In 2011, the CAFE standards were adjusted, and fuel economy standards started being based on the vehicle's footprint. So small trucks suddenly had to have absurdly high fuel economy. At the same time, instead of having to make trucks more and more efficient every year, they can just make them bigger.

It's why the Ford Maverick base model is a hybrid. Making the hybrid the upgrade and the gas engine standard would keep Ford from meeting CAFE standards. But it's also the reason the Ford Ranger is now the size of an older F-150.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Isn't there some exception for vehicles over 5000lbs or something too, which is why all half ton trucks and big suv/crossovers are all over that weight, so they don't have to have good mpg