From model years 1980 to 2012, there have been significant gains in automotive technology. For new light vehicles, horsepower has more than doubled and "0-to-60" acceleration times have dropped from 14.3 to 9.3 seconds. The average weight grew to a high of 4,111 pounds in 2004 and has dropped slightly since then (3,950 pounds in 2012). The average fuel economy of new light vehicles has fluctuated over the years, but has been trending higher since 2004 with a new high of 23.8 miles per gallon reached in model year 2012.
Characteristics of New Light Vehicles Sold, Model Years 1980-2012
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Supporting Information
| Model Year | Native Units | Indexed to 1980 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miles per gallon | Weight (lbs) | 0-60 Time (sec) | Horsepower | Miles per gallon | Weight (lbs) | 0-60 Time (sec) | Horsepower | |
| 1980 | 19.2 | 3,228 | 14.3 | 104 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 1981 | 20.5 | 3,202 | 14.4 | 102 | 107 | 99 | 101 | 98 |
| 1982 | 21.1 | 3,202 | 14.4 | 103 | 110 | 99 | 101 | 99 |
| 1983 | 21.0 | 3,257 | 14.1 | 107 | 109 | 101 | 99 | 103 |
| 1984 | 21.0 | 3,262 | 14.0 | 109 | 109 | 101 | 98 | 105 |
| 1985 | 21.3 | 3,271 | 13.5 | 114 | 111 | 101 | 94 | 110 |
| 1986 | 21.8 | 3,238 | 13.4 | 114 | 114 | 100 | 94 | 110 |
| 1987 | 22.0 | 3,221 | 13.1 | 118 | 115 | 100 | 92 | 113 |
| 1988 | 21.9 | 3,283 | 12.8 | 123 | 114 | 102 | 90 | 118 |
| 1989 | 21.4 | 3,351 | 12.5 | 129 | 111 | 104 | 87 | 124 |
| 1990 | 21.2 | 3,426 | 12.2 | 135 | 110 | 106 | 85 | 130 |
| 1991 | 21.3 | 3,410 | 12.1 | 138 | 111 | 106 | 85 | 133 |
| 1992 | 20.8 | 3,512 | 11.8 | 145 | 108 | 109 | 83 | 139 |
| 1993 | 20.9 | 3,519 | 11.8 | 147 | 109 | 109 | 83 | 141 |
| 1994 | 20.4 | 3,603 | 11.7 | 152 | 106 | 112 | 82 | 146 |
| 1995 | 20.5 | 3,613 | 11.3 | 158 | 107 | 112 | 79 | 152 |
| 1996 | 20.4 | 3,659 | 11.1 | 164 | 106 | 113 | 78 | 158 |
| 1997 | 20.2 | 3,727 | 11.0 | 169 | 105 | 115 | 77 | 163 |
| 1998 | 20.1 | 3,744 | 10.9 | 171 | 105 | 116 | 76 | 164 |
| 1999 | 19.7 | 3,835 | 10.7 | 179 | 103 | 119 | 75 | 172 |
| 2000 | 19.8 | 3,821 | 10.6 | 181 | 103 | 118 | 74 | 174 |
| 2001 | 19.6 | 3,879 | 10.5 | 187 | 102 | 120 | 73 | 180 |
| 2002 | 19.5 | 3,951 | 10.2 | 195 | 102 | 122 | 71 | 188 |
| 2003 | 19.6 | 3,999 | 10.2 | 199 | 102 | 124 | 71 | 191 |
| 2004 | 19.3 | 4,111 | 9.9 | 211 | 101 | 127 | 69 | 203 |
| 2005 | 19.9 | 4,059 | 9.9 | 209 | 104 | 126 | 69 | 201 |
| 2006 | 20.1 | 4,067 | 9.8 | 213 | 105 | 126 | 69 | 205 |
| 2007 | 20.6 | 4,093 | 9.7 | 217 | 107 | 127 | 68 | 209 |
| 2008 | 21.0 | 4,085 | 9.7 | 219 | 109 | 127 | 68 | 211 |
| 2009 | 22.4 | 3,914 | 9.7 | 208 | 117 | 121 | 68 | 200 |
| 2010 | 22.6 | 4,002 | 9.6 | 214 | 118 | 124 | 67 | 206 |
| 2011 | 22.4 | 4,127 | 9.4 | 230 | 117 | 128 | 66 | 221 |
| 2012 | 23.8 | 3,950 | 9.3 | 222 | 124 | 122 | 65 | 213 |
| Source: Environmental Protection Agency, Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2012, EPA-420-S-13-001, March 2013. | ||||||||