Yet Another Study Reveals Americans Don't Like Small Cars

A just released study on the future of small cars in the United States shows American consumers are increasingly interested in smaller cars, but with reservations about size and features. The study underscores the challenge automakers face in trying to meet government mandated improvements in fuel economy while still delivering what consumers want and will buy. Many carmakers have recently introduced new, smaller cars to the market and are launching more in the future.

“Our research indicates that American car buyers are definitely willing to buy a more fuel-efficient car, but that they don’t want it to be much smaller than what they are driving today,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific, the research firm that conducted the study. “Tomorrow’s successful small car won’t be tiny. It will be reasonably sized, have increased fuel economy, adequate performance and a full load of customer features.”

AutoPacific’s study – “Small Cars in the USA – Planning for the Coming Boom” – is based on the results of AutoPacific’s annual survey of over 32,000 new car and light truck buyers in the United States. The study closely looks at recent buyers of new small and mid-size cars plus people who will consider a compact car the next time they buy. The study details who has bought and will buy smaller cars, what was important to them in their recent purchase, how satisfied they are with their present vehicle and what changes they would make to their car. 

“This survey shows that present owners of the smallest cars like the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo want more power and acceleration, more technology and more cargo room next time they buy,” said Peterson. “When they bought these cars they accepted lower power and cargo room for better fuel economy and a high value price, but in the future they want something more – bigger, faster and with more bells and whistles.”

The AutoPacific small car study was undertaken to determine what buyers want from their future cars, including size, engine, transmission and attributes like entertainment features, luxury features, in-vehicle communications and comfort and convenience features. “The question is whether American car buyers will avidly embrace smaller size new products,” added Peterson. “In our Motorist Choice Awards polling, released last month, 106 of the top 107 were large cars, luxury cars, sport utility vehicles, crossover SUVs or minivans. Only one small car, the BMW 1-Series, scored in the top 100, landing in the 35th slot.”



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WorldofLuxury - 9/9/2009 4:57:40 PM

-2 Boost

lol I fit in them quite nicely, but most of the times, I just love driving around in anything big. I love the way Jezza puts it; he loves the H2 because it made him feel like a kid.

I love sportscars too and supercars that look big on posters but awfully small in real life, but I LOVE those big gloveboxes where I can hide all my important stuff and cool James Bond wannabe gadgets and large center console armrests which include a storage area large enough for a laptop and video/audio inputs plus power outlet... large sound system for everyone...

Joe_Limon - 9/9/2009 5:00:51 PM

+3 Boost

I'm with 80% of Americans. Big cars ride smoother, have more room, and are generally more relaxed vehicles then those twitchy "nimble" pop cans. Fuel economy is about as important as the number of cup holders a car has when it comes to purchasing a new vehicle.

pushrod27 - 9/9/2009 6:09:39 PM

+3 Boost

Of course Americans prefer larger cars. Who wouldn't??? Why would you want to be cramped into a little box when you can stretch out, relax, and cruise in something comfortable? The prohibitive cost of larger vehicles in other places around the world is the only reason they prefer small cars. Who would want less when they could have more? Bigger is better.

Driver8 - 9/10/2009 11:45:15 AM

+1 Boost

You've obviously never driven a lotus.

I couldn't care less about mpg. If I want to buy a sofa then I'd buy a lexus. A big car with v8 may be awesome in a straight line but as soon as you turn it into a corner then its like a bus. Most cars have lost all connection to the road.

Horses for courses though - but there is certainly a price to pay if you go bigger.

Willis - 9/9/2009 6:18:15 PM

-2 Boost

So let me get this straight. We want overpowered, overweight and oversized cars and we still expect them to get above 25-30 mpg? Sometimes I am ashamed to call myself an American. At least I don't belong to the overweight Burger King crowd...

AlleVier - 9/9/2009 7:41:41 PM

+3 Boost

Nobody said anything about "over" anything and certainly not overweight. I'd love for cars to be huge, but light as a feather. Anyways, what's considered normal-sized (as opposed to over or under-sized) depends on a lot of factors such as the size of the roads, the size of the largest vehicles permitted on them, the speed and length of typical travel, number of passengers and, admittedly, the size of the cars' occupants.

For people who commute short distances in a densely-populated, medieval city on narrow roads at relatively slow speeds, a sub-compact or a scooter is a normal size. For those who share the highways with 18-wheelers, not so much. The day that collision avoidance technology is perfected or traffic is segregated by vehicle size is the day I'll accept an undersized car.

downtoearth - 9/9/2009 8:15:34 PM

0 Boost

— Willis:

> So let me get this straight. We want overpowered, overweight
> and oversized cars and we still expect them to get above
> 25-30 mpg?

Yes. And Americans can achieve this because they've chosen (together with Japanese) the best available automotive technology.

Lexus RX400h delivers real life 25-26 mpg [1] while offering 270HP and a luxurious, safe and comfortable SUV body. The new Lexus RX450h will deliver some 27-28 mpg with 300HP at stake, judging from the EPA estimate and the predecessor performance.

Want more compromise? The Ford Fusion hybrid. A lot of car (midsize class), a lot of engine (0-60 in some 8.7 sec) and first owners reach the real 41 mpg [2]. FORTY ONE MPG.

Wanna more? Say "Hello" to the pretty and spacious body, IIHS Top Safety Pick, 0-60 in 10 seconds and real life observed 51.7 mpg US [3]. Also known as Toyota Prius III.

Toyota and Ford exchanged patents and now offer what for other makers is just wishful thinking. That's what technical advantage stands for.


I'll also give an example of poor technical choice.

What Volkswagen has to do to reach Toyota Prius levels of efficiency? Well, they have to:
- use a tiny car size of Yaris (Volkswagen Polo)
- offer a 0-60 time of some 12 or 13 seconds
- put an unbalanced, clattery and dirty THREE cylinder diesel engine with less than 80HP
- use an ancient manual gearbox with just 5 speeds and tall ratios

.. only then they can reach 4,56 l/100km (51,5 mpg diesel, 46 mpg of gas equivalent), in a VW Polo BlueMotion diesel.

http://www.spritmonitor.de/de/uebersicht/50-Volkswagen/451-Polo.html?esearch=1&fueltype=1&exactmodel=bluemotion


=============== References ================
[1] http://fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Lexus&model=RX%20400h%204WD
[2] http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Ford&model=Fusion%20Hybrid%20FWD
[3] http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=mpgData&vehicleID=26425&browser=true&details=on

Wimmer - 9/10/2009 12:14:59 PM

0 Boost

This constant anti-diesel bashing is getting on my nerves. The Prius has an electric motor which considerably reduces fuel consumption within the city and start-stop traffic. A modern TDI Polo or Golf would easily beat a Prius in fuel economy if it were a diesel-hybrid setup. Oh yeah, and you think a Prius is fast? It does what, 0-60 in 11 seconds? Wow, that's so fast...

XYZZ - 9/13/2009 5:59:17 AM

+1 Boost

wimmer, diesels get bashed because they are OVERHYPEED to begin with.

this weekend's Motorweek just did a comparo with the vw and audi TDIs vs. the Prius and Insight, plus the Smart for Two. both hybrids met the the EPA ratings within 1.0 mpg. both diesels FELL SHORT by several mpgs. and this was over a course that included significant highway miles, it was NOT just city miles.

on top of that, everyone knows diesel fuel costs more in the u.s. so diesels get lower mileage despite a more energy dense and expensive fuel. cost more to buy. and are MORE POLLUTING on top of all this!

so what's so great about diesels again?

Wimmer - 9/10/2009 12:21:02 PM

0 Boost

We love our small cars because these modern economy cars are very versatile. They're small on the inside but pack tremendous interior space (for their size) and trunk space too. They're also zippy (not slow) and fuel efficient. For most people these cars are completely adequate for their daily driving needs. Economy cars have also become a fashion statement around here. European celebrities also drive mainstream economy cars like Ford Ka's or Daihatsu Copen's or Fiat 500's / Alfa Mito's for example.

Also, unlike the Americans we're also taught in driving school to be realistic with our car purchases. If I'm going to live in the city and spend most of my driving there then I don't need a big gas-guzzling SUV or 200-hp "American economy car" - a simple VW Polo or MB A-Class will do. I surely hope that the majority of people who post here aren't representative of the typical American consumer...


Oh yeah, correct me if I am wrong but isn't the Prius a "small car"?

theman440 - 9/10/2009 1:03:46 AM

+1 Boost

Finally - a group of people who make sense !

Joe_Limon - 9/10/2009 9:18:34 AM

+3 Boost

she's not Canadian

Wimmer - 9/10/2009 12:26:23 PM

0 Boost

HyundaiSmoke has some very good points. Americans seem to be so easily influenced by the wrong perception.

Take for example economy and diesel cars. In the 1970s the American economy cars weren't that efficient and poorly built. Japanese economy cars were efficient, reliable, had great value but were often too small and slow. It seems this left the American population with a bad image or remembrance of the economy car.

Diesel cars in the past were slow, polluted and they were loud. Fuel economy was great as usual, but you basically missed out on fun and refinement. These days, diesels are the total opposite of what they were in the past - and yet Americans still have a negative perception of these engines (thank you, GM). It's interesting that to note that most Americans who owned a Mercedes diesel in the '70s and '80s have a different opinion about diesels.

1dott8 - 9/10/2009 9:39:20 AM

+1 Boost

i guess i don't fit in the most american category. i can't stand a big car because i am a driver and big cars can't handle what i would throw at it. i'm a big dude, 6 foot 6 inches and 250 lbs but i preffer a car that can only hold me and one other.

andraz - 9/10/2009 11:42:10 AM

+3 Boost

America is big and not yet populated enough. Meaning, it has room. europe does not.

simple as that.

LexSucks - 9/10/2009 11:56:38 AM

+3 Boost

What is that car pictured? An EU pedestrian safety future proposal?

TehShibbs - 9/10/2009 7:04:37 PM

+1 Boost

Yeah, well, a 10 year old wants to eat candy all day long and never go to bed. Guess what. YOU CAN'T. We need to stop making what we "want" and making what we need. They did it in the late 70s and early 80s, and we turned out just fine. America is a buncha babies.