Are emissions unreasonable? I don't know enough about this to say for sure but I have my suspicions.
The REAL story is that Obama’s CAFE standards are forcing automotive engineers to operate on the outer limits of what is possible.
That and when you demonstrate to the people who regulate you that you are about a thousand times smarter than they are they REALLY get cheesed-off.
you are mixing two separate issues.
volkswagon cheated on test every other car maker has to pass too. they lied to every one of their customers. that is one problem.
the second problem is the epa and the emissions standards and regs, and how even though the car may release more than allowed, given its mpg its still probably cleaner per its efficiency over a gas engine that emits less crap but has poorer mpg. when this isnt factored in its idiotic.