are the newer 2010 cars more fuel efficient than the cars of the 90′s?

They are about the same but also understand that today’s cars are heavier, have more safety features and have more horsepower.

it depends on the car

it all depends on what you buy. certain 90′s cars like the Honda Civic were able to get almost 40mpg because of their lightness and smaller engines. hell, i have an ’81 VW Rabbit that gets close to 50mpg. your average 2010 car weighs about 500-1000+ lbs more than its 90′s counterpart because of all the airbags, crumple zones, and various electronics. all this weight can hurt mpg, but there’s still newer cars out there that can be good on gas.

Yes, they’re forced to be more efficient. Thanks to CAFE Corporate Average Fuel Economy.