Will Subcompacts Be a Hit in the U.S.?

Washington DC November 8, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that with Toyota, Nissan, and Honda ready to introduce new subcompact vehicles to the U.S. early next year, the big question will be if there are another 200,000 or so consumers willing to get into small, affordable cars.

The answer may be yes, given there aren’t many vehicles in the U.S. that fall udner the subcompact category and that these vehicles “represent an advance in quality and feature set, all for starting prices expected to be under $13,000.” Each of the companies pledges these vehicles are better equipped than normal entry level vehicles.

Toyota says the Yaris “will have anti-lock brakes and front and rear side-mounted airbags,” and the Nissan Versa has “front and rear MacPherson strut suspension and comes with 15-inch wheels.” Each of the vehicles will also have more interior space, for both passengers and gear, than is the norm for vehicles in this category.