Big cars have always carried weight beyond their literal dimensions. Long hoods and vast rear compartments signaled wealth, power, and social standing. A truly big car let passengers ride behind the ...

Before we get into those cars with impressively big gas tanks, it's worth creating a frame of reference. On one side are the diminutive runabouts like the Mitsubishi Mirage and its 9.2-gallon tank.

Four-cylinders don’t have the silk of a straight-six or the brute punch of a big V8. They shake more and sound meaner than musical. But they’ve moved the world. From brass-era behemoths to modern ...