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The tough fuel-economy standards that took effect in 2012 are getting tougher every year. So why are cars getting bigger?

The average new vehicle's "footprint" -- the rectangle formed by its wheelbase and track width -- hit a record 49.9 square feet in the 2015 model year, according to the EPA, up by about 1 square foot, or 2 percent, since the agency been tracking the measure in 2008.

The EPA says that growth mostly reflects shifting sales toward trucks and SUVs. And to be sure, cars and trucks have been growing for decades to reflect the visual tastes of designers, the safety concerns of engineers and consumer desire for more interior space.



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EPA Just Now Figuring Out Automakers Can Simply Make Vehicles Bigger To Skirt CAFE Standards

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