Autoblog: REPORT: Consumers increasingly shying away from small cars; owners unhappy

That 25% who wants more technology? Yeah, screw those people. I WILL NOT SHOW YOU HOW TO USE YOUR GPS AGAIN.

In other news: Sky still blue. Americans still want bigger things. And yes, boobs are still awesome.

And we want them bigger as well!
 
Spectre is right, you need to buy "enough" car for what you'll use it. Apparently for us Euros, a Focus sized car is more than sufficient, while for Americans it isn't...

And the reason is simple: Look at the size of their fridges :) They need to fill them with big things that come in huge bottles and packages. So they need a big boot space.

We, on the other hand, have small fridges for small bottles and packages. Saves energy and is good for the environment, you know. The solution: We shop a bit more often, then our boot space is efficient, too ;)

I for example simply stop at the shops on my way home from work whenever I need something. That's easy, because our shops here are not all centralized in one place but spread all over town. I illustrated it here:

3989415911_7c440f6f1d_o.jpg


That's why I never need a big boot space :)
 
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^ Try not to sound to smug and lecture-like, Different strokes and all that...

Aha! Yes, that's why I embedded a link into my signature pic for folks like you :)

Just click on it and don't thank me -- it's a service I provide ;)
 
I pulled up next to the harried looking woman and informed her that not only was my Pathfinder greener than her Prius, but that it would easily haul all that stuff and four people at the same time. She turned all sorts of shades of red and made gabbling noises as I drove off.

PLEASE tell me you left with a huge cloud of tire smoke behind you.
 
Hmm, I've owned my 3-door Echo for a while now, and there's only been like 2 instances where I've thought "if only my car was slightly bigger". One was when I bought a new bike, and the second was at the hardware store.

However, I solved those two situations by borrowing my mum's Camry.

I think if people continue to demand bigger cars, we may end up at a point where a Yaris is as big as a Hummer. I mean, Holden is calling the Cruze a "small car", but its getting pretty close in size to a Camry....
 
My integra is like a mini pick up truck. I can fit a ton in the back! Just the other day I had in there:

-Transmission
-2 broken axles
-Air compressor
-4 jack stands
-Floor jack
-Tool box
-Air tools
-Clutch
-Various automotive fluids

I can also haul lumber and christmas trees, no problem. I just can't tow anything with it...:hmm: But it has more than enough space for about 99% of my needs.
 
I find it quite tricky...

I like the size, comfort and performance of my big Volvo. I can't imagine driving anything slower, and with less features.

However, if I had to go back to Europe, living in a big city...I wouldn't want to have my Volvo there. A car of the size of a Golf will be perfect in there.
 
So let me get this straight. You want more room, more power, more features, but you still want the convenience, economy and the price of a small hatch...

"You kids dont know what you want. Thats why you're still kids, coz you're stupid!"
 
The problem people are having is the small car in America was sold as the economy car. No frills or power w/just the standard in electronic features. While the fancy stuff was left for sedans and others. This was before the gas prices started pushing more people to smaller cars. Now, for example, Ford is bringing over the Fiesta which has a little bit of everything in a small package.

Off the top of my head I think the Mini's are the only cars that have both some grunt & electronic toys in a small size. Maybe the Mazda's 3's.

But you're not going to find any sort of forced induction to push the little cars around. Not like you find in a lot of European trimmed cars. Here their purpose is supposed to be a cheap A to B commuter car. Not "this is everything in my house in car form." like people get in a premium trimmed sedan.
 
I had a great laugh at some lady who had her friend and two kids with her, trying to load:

A computer.
A monitor.
A printer.
Cat litter.
Some groceries.
And some clothes.

That would fit in the back of a Golf or a Focus.
 
That woman must have just really sucked at packing. When I came down to school I fit the following in the back of my gti:
Mac Pro
30in Cinema Display in original box
5.1 Surround sound
APC battery backup
That box of assorted cables/connectors everyone has
My entire set of cooking supplies including 10pots/pans plus assorted implements and my spices/oil/other items
all my dishes/cups/glasses/ect
My boos
every piece of clothing I own, which I will be honest is more than I care to admit.
An 18in desk fan
A folding chair
My helmet, jack, and assorted automotive fluids, and trackpads
All my books
4 large (think 24x24 and bigger) framed pictures/posters for the wall
Towels, pillows, bedding
Plus all the other odds and ends that end up in a dorm.

Seriously either Toyota gave it as much storage space as an MR2 Spyder, or she just ahd no idea what she was doing.
 
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And the reason is simple: Look at the size of their fridges :) They need to fill them with big things that come in huge bottles and packages. So they need a big boot space.

We, on the other hand, have small fridges for small bottles and packages. Saves energy and is good for the environment, you know. The solution: We shop a bit more often, then our boot space is efficient, too ;)

I for example simply stop at the shops on my way home from work whenever I need something. That's easy, because our shops here are not all centralized in one place but spread all over town. I illustrated it here:
<snip>
That's why I never need a big boot space :)

Actually, it's not as good for the environment as your small bottles and packages generate far more waste.

On top of which, you end up paying more (since you can't buy in quantity) overall, plus if there's a disaster or disruption in the supply chain, people start dying because they don't have any food in the house.

There are tradeoffs for everything.

PLEASE tell me you left with a huge cloud of tire smoke behind you.

No, unfortunately - there was a police officer watching me.

The problem people are having is the small car in America was sold as the economy car. No frills or power w/just the standard in electronic features. While the fancy stuff was left for sedans and others. This was before the gas prices started pushing more people to smaller cars. Now, for example, Ford is bringing over the Fiesta which has a little bit of everything in a small package.

Off the top of my head I think the Mini's are the only cars that have both some grunt & electronic toys in a small size. Maybe the Mazda's 3's.

But you're not going to find any sort of forced induction to push the little cars around. Not like you find in a lot of European trimmed cars. Here their purpose is supposed to be a cheap A to B commuter car. Not "this is everything in my house in car form." like people get in a premium trimmed sedan.

Not exactly.

Part of the problem with selling a 'luxury' small car in the US is the value-for-money-driven market we have here. Here's an example I was using just this morning:

A loaded-out Mini (non-S/JCW) hardtop with all the options and gadgets is about $25K MSRP. For that same money you can get a Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Premium which is larger, is RWD, and is up-optioned with almost everything the Mini has. The fuel economy numbers aren't even that different.

Most people are going to go for the Genesis in that sort of scenario.

That would fit in the back of a Golf or a Focus.

Remember, the woman had three people with her, so she had need of the rear seats being up. It wouldn't really fit in the back of a Golf or Focus hatch either.

Jesus, how small is the boot in the Prius? I could fit that and then some in my Jazz...serves them right for being all holier-than-thou and driving a POS. *hugs Cardis*

The boot space in the Prius with the rear seats up is:

~38" wide
28" deep
17" tall at the back, rising to 23" tall at the back of the rear seats.

Most of what would be the nominal boot space is occupied by the battery pack.
 
A loaded-out Mini (non-S/JCW) hardtop with all the options and gadgets is about $25K MSRP. For that same money you can get a Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Premium which is larger, is RWD, and is up-optioned with almost everything the Mini has. The fuel economy numbers aren't even that different.

Youre pricing system is just screwed up that's all. However, given the option between a small, loaded mini and a large, loaded Hyundai Genesis, I'd STILL get the Mini because I simply do not need the big space of the Hyundai.

Plus the Mini will be more fun to drive, even if its Fail wheel drive
 
I've driven both.

No, the Mini is not more fun to drive.

Edit: And our pricing system isn't screwed up, it's just geared towards the demands of our market. FYI, it ends up being cheaper in the long run when large numbers of cars have similar configurations - brings parts prices way down and lets you run a car for a much longer period of time before having to retire it.

Edit 2:
So let me get this straight. You want more room, more power, more features, but you still want the convenience, economy and the price of a small hatch...

"You kids dont know what you want. Thats why you're still kids, coz you're stupid!"

That's not unique to the US, either. The current Euro Civic has had the rear suspension ruined because that's what the customers demanded, and Honda gave it to them. Honda gave them more space by fitting a torsion beam rear suspension to it. The rest of us who get the proper Civic get to laugh at the Europeans getting exactly what they wished for. :D

Here in the US, traditionally someone needing more space wouldn't go whining to Honda about it. They'd just buy an Accord instead.
 
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The three or four times a year i need a large vehicle/semi-truck i rent one. It's less than ten bucks an hour and normally i don't need it for more than two or three.
 
Actually, it's not as good for the environment as your small bottles and packages generate far more waste.

Then how do you explain that the average American produces about two times the amount of garbage, than the average German?

On top of which, you end up paying more (since you can't buy in quantity) overall, plus if there's a disaster or disruption in the supply chain, people start dying because they don't have any food in the house.

As far as I know, the crap food is cheaper there and the good food is cheaper here.
 
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Then how do you explain that the average American produces about two times the amount of garbage, than the average German?

It's not food packaging waste that's generating the garbage difference. :p

As far as I know, the crap food is cheaper there and the good food is cheaper here.

Okay, let's compare basics. How much is four liters of milk there?
 
I had a great laugh at some lady who had her friend and two kids with her, trying to load:

A computer.
A monitor.
A printer.
Cat litter.
Some groceries.
And some clothes.

Into the back of a Prius sporting eco-nutcase stickers.

I pulled up next to the harried looking woman and informed her that not only was my Pathfinder greener than her Prius, but that it would easily haul all that stuff and four people at the same time. She turned all sorts of shades of red and made gabbling noises as I drove off.

Buying smaller cars is fine, but you need to buy enough car to get the job done, ecosnobbery be damned.

First of all, I don't for one second believe that you can't fit all that in a prius.
Second of all, the article isn't about driving a hybrid and being green because of it. Its about small cars. I'm pretty sure that you don't need a Pathfinder. And those people that do need an SUV, can probably do without a Suburban. And way to be a smug douche.


I've driven both.

No, the Mini is not more fun to drive.
A big heavy luxury sedan is more fun to drive than a nimble little mini? Oh wait, all roads in texas are straight :p
 
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I can understand all of the points made by the US survey save this one:

"22% would like a softer ride"

Ooh wallowy. They have to be joking?
 
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