SEMA says subcompacts sales are flying high

[mikeyb]

In the first quarter of 2006, there were 53,328 subcompacts sold. In the first quarter of this year, 107,942 little engines that could have tootled off of dealer lots. That's a 95.1% increase. At the current pace, according to Ward's Auto, B-segment vehicles will nearly double their last year's sales of 274,272 units. That would put them at levels not seen since 1995.
Until recently, sales of subcompacts consistently declined. In 1998, 120,216 only of them were sold, which was a 26-year low, and a huge drop from the 567,210 cars sold just three years prior to that. It's a small market compared to other segments, but it's a noteworthy trend because of the multitude of factors that could be driving it. A Global Insight analyst said that "auto makers missed the ball when they aimed the latest crop of B-cars at the youth market," because Gen Y would rather have trucks or SUVs. (Has anyone told Scion or Honda that?) But if that's the case, who's buying them and why?

-Autoblog

 

[Mazdamia]

Yea!!...and I think it is the Gen-X that is buying them as they move away from their first cars and realize that they really don't need to get something so big...

 

[stellar_bc]

Yea!!...and I think it is the Gen-X that is buying them as they move away from their first cars and realize that they really don't need to get something so big...

i agree...it really bothers me sometimes when i see this big ass SUV on the road and there's only 1 person inside!

 

[99 Pro]

i agree...it really bothers me sometimes when i see this big ass SUV on the road and there's only 1 person inside!

Totally agree. I think young people think that they look 'gay' or whatever in a small sub compact, so they get some big POS gas guzzling SUV.

 

[tunersteve]

Personally, I think trucks and SUVs have no worth unless you are doing one of the following:

1 - Trailering something
2 - Hauling large amounts of cargo
3 - Off-roading

Any other reason to have them, like "I like the security of it" or " I like to sit up in a car" is just an assanine reason to buy one.

 

[AznXstazy]

well a suv is also much safer. when my sister rear ended a jeep, the jeep had a few scratches while my sister smashed up her whole front. protege btw.

 

[TheMAN]

if the protege didn't get all mashed up, she probably would've been in the hospital from internal injuries

and what happens when an SUV gets in a serious crash?

 

[.paul]

well a suv is also much safer. when my sister rear ended a jeep, the jeep had a few scratches while my sister smashed up her whole front. protege btw.

It's called a crumple zone, it did it's job and your sister isn't in the hospital because it absorbed all of the engergy that would have been transfered to her. Every vehicle built has them.

It's even safer to pay attention to what you're doing behind the wheel...

 

[99 Pro]

if the protege didn't get all mashed up, she probably would've been in the hospital from internal injuries

and what happens when an SUV gets in a serious crash?

Exactly. Good post. SUV's and trucks are useless IMO unless you are in the construction business or something. Those guys that buy the huge assed trucks and SUV's cause they 'may' need to haul some lumber or rocks once in a blue moon are wasting their money for all the gas those things use.