Small cars are a big deal nowadays, and perhaps no one knows that like the LGBT community.

That’s because of two reasons:

• LGBT shoppers tend to be far more environmentally conscious than their straight peers. Although not all small cars are eco-friendly, they certainly appear to be — and sometimes, that’s all that matters.

• Also, a significant percentage of LGBT consumers live in urban areas. (That’s especially true in cities with established LGBT communities, which can be attractive to folks who’ve grown up in small towns, living in the closet.) For city-dwellers who need a ride of their own, small cars are far more convenient.

(I could go out on a limb and say that today’s small cars like the MINI Cooper and the Ford Fiesta are also more fashion-forward than larger cars, and our community has a reputation for being very style-conscious. That claim would be entirely anecdotal  though.)

But even though interest in small cars is growing in the U.S., it’s important to note that those rides aren’t as small as they used to be. As evidence, look no further than this infographic from Automotive.com, which shows just how much bigger vehicles like the Honda Civic have become over the past few decades.

Why the growth spurt? Perhaps it has to do with safety — not just safety features, which have added heft to many vehicles, but also the appearance of safety. Unlike our European counterparts, Americans have often been wary of tiny rides, claiming that they don’t look safe. By beefing up compacts and subcompacts, automakers may be working to improve their vehicles’ visual appeal.

Then again, it could just be because we’ve gotten fat.

If you drive a small car, we’d love to know what attracted you to your vehicle. Style? Safety? Fuel economy? Convenience? All of the above?  Leave us a note in the comments below.