Subcompacts Continue to Be Big Draw Despite Leveling Off of Gas Prices

Washington DC December 13, 2006; The AIADA newsletter reported that pushed by Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Nissan Versa — small, funky, roomy, front-wheel-drive, fuel-efficient subcompacts introduced this year — the low-price end of the small-car market is up 42.2 percent through November compared with last year, reports USA Today.

Despite the fact that discounts on subcompacts are the slimmest in five years — just 1.5 percent less than the full window sticker price – they're selling in an average 29 days, less than half the time it normally takes to sell a vehicle, according to J.D. Power's Power Information Network.

The Fit, Yaris and Versa sell in less than two weeks. Subcompacts make up just 2 percent of total U.S. new vehicle sales.