What happened to gasoline in the mid 1970s?

What money is in ethanol that is motivating the government?

It goes back way farther than 1989





https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2013/06/24/lost-cars-of-the-1980s-honda-civic-crx

We are 37 years later and cars are still not doing way better. They should be doing way better.

I agree. .....and they WOULD be "doing way better" were it not for gubmint intervention. Automakers KNOW how to make cars. NOT the gubmint.