All Small Cars Are Not Created Equal

[nadepalma]

This is pretty interesting numbers. Glad to see the Cobalt and Focus did well. But still a bit suprising to see the Aveo sink.

The Caliber needs help - no reason Dodge shouldn't be making extra money on this producdt as the price at the pump climbs.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

All Small Cars Are Not Created Equal ....nor are they compared fairly or on an equal footing. Anti-American bias is going strong.

YEP - although a comparatively speaking, 'mild case' ( sad to say ) in a slightly flawed article - with a great topic nonetheless - and some insight.

*************

Given how the Matrix and Vibe have traditionally done against each other - with a little approximating......... you can see the Corolla isn't doing as well as it's credited with.

We can't be sure...... but it sure looks like the Matrix is boosting the Corolla/Matrix number.

*************

The new Fit coming this fall - here - just posted another great month in Japan, coming in at a strong #2 overall - counting the Kei cars.

Ming's favorite - the Suzuki Wagon R ? came in at #! - which makes it 7 out of 7 ( months) for the year - and 39 months in a row as either the best selling Kei class product or best selling product period - can't remember which - either way it is impressive.

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Some things left out here that would make this article more complete are the surprising numbers for most of these cars concerning fleet sales and retail incentives - over the whole 6 months discussed.

It isn't what most think.

The list would move around a bit.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

Where does the Saturn Astra and Toyota Matrix rank? I see the Vibe so the Matrix should be on there as well. The Astra isn't a bad car, I'm surprised more people arent' buying them. I think it's because people don't know much about them. I rarely see them advertised. The G5 is a joke and needs to be replaced and I don't mean with a rebadged Aveo either!

Astra sales were up 78% in Canada and up in the US. Why they aren't on here baffles me.

Also what I don't get is how is it GM reports Aveo sales up 17% (23% in Canada) but they say it is so low?

[GM-Joe]

PT Looser and only because Chrysler has ignored redoing it / replacing it with the Caliber; what genius.

[steinravnik]

The Pontiac G5...

[motorman]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Well people wanted a true european car that handles like it's on rails and all that. The thing is they don't want to pay for it. They are ot cheap cars. Nice cars, but not cheap. North American's buy cheap crap cars. Everyone wants to see the econoboxes with nice materials and loaded up with goodies, but when it comes down to it, people don't buy them.

as soon as gas gets to $3.00/$3.50 a gallon these owners will be back trading them in on bigger cars they are used to. if you have driven a impala all your life driving any small 4 cylinder car is a experience you would like to forget
as soon as you can

[prototype66]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

I wonder why they used the EPA rating for the Cobalt SS, instead of the XFE?

Because the media is bias twards the foreign makes and slanted agenst GM for the most part. It would rank much better even with an LS or LT instead of an SS!XFE may have been too new but still.................
They suck!

[dindak]

It will be very interesting to see what happens as gas prices go down and the economy picks up next year. I suspect gas will settle back down to the $3-$3.25 mark in the U.S. and all the people who dumped their SUVs for a huge loss and are now driving some tiny crapwagon will regret the over reaction. I also suspect people will go back to some degree to the vehicles they want which are comfortable V6 powered sedans and SUVs/Crossovers.

[PhishPhood]

Originally Posted by 97ultra

He talks about the Aveo sales being down but doesn't talk about the
Toyota Corolla $14,405; 28/37; $1,991; -3%

Toyota Prius $21,500; 48/45; $1,338; -3%
both being down.

As noted above by HoosierRon the Prius is sold out and they can't sell anymore even if the demand were double what it is. They are prolly redirecting some of the production to other markets iso N America ( currency issues ).

As regards the Corolla this year is the transition from the Gen 9 to the Gen 10. the changeover occurred in mid-Feb as the old ones ramped down in Jan and the new one ramped up during Feb/Mar. Now that there is sufficient supply the Corolla is right at No1 or No 2 vehicle sold in the US for the last 3 months.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by dindak

It will be very interesting to see what happens as gas prices go down and the economy picks up next year. I suspect gas will settle back down to the $3-$3.25 mark in the U.S. and all the people who dumped their SUVs for a huge loss and are now driving some tiny crapwagon will regret the over reaction. I also suspect people will go back to some degree to the vehicles they want which are comfortable V6 powered sedans and SUVs/Crossovers.

Well, if they do that they're stupid and deserve all the suffering it causes. Why buy something that requires you to frequently purchase larger quantities of a fuel source which has historically been extremely unstable in price? Dumb.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by motorman

as soon as gas gets to $3.00/$3.50 a gallon these owners will be back trading them in on bigger cars they are used to. if you have driven a impala all your life driving any small 4 cylinder car is a experience you would like to forget as soon as you can.

See, I'm just the opposite. I've owned nothing but 4 cylinder cars since 1989 and I'll buy nothing else.

[windvale]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Well people wanted a true european car that handles like it's on rails and all that. The thing is they don't want to pay for it. They are ot cheap cars. Nice cars, but not cheap. North American's buy cheap crap cars. Everyone wants to see the econoboxes with nice materials and loaded up with goodies, but when it comes down to it, people don't buy them.

Nonsense. This is the attitude the same attitude that GM management has and it's killing them.

I recently went to the largest Toyota dealer in the South East, and they were completely out of Corollas. I asked how much for a base model, and I was told there was pretty much no way I'd get out the door with one for less than about 20K.

Good luck trying to get a Civic for less than 20K.

These cars can be had with Sat Nav, Power everything, leather seats, and every other goodie you can name.

I bought a Honda Fit and felt blessed to get it for 16K...and that was a base model.

[windvale]

Originally Posted by prototype66

Because the media is bias twards the foreign makes and slanted agenst GM for the most part. It would rank much better even with an LS or LT instead of an SS!XFE may have been too new but still.................
They suck!

So you actually believe that the journalist that created this list purposely went out of his/her way to find a way to make the Cobalt look bad ?

Personally, I think that's preposterous.

One of the most recent editions I've read of Consumer Reports praised the Malibu and CTS, and pretty well ripped the Yaris.

As The Bard said, "the problem is not with our stars, it's with us"...

[fp115]

Originally Posted by windvale

Nonsense. This is the attitude the same attitude that GM management has and it's killing them.

I recently went to the largest Toyota dealer in the South East, and they were completely out of Corollas. I asked how much for a base model, and I was told there was pretty much no way I'd get out the door with one for less than about 20K.

Good luck trying to get a Civic for less than 20K.

These cars can be had with Sat Nav, Power everything, leather seats, and every other goodie you can name.

I bought a Honda Fit and felt blessed to get it for 16K...and that was a base model.

Thats bull, people have been saying constantly they want such and such features on GM cars. Once GM did it, they realized no one forked the money for it. Navigation for example, most people want it, but then see the price tag and see turn-by-turn and guess what they go for? TBT. Yeah I like nav, but for that price I don't need it, I'd rather something cheap and easy. People simply don't want to spend money unless they want to impress.

My girlfriend for example also went to a Toyota dealership and asked for a base model, with air and auto. Its all she had money for, the dealer said no and now she has an Astra (after much convincing), but now she is in love with it and claims its the best car ever to her friends.

[windvale]

Originally Posted by fp115

Thats bull, people have been saying constantly they want such and such features on GM cars. Once GM did it, they realized no one forked the money for it. Navigation for example, most people want it, but then see the price tag and see turn-by-turn and guess what they go for? TBT. Yeah I like nav, but for that price I don't need it, I'd rather something cheap and easy. People simply don't want to spend money unless they want to impress.

My girlfriend for example also went to a Toyota dealership and asked for a base model, with air and auto. Its all she had money for, the dealer said no and now she has an Astra (after much convincing), but now she is in love with it and claims its the best car ever to her friends.

A Civic is overwhelmingly superior to a Cobalt. And Honda can't keep them on the lot. People pay 20K + every day for them.

People will not pay 20K + for a Cobalt, because it's not that good a car. Period.

When/if GM gets a reputation of building a really good small car people will spend the bucks on them, but they've been burned by GM in the past (see Chevette, Cimaron, etc.)

If I'm wrong, and you're right, then all I can say is that the market sure doesn't show it...