Is Nissan's Cube Already Missing The Demographic Mark Just Like Scion Did?

Goes to show that young people these days are with the trends... the people buying these cars just think they are buying into younger trends. And wtf... it's so ugly... and unsymmetric...

-asymmetric

All of these Cube/Element/Soul/HHR/PTCruiser/ScionXb are supposed to make their owners look kinda cool and youg, while in fact, they make them look old and stupid.

Maybe some people just don't give an F what other people think of them, let alone the cars they drive.

Sorry ?

People who don't give a F about what people think of them are likely to get a CR-V over an Element, a Versa HB over a cube, a Matrix over a Scion XB, or a Caliber over a PT Cruiser. People buying these cars want to get other peoples attention.

— MSP6

I think people will BUY what they think they need and/or can afford.

.02

I'm kinda stuck on the "miss the mark like Scion/Toyota" Let me guess, 009? I wouldn't say that Scion was a huge success, but it certainly isn't a failure; try again. Comparaing that Ice Cube to anything is below the belt...innovative or not.

WEll the point I was shooting towards was the both Scion and the Nissan Cube made a big deal about appealing to the hip 20's crowd. Right now the average age for both buyers is double that. So somewhere in the mix they think they have hit a homerun with that demographic but they find out that missed it by a wide margin.

As I have asked for before when you make those anecdotal comments.... Please provide proof, demographic stats, that bear out your premise. What is the average age of the cube/scion buyer, compared with other brands?

That would be journalism, 009, not just flame-baiting.

maybe older people bought them for their children.

Either way, Nissan has found that the average Cube buyer is in his or her 40s; this is the case for all tall, boxy cars. Back in 2003, Honda marketed the Element as a “dorm room on wheels,” but it’s more likely Mom will be dropping you off in it.

Nissan calls this gap “expected,” and maybe it is. The average new car buyer is 56 years old, according to AutoPacific, a research firm for the auto industry. Young people frequently buy used vehicles the first time they make a car purchase.

Source: Kicking Tires

The average age of the Scion buyer is 36, and 54% of the car's sales are to the under-35 set. That bests the youngest-selling car in America, the Volkswagen GTI, which according to J.D. Power & Associates, is purchased by the youngest buyers, at average age 37. Toyota also has another reason to be pleased: According to a spokeswoman, 59% of Scion buyers are new to the automaker.

Source: Advertising Age

001

thank you 001. I may hate your politics, but your car sense makes up for it.

The Cube is a FAIL. I am not sure if I laugh more at this than I do people in the Smart car.

I'll bet that Cube just like the Scion rides like a log wagon and the seats will break your back after 15 miles.

We test drove a Cube since my wife (definitely older than target age demographic)thinks it adorable. The Cube has decent acceleration, awful seats, decent brakes and steering isn't quite as bad as I thought it would be, but going around curves at anything over very modest speed sucks. It leans badly and gives you the feeling it will tip over at any moment. The Cube a car for people who hate cars, IMO. BTW, we met a Cube owner who loved her car - she was in her 20's and weighed slightly less than the Cube. Old chicks and fFat chicks love the Cube.

I like your profile picture but not your anti japanese comments.

Cougar bait.

009, you could've at least got a pic of the Z12, not the old model.
As for the age demographic thing, perhaps they were all aiming for this (or a broad) market all along. Remember, you don't sell a product, you sell the idea of a product......

From a marketing stanpoint, I'm surprised - look at the choice of music in the commercials (New Young Pony Club) along with the audience.

From an affordability and usability standpoint, it also makes sense (most of the standard/non-custom Scions I see driving are 40+

I think Cadillac's new SRX will probably end up falling in same boat (marketing young - again look at music by alterna-rock group Phoenix) and have older buyers

maybe he is suffering from end-life-crisis?

Poor kids