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Subcompact car

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See also: B-segment
2020 Nissan Versa
1972 Ford Pinto

Subcompact car is a North American classification for cars smaller than a compact car. It is broadly equivalent to the B-segment (Europe), supermini (Great Britain) or A0-class (China) classifications.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) car size class definition, the subcompact category sits between the "minicompact" and "compact" categories.[1] The EPA definition of a subcompact is a passenger car with a combined interior and cargo volume of 85–99 cubic feet (2,410–2,800 L).[2] Current examples of subcompact cars are the Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage. The smaller cars in the A-segment/city car category (such as the Chevrolet Spark and Smart Fortwo) are sometimes called subcompacts in the U.S., because the EPA's name for this smaller category — "minicompact" — is not commonly used by the general public.[3]

The prevalence of small cars in the United States increased in the 1960s due to increased imports of cars from Europe and Japan. Widespread use of the term subcompact coincided with the early 1970s increase in subcompact cars built in the United States. Early 1970s subcompacts include the AMC Gremlin, Chevrolet Vega, and Ford Pinto.

History

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1960s

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The term subcompact originated during the 1960s.[1][4] However, it came into popular use in the early 1970s, as car manufacturers in the United States began to introduce smaller cars into their line-up.[5] Previously, cars in this size were variously categorized, including "small cars"[6][7]: 120  or "economy cars".

Several of these small cars were produced in the U.S. in limited volumes, including the 1930 American Austin (later called the American Bantam)[8] and the 1939 Crosley. From the 1950s onwards, various imported small cars were sold in the U.S., including the Nash Metropolitan, Volkswagen Beetle, and various small British cars. The term subcompact did not yet exist, so the Metropolitan was labeled a "compact or economy car" and marketed as a second vehicle for use around town, not as a primary car.[9][10] The Volkswagen Beetle was marketed with advertising pointing out the car's unconventional features as strengths and to get buyers to "think small."[11] Prompted by the British government for exports, Ford was one of the first companies to try and sell inexpensive small cars in volume. From 1948 to 1970, approximately 250,000 economical English Fords were imported to the US while over 235,000 went to Canada.[12] Models such as the 1960 Ford Anglia were promoted as "The world's most exciting light car."[13]

1970s

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1971 AMC Gremlin X
1972 Ford Pinto Runabout
1973 Chevrolet Vega GT Hatchback

Due to the increasing popularity of small cars imported from Europe and Japan during the late 1960s, the American manufacturers began releasing competing locally-built models in the early 1970s.[14][15] The AMC Gremlin was described at its April 1970 introduction as "the first American-built import" and the first U.S. built subcompact car.[16][17][18] Also introduced in 1970 were the Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto.[19] Plans for the subcompact AMC Gremlin pre-dated Vega and Pinto by several years because of AMC's strategy to recognize emerging market opportunities ahead of the competition.[20]

Sales of American-built "low weight cars" (including subcompacts) accounted for more than 30% of total car sales in 1972 and 1973, despite inventory shortages for several models.[21] The Gremlin, Pinto and Vega were all rear-wheel drive and available with four-cylinder engines (the Pinto was also available with a V6 engine, and the Gremlin was also available with I6 and V8 engines).

The Pontiac Astre, the Canadian-originated re-badged Vega variant was released in the U.S. in September 1974.[22] Due to falling sales of the larger pony cars (such as the Chevrolet Camaro and first-generation Ford Mustang) in the mid-1970s, the Vega-based Chevrolet Monza was introduced as an upscale subcompact and the Ford Mustang II temporarily downsized from the pony car class to become a subcompact car for its second generation. The Monza with its GM variants Pontiac Sunbird, Buick Skyhawk, Oldsmobile Starfire, and the Mustang II continued until the end of the decade. The Chevrolet Chevette was GM's new entry-level subcompact introduced as a 1976 model. It was an 'Americanized' design from Opel, GM's German subsidiary. Additionally, subcompacts that were imported and marketed through domestic manufacturers' dealer networks as captive imports included the Renault Le Car and the Ford Fiesta.

In 1977, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began to use a new vehicle classification system, based on interior volume instead of exterior size.[23]: 3  Sedans with up to 100 cubic feet of passenger luggage volume were classified as subcompact. There was not a separate subcompact station wagon class with all up to 130 cubic feet of volume classified as "small."

In 1978, Volkswagen began producing the "Rabbit" version of the Golf— a modern, front-wheel drive design— in Pennsylvania. In 1982, American Motors began manufacturing the U.S. Renault Alliance— a version of the Renault 9— in Wisconsin. Both models benefiting from European designs, development, and experience.[24]

1980s

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To replace the aging Chevette in the second half of the 1980s, Chevrolet introduced marketed imported front-wheel drive subcompact cars: the Suzuki Cultus (a three-cylinder hatchback, badged as the Chevrolet Sprint)[25] and the Isuzu Gemini (a four-cylinder hatchback/sedan badged as the Chevrolet Spectrum).[26]

1990s

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Subcompact cars were highly popular in the 1990s due to their affordability and fuel efficiency. These cars typically had engines under 1.6 liters and were ideal for city driving. During the 1990s GM offered the Geo brand featuring the Suzuki-built Metro subcompact. Subcompact cars of the 1990s typically featured a small footprint, lightweight design, and engines with displacements generally under 1.6 liters. They were designed to provide maximum interior space while maintaining a compact exterior, making them ideal for city driving and parking. Several models defined the subcompact car market during the 1990s. Some of the most notable include:

  • Honda Civic: Known for reliability and efficiency, particularly the fifth (1992-1995) and sixth (1996-2000) generations."Honda Civic History". Edmunds. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  • Toyota Corolla: Popular for safety and efficiency in its seventh (1991-1995) and eighth (1995-2000) generations."Toyota Corolla History". Toyota. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  • Ford Fiesta: The fourth generation (1995-1999) featured modern styling and improved safety, especially in Europe."Ford Fiesta History". Ford UK. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  • Volkswagen Polo: Known for solid build quality and efficiency in its third generation (1994-2002)."Volkswagen Polo History". Volkswagen UK. Retrieved 14 June 2024.

The 1990s focused on fuel efficiency and emissions, leading to innovations in fuel injection and aerodynamics.

These subcompacts set the stage for modern small cars, emphasizing efficiency and reliability.

2000s to present

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Between 2006 and 2008, Honda Fit annual sales increased three-fold.

Because of consumer demand for fuel-efficient cars during the mid- to late-2000s, sales of subcompact cars made them the fastest growing market category in the U.S.[27] In 2006, three major subcompact models were introduced to the market, the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, and Nissan Versa. These models were released by their manufacturers to aim at a group of younger buyers who otherwise shop for used cars.[28] While fuel prices at the time were increasing, the small cars were planned before fuel prices soared; for example, Honda had announced that it would release a subcompact model as early as 2004.[29]

By 2008, sales of subcompact cars had dramatically increased in the wake of a continuing increase of fuel prices. At the same time, sales of pickup trucks and large sport utility vehicles had dropped sharply. By April 2008, sales of Toyota’s subcompact Yaris had increased 46 percent, and Honda’s Fit had a record month with an increase of 54 percent.[30][31]

However, low fuel prices and the added room in SUVs impacted subcompact sales negatively in the late 2010s. During this period, industry executives and analysts said that the subcompact car market was returning to historical norms after an unusual period when manufacturers had expanded small car lineups in anticipation of rising demand fueled by rising fuel prices, which has since eased.[32] In the United States, the segment experienced a 50 percent drop in sales in the first half of 2020 compared to 2019.[33] In Canada, the subcompact share of the car market shrank to 1.6 percent for the year ending 2020, down from 2.4 percent in 2019.[34]

As a result, manufacturers stopped offering subcompact models and focused on larger cars instead, including subcompact crossover SUVs which offer higher profit margins and a higher average transaction price.[35][34] Models that were no longer sold in the United States by the end of the decade include the Mazda 2 (discontinued after 2014), Scion xD (2016), Toyota Prius C (2017), Ford Fiesta (2019), Smart Fortwo (2019), Fiat 500 (2019), Toyota Yaris (2020), Honda Fit (2020), and Chevrolet Sonic (2020).[36][37][38]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "subcompact". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  2. ^ "FAQ - How are vehicle size classes defined?". www.fueleconomy.gov. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  3. ^ Patton, Phil (9 September 2012). "Taking the 'Cheap' Out of the Small Car". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  4. ^ "The definition of subcompact". dictionary.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  5. ^ Shuldiner, Herbert (March 1972). "PS Tests Five Camping Trailers Can you match these little campers safely to your car?". Popular Science. 200 (3): 96. The boom in subcompact cars is on.
  6. ^ Foster, Patrick (2005-10-01). "Developing the Metropolitan". Hemmings Classic Car. Retrieved 2012-01-05. During WWII and immediately afterwards, Mason began to explore the idea of developing a truly small car, the size of what today we'd call a subcompact.
  7. ^ Popular Mechanics (November 1954 ed.). Hearst Magazines. 1954. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  8. ^ U.S. Senate 93rd Congress (April 1974). "Second Session on S. 1167, Part 4: Ground Transportation Industries". Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Antitrustand Monopoly of the Committee on the Judiciary: 2480. Retrieved 19 January 2019.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Lewis, Corey (22 March 2019). "Rare Rides: A Microscopic American Motors Metropolitan, From 1962". The Truth About Cars. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  10. ^ McGuire, Bill (22 October 2000). "1954 Nash Metropolitan: Cuter than a box of puppies". Autoweek. Retrieved 30 December 2020. 10 inches shorter than a Volkswagen Beetle, the Metropolitan joined Bantam and Crosley as the smallest cars ever sold here in any volume.
  11. ^ Abby, Narishkin; Cameron, Steve (2 December 2020). "Why Volkswagen stopped making its most iconic car, the VW Beetle". Business Insider. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  12. ^ MacSems, Michael. "A Brief history of English Fords in North America - Michael MacSems". enfostuff.com. Retrieved 30 December 2020 – via The International Ford History Project.
  13. ^ McCourt, Mark J. (8 April 2016). "Blue Oval Imports: 1950s-1960s British Ford Anglia, Consul, Zephyr and Cortina brochures". Hemmings. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Historiography: The "Ugly" Subcompacts of the 1970s |". www.randystern.net. 2020-12-13. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  15. ^ Norbye, Jan P.; Dunne, Jim (November 1970). "The Small Car Detroit Doesn't Make: 4 doors, 4 seats, 4 cylinders". Popular Science. 197 (5): 36. Detroit's small cars, sized and priced to compete head-on with the most successful sub-compact imports.
  16. ^ Kunz, Bruce (3 December 2007). "1970 AMC Gremlin- America's first "sub" compact car". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  17. ^ Wilson, Bob. "1971 AMC Gremlin advertisement". arcticboy. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  18. ^ Auto Editors of Consumer Guide (17 October 2007). "1970-1978 AMC Gremlin". HowStuffWorks.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ Ernst, Kurt (25 June 2014). "The AMC Gremlin X: Because different is good". Hemmings. Retrieved 30 December 2020. Introduced in April 1970, the AMC Gremlin hit the market five months before the Ford Pinto and the Chevrolet Vega.
  20. ^ Epp, Peter (2 April 2020). "50 years ago, Gremlin filled a void for desperate AMC". The Observer. Toronto. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  21. ^ Survey of Current Business. Vol. 54. U.S. Department of Commerce. May 1974. p. 6. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  22. ^ Niedermeyer, Paul (7 October 2020). "Curbside Outtake: 1977 Pontiac Astre – The First US Astre Find At CC Thanks To Google Streetview". Curbside Classic. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  23. ^ 1977 Gas Mileage Guide (950R77039). Washington DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. September 1976. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  24. ^ Norbye, Jan P. (January 1982). "Renault 9 - American Motors subcompact for 83". Popular Science. 220 (1): 22. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  25. ^ "A Detailed Look Back At The Chevy Sprint". HotCars. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  26. ^ Martin, Murilee (2021-01-07). "1986 Chevrolet Spectrum Sport Is a Rare Piece of Isuzu History". Autoweek. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  27. ^ Mitchell, Jacqueline (2008-08-29). "Most Fuel-Efficient American Cars". Forbes. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  28. ^ O'Dell, John (2006-02-14). "Japanese Subcompacts, With Room for Profit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  29. ^ Zaun (NYT), Todd (2004-12-25). "Asia: Japan: Honda To Sell Subcompact Car In U.S." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  30. ^ Vlasic, Bill (2008-05-02). "As Gas Costs Soar, Buyers Flock to Small Cars". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  31. ^ Tribune, By Casey Williams, Special to the. "Subcompact cars making space in American market". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-10-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ Naughton, Henry Payne, and Nora. "Small cars' decline a return to the norm". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2021-06-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Bomey, Nathan (2020-07-17). "Small cars are being discontinued: Why GM, Ford, Toyota have given up on subcompact cars". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-08-18.
  34. ^ a b "Carmakers are leaving the subcompact market". WHEELS.ca. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  35. ^ "The sudden rise of the subcompact crossover". Automotive News. 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  36. ^ "Do You Live In the US and Want A Small, Affordable Car? Too Bad". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  37. ^ Bomey, Nathan. "Small cars are being discontinued: Why GM, Ford, Toyota have given up on subcompact cars". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  38. ^ "Toyota to withdraw from U.S. subcompact car market". The Japan Times. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
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