Several years ago, Adobe inexplicably took SVG out of the optimization-focused “Save for Web…” modal, requiring users to revert to the existing “Export…” functionality with fewer optimization options.

The reason they gave was, in effect, “well, the internet is faster now, so you don’t need to optimize your SVGs.”

Actually "export" was working, what was/is broken was/is to use SVG as a file format: save to SVG and reopen the SVG (or any SVG) with illustrator.

Yeah I have had several problems working with .svg in illustrator, the biggest one being wacky arbatray resizing of the document bounds when I try to open and edit an .svg. I was forced to export off a master .ai file rather than re-edit native .svg, a pain in the arse!

The workaround I use is opening the .svg in a text editor and editing the properties manually, you can clear out a bunch of adobe auto generated garbage and get the file nice and small.

Editing .svg in a text editor is the new Adobe Experience™.

Fire up dreamweaver/ glorified text editor, listen to your fan go nuts whilst your cpu chokes, the new Adobe Experience™