Why there are no small cars in the USA?

Question

GM, Ford, and many others sell small cars in many countries, why there are only medium cars in the USA?

Answer 1

Right now I live in England and I can tell you that most of the cars are very similiar from the states to Europe. If you look at Vauxhall, Saab, Seat, and Puegot makes, you'll see they're pretty close to our Chevy, Ford, and Dodge cars. The difference is those are considered small in America cause half the vehicles we have are SUVs and trucks, whereas European vehicles go slightly the other way in size. Because of high gas prices, narrow roads, and general worrying of the environment, they sell many Minis and Smart cars. Another large factor in England (I'm not sure about the rest of Europe) are taxes. You have to pay a road tax every year that correlates with your engine size; the larger your engine, the more you pay. Plus, anything over a 2.0L engine is considered high performance by your insurance company.

With gas prices soaring and people becoming more aware of the environment in America, they're trying to make more efficient cars to meet damands of people. If gas prices and the other factors stay constant or get worse, we'll see an enormous change in vehicles. It's starting to happen already actually; the Smart car that's a huge seller in England is making it's debut to America in 2008. If the Smart car is a big hit I think you'll see truck and SUV sales slip further as Detroit auto companies play catch up.

The only things that may put a dampener on the Smart car sales is the thought that bigger is better and safety. But there's no real way to tell until they come.

Answer 2

Maybe the Questioner is asking about "city cars". Like Smarts, whcih are golf kart like sized vehicles, or something approaching the Ford KA overseas.

Well, considering 52% of the vehicles sold are considered "trucks", you don't want to be in the smaller end if there's an accident. I would say safety is a big worry. You won't see many small cars till fuel prices really escalate. It's not really high at all actually. When it hits $3 a gallon, and stays there, and then some, then watch real estate prices in downtown areas go up, and watch sales of larger vehicles take a dive.

All in due time...

Answer 3

The makers will sell whatever will sell. If there is a big demand for small cars and few are built the prices of those small cars goes up.

The prices are not going up so that means the demand is low.

Why would the makers build cars that people don't want?

Answer 4

Because not enough people in America will buy the really small cars. We have small-ish cars here, but not as small as those in Europe (like the micro-mini class of cars.) Americans have their egos all tied up in the size of their vehicles, even if the vehicle in question is inferior in every other way. It's all about image, not substance.

PS: Maybe this size issue is the case regarding other things, too...?

Answer 5

- Gas is cheap compared to most countries that import a lot oil - Less than $3.00 per gallon compared to $6.00 to $7.00 in much of Europe.

- Some fairly small cars are sold in the U.S. - but as a result of U.S. safety and environmental regulations, it is hard to get permission to sell a really small car here. The car makers don't want to bother trying unless they know they can sell enough of them to make it worthwhile to spend the money to comply with the regulations.

Answer 6

I do undertand you. I'm foreigner, have been to the States and definetly there are no small "sub- compacts" like in Europe or Asia. Ford for example makes K which I feel is not available in the US and if it did, very little sales happend. Small means Renault Twingo, Daewoo and others.
My friend, in the US the bigger the better. Just see the size of your sodas, popcorn and stuff!!!

Answer 7

Have you been to the US? There are plenty small cars here and I drive one. No need in giving an arm and a leg for fuel these days. I traded my truck in for a small car when Katrina drove fuel prices in to orbit.

Answer 8

Many European cities were built before there were automobiles, therefore the streets didn't need to be wide enough to accommodate them. Since it is easier to build small cars than it is to widen the streets of the cities, that's what you get

Answer 9

in part because of the area, extra regularly than not because maximum individuals stay on the city-like ecosystem the position human beings walk or take the city bus everywhere so a large vehicle isn't mandatory. also, because human beings there are not so materialistic as individuals the position higher is extra appropriate.

Answer 10

Safty regulations. Sub-compact cars have a difficult time passing the safty regulations because they lack size to survive crash test. I wouldn't want to be in one of those death traps around here.