Smallcars Still Big Business

Automotive Industries,  July, 1999  

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The small-car market in the U.S. is important for many reasons, but the main one is its size, says Ron Zarowitz, a program planning executive for small cars at DaimlerChrysler. The two million units sold in '98 represent 25% of the total passenger cars sold in the U.S. And though retirees and two-car families comprise the majority of current small-car owners, the market is a primarily younger, entry-level buyer.

Some stats: Median age (around 40) of a small-car buyer is the youngest of any segment except sports cars, where the median age is 38. In 1988, Ford's Escort was the best-selling small car in the U.S. with a median price of $8,300. Last year, Honda's Civic was the best seller in the class, at $15,800.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Cahners Publishing Company
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group