Why Do Family Cars Need 300 Horsepower?

[Zembonez]

This is a good question. A generation ago vehicles were cruising around with 150-160 HP if they were lucky and everybody got where they wanted to go at or beyond the posted speed limit with ease.

I find the eternal quest for more and faster to be a little bit on the stupid side in these days of 3 buck and above gasoline. If manufacturers concentrated on fuel economy instead of making every new model "Bigger, Faster, More Powerful" we'd probably be driving 200 HP very fuel efficient vehicles by now.

Of course I realize a small segment of buyers are the monobrow "Mo is always better" crowd... but most of us aren't 16 anymore and live in a real world. Horsepower is nice, but in true American consumer fashion, it has become an all out idiot race just to sell cars.

We are losing in the process.

Here's the article.

http://jalopnik.com/5980306/why-do-family-cars-need-300-horsepower

 

[Texas Jim]

I need more than that, because my big heavyass car is slow as ****... even WITH 300 horse...

 

[Boilerup15]

 

[DarrenWS6]

Over the years I noticed it too. Regular rides must be lightning fast anymore. Power is fun, but leave it to the sports cars and trucks.

 

[Darth Bama]

The 2007 Accord V6 my wife had was only 245hp but that joker would scoot! The Altima we traded the Accord in on only has a 2.5 with 175hp. The Altima runs fine and is honestly a great driving car even with less the 200hp. Not to mention the fuel mileage is great too!


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[Zembonez]

I love high power rides as much as anybody. I just don't see where the average guy on the street requires it to ride around town... We could have much more fuel efficient "family sleds" without ruining the Sports Car (or Truck) world.

 

[Darkanion]

"We are losing in the process."



Cars get safer, more feature-rich, and more fuel efficient with every generation.

How is it that we are "losing?"

 

[Zembonez]

You don't get power without a compromise. We could easily have way more fuel efficient cars now if manufacturers weren't in the horsepower race.

 

[Darth Bama]

Unfortunately there's always those people that feel like they must have the "biggest & baddest" there is to offer. If Chrysler offered an SRT V10 Caravan there would be guys that bought it and race around like they're a Nascar driver. Unless your family sedan is regularly on the Autobahn, you simply don't need 400hp and 20,000ft/lbs of torque

Just watching the corny ass pickup truck commercials comparing the "manliness" of their truck over their competitors tells you the average mentality of the American car buyer


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[Darkanion]

Until fuel prices go up quite a bit more, people aren't going to demand (or even be very interested in) vehicles that are considerably more fuel efficient than they are today. When I was shopping for the Outback, the 4-banger wasn't "enough" more fuel efficient for me to sacrifice 80+ hp..

If people want mid to upper 30's, the Malibu can do that. So can the Accord and I'm sure a host of other family sedans.. I don't think people will push for 40+ on the road until gas prices are at least a buck to buck and a half higher than they are now, though (and not just for a few weeks).