[quote=flu]Weight gain wasn’t just because of safety, but a good part of it has to do with it too.[/quote]

Yep. Another big reason for vehicle weight gain is the 6,000lb threshold for a significant tax write-off, as vehicles over 6,000 pounds are not subject to the annual depreciation caps. This is why you’ll find many luxury cars weighing just over 6k. I also wonder how much this contributed to the SUV craze of the last decade.