It's NOT Just Hybrid Sales That Are Dead, It's ALL Small Cars

It is true that North Americans generally are not fans of small cars. They like fuel savings, but many believe that there is greater safety and luxury associated with larger vehicles.

— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 1:40:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Americans are definitely like the people in the rest of the world. Europe is not even the same size as the U.S and they have more people(US= 303 million, Europe= 700 million) it's obvious why they have smaller cars the area around these people is more densely populated but on the other hand here you can stretch your arms out. there are huge parts in America where you would be lucky if you saw another human being. America is big and it needs big cars, people love the comfort and safety it provides. I can only imagine how long it will take me to go cross country in a Insight, maybe less stops at the pump but maybe a week late as well.

— vvelez (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 2:35:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The reason sales are down for hybrids and small cars is simple. People just don't want to try something new, because trying something new has it's risks and that's something people don't want in these bad economical times. People would much rather go for the usual safe choices because that's what they are used to and that's what they take comfort in. If you haven't owned a hybrid before, chances are you don't want one now because you're just not used to it. That's at least how I see it.

— audispy (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 3:15:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Wrong, MINI is not doing badly in this economy, so why don't you keep your broad generalizations to yourself, thanks!

— CarCrazedinCali (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 5:10:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Gas is too cheap to be looking at small cars now. Wait till we creep back towards $3 a gallon come summer......

— hyundaifansdotcom (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 6:14:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

I miss the old days (only a decade back) when all the cars on the road were Suburbans and Yukons and Escalades, H1s, and a variety of luxury SUVs.

I just like the feeling of invincibility, and the lack of competition these days in the luxury SUVs market have caused a slack in the luxury brands. I swear... regular SUVs keep getting better because of the competition, but the luxury SUVs just aren't what they could've been.

— WorldofLuxury (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 7:23:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

could be that production of small cars increased and a decrease in that production has not caught up to lower gas prices. Who knows.

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2009 3:59:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Its real simple and not a big surprise...if you only have ONE vehicle, you want something with utility, versatility and overall functionality. You get that with a larger vehicle. That might be a SUV or large crossover. Its good VALUE to own a vehicle that fits these characteristics, bottomline. Having a real small car is very limiting. You just can't do much of anything with it. Most people EVERYWHERE would choose the SUV over anything else if they had the ability or option.

— TexLandRover (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 8:58:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

More B and C segment 5 door hatchbacks are need along with B and C segment sport sedans.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 9:11:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Were star, docmarteen and some of the others banned? It has suddently become more pleasant to read and post on this site! If so, thanks!!!

— 0to60 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 10:31:51 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

You mean the cars that are coming to the US in a 1+ years time? Yea they have been losing since the foreign companies didnt hesitate. Another thing no 350lb fat ass american will fit in a fiesta which seems to be smaller than a fit. The krewze is just an entry level cadillac reject. The focus has yet to be confirmed.

— veyron1001 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/25/2009 12:23:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I will have to respectfully disagree with the words "need & SUV" Any individual will fit in any small car, unless you are morbidly obese, which we have lot of (this another big ball of wax). Also you can see the most clear victory of advertising, the marketers convinced the people that you need to conquer the sahara deserts and the russian tundra owning and SUV, when at best people will just enjoy being in the ditch in the winter because a lot of people think that all wheel drive and SUV equals "invincibility" and no matter how healthy is your self stem there is nothing you can do to change the rules of simple physics. If you move a lot people often or work with vehicle trucks and SUV's could be a good thing. If you once a year move a few things from home depot and think that buying a car that fits 1% of your needs is cost effective and smart, I do not think any meaningful discussion will have place here. Security, the SUV's may have more passive security but are worse in active security I would like to see you breaking hard at 80 miles/hour while turning your steering wheel to try to avoid an accident in an SUV, an easy way to check the undercarriage. We bought those SUV's because we could, now between a soft economy and soaring fuel prices (do not think for a moment that the current 1.68 a gallon will hold for long). And my opinion is almost embarrassing to say “I missed those days with all those SUV's on the road” , sounds so wasteful, sadly so American. Is true Europeans have more congestion and smaller roads, but probably they have more money than a regular American household. They also think is responsible to use resources smartly. We use energy like there is no tomorrow and we will pay for that, remember when I say it.

Anthony

— pepitod (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2009 9:42:43 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

In this economy when people are losing jobs - you don't buy a new car (small or big) unless you HAVE TO. Other than it's nearly impossible to get financing without perfect credit, people want to hold on to their cash, especially the target audience of small cars: the budget minded middle income consumers.

Sure people with money will still spend, but these people are not buying Hondas regardless.

— quizz (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2009 12:21:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

The Fiesta is an absolutely great car( Watch the Top Gear test), but I'm loyal to my Hyundai, not my country which outsources jobs. If Hyundai does build that small car factory in the middle south. That will give them slack enough to build the Near Luxury premium small cars that duke it out with the Euro Focus and Fiesta they sell in Europe here, while giving something Americans need. Jobs!!!!

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2009 10:59:16 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

It is also official that the Next Gen Fiesta for US sale sere hecho en Mexico, and I know many Ford owners see the Mexican built cars as unrelaible.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2009 11:00:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

I think its sad that American's are so reactive. Gas prices go up, people freak out and buy accordingly. Gas prices go down and/or the economy ramps up and people go buy luxury and large cars.

You'd think as a nation that we would be smarter and more strategic about our finances and overall approach to when and what we buy.

— elevatus (View Profile)

Posted on 3/28/2009 11:12:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1