Why are new cars so tall and high up off the ground?

[Charger440RDN]

Has anyone noticed how tall the newer cars are compared to older models? Some of these cars have a roofline so tall that they look like a small SUV!! It just looks dumb to me. I was next to a ford focus in traffic which is supposed to be a compact car and it was as tall as the chevy blazer in front of it!?  I have also noticed this bulkiness on the new Charger and the new Chevy Impala.
I always thought a lower stance meant better gas mileage and handling, these new cars are too high up in the air  IMO.  

[bull]

Maybe it's because everyone these days drives like a drunk money and these kinds of cars do better in crash tests? I don't know, but I'm sure it has something to do with bad taste in design or crappy driving, or both.

Joking aside, when you look specifically at pickups and how tall they're getting they're almost to the point of being unusable. Remember the good ol days when you could get out of your truck, reach over the side of the bed and grab the six 2x4s you just bought? Now you can't even see the bottom of the bed without climbing up onto the rear tire. And once you're there (if you can reach down far enough to grab the cargo) it's a three-foot drop back down to the ground with your hands full. Rediculous.

[Charger440RDN]

Maybe it's because everyone these days drives like a drunk money and these kinds of cars do better in crash tests? I don't know, but I'm sure it has something to do with bad taste in design or crappy driving, or both.

Joking aside, when you look specifically at pickups and how tall they're getting they're almost to the point of being unusable. Remember the good ol days when you could get out of your truck, reach over the side of the bed and grab the six 2x4s you just bought? Now you can't even see the bottom of the bed without climbing up onto the rear tire. And once you're there (if you can reach down far enough to grab the cargo) it's a three-foot drop back down to the ground with your hands full. Rediculous.

You know it probably is because of all of this safety crap they have to put in these cars now. But there comes a point when they can't be called cars anymore when they get so high up in the air  Now that you mention it I guess these trucks are also a lot bigger than they used to be, never paid attention to that.

[Blown70]

The auto term of cross-over.....hate that term,,, its a suv/truck/car.....

[elacruze]

Low-slung cars was just a fad anyway.

[kcederwall08]

I've actually noticed the opposite. The cars themselves may bigger, but they have way lower ride heights. The gap between the fender and the wheel is much smaller, it looks way better too.

[greenpigs]

My 05 1500 4X4 is insane tall. I damn near have to bench press whatever gets put in the bed. Then forget about putting something over the side in. Im 6' which is about the average height and I cant easily do it. One more reason to buy a Ford.

[451-74Charger]

Have you driven I-75 recently?
You need 5 inches of clearance to get over the rutts and potholes

[Todd Wilson]

My 05 1500 4X4 is insane tall. I damn near have to bench press whatever gets put in the bed. Then forget about putting something over the side in. Im 6' which is about the average height and I cant easily do it. One more reason to buy a Ford.

Its not that tall! 

[bull]

My 05 1500 4X4 is insane tall. I damn near have to bench press whatever gets put in the bed. Then forget about putting something over the side in. Im 6' which is about the average height and I cant easily do it. One more reason to buy a Ford.

Fords aren't any better unless it's a 2wd Ranger. In fact I think Ford might be the worst of the lot for bed height. I don't care about the height of an SUV because I'm only taking stuff out the back of those but you should be able to reach over the side of a pickup bed, grab something out and walk away without being a 8' tall ambidextrous, double-jointed gymnast.

[Back N Black]

I have a new Impala SS and it is low to the ground, came with 225/50 18's and it handles like its on rails.

[greenpigs]

I guess neither of you have seen the built in fold out booster step offered on Ford pickups?

[Charger440RDN]

I have a new Impala SS and it is low to the ground, came with 225/50 18's and it handles like its on rails.

Well maybe it's just an illusion because of the high roof line and small side windows. but they sure seem tall to me. Especially when you sit next to one in traffic. Maybe it's because of the massive 18-20 inch rims they put on these newer cars. The Chrysler 300 sits really high up too.
Another thing is the small windows on the newer cars. If your'e fat and you need to crawl through the window of the Chrysler 300 in an emergency, FORGET ABOUT IT!!! They only make the windows like 12 inches tall  

[Silver R/T]

Well if they stop putting 20's on cars from factory maybe they wouldn't be so tall

[Ghoste]

The cars are being made taller so they can see around all the minivans, SUV's, and pickups. 

[The70RT]

Some of it is an optical illusion, the doors are taller and the windows are shorter. I had to buy a low profile jack just to get under the newer ones. I can look under and see the trans. pan on my 70 Cutlass. Try doing that on the newer ones.

[bull]

Well if they stop putting 20's on cars from factory maybe they wouldn't be so tall

I don't think that's much of a factor when you consider the difference in sidewall height. The overall diameter is about the same as the old-school combos unless it's an extreme example. And the factories aren't the ones putting 25s on the trucks and SUVs.