.海员不仅要盯着北极星，还要注意暗礁和险滩。

29 baron   

n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王

参考例句：

• Henry Ford was an automobile baron.亨利·福特是一位汽车业巨头。
• The baron lived in a strong castle.男爵住在一座坚固的城堡中。

30 visualization   

n.想像，设想

参考例句：

• In 2D visualization and drawing applications, vertical and horizontal scrolling are common. 在二维的可视化及绘图应用中，垂直和水平滚动非常普遍。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Ophthalmoscopy affords the only opportunity for direct visualization of blood vessels. 检眼镜检查法提供直接观察血管的唯一机会。

31 mileage   

n.里程，英里数；好处，利润

参考例句：

• He doesn't think there's any mileage in that type of advertising.他认为做那种广告毫无效益。
• What mileage has your car done?你的汽车跑了多少英里？

32 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

33 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

34 sketchy   

adj.写生的，写生风格的，概略的

参考例句：

• The material he supplied is too sketchy.他提供的材料过于简略。
• Details of what actually happened are still sketchy.对于已发生事实的详细情况知道的仍然有限。

35 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

36 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

37 Augmented   

adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• 'scientists won't be replaced," he claims, "but they will be augmented." 他宣称：“科学家不会被取代；相反，他们会被拓展。” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. 由于发表的时间选得好，这篇报导的影响更大了。

38 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

39 attest   

vt.证明，证实；表明

参考例句：

• I can attest to the absolute truth of his statement. 我可以证实他的话是千真万确的。
• These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place. 这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

40 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。