I mean in this case I think those numbers are meant as an upper bound not as a suggestion. IE you shouldn't spend more than 25% on a house, you shouldn't spend more than 8% on a car...not that you SHOULD spend that much. So it doesn't really make sense to expect to be comfortable if you are hitting what they are saying is the maximum for housing AND car.

Viewed that way my percentages of 14%, 2% and 40% all match up really...I don't spend more than 25% on housing, I don't spend more than 8% on a car. I do invest or save at least 25%. I don't think spending 8% on a car is meant to be a goal just meant to say if you are spending more than this you might want to reconsider. Again as a guideline.

As other posters have pointed out there are parts of this country where unless you are in the top 5% you are absolutely not spending only 25% of your income on housing. That just isn't a thing. Maybe Money Guys would suggest that means you are in an area that is overpriced for your income and you should try to move I don't know but I think they know that, they are just trying to give broadly applicable advice and not focus on the edge cases of very HCOL areas or very high or low incomes.