Small Cars Surge Amid Sky-High Gas Prices

1 in 5 vehicles sold in April was compact or subcompact
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted May 2, 2008 8:44 AM CDT
Small Cars Surge Amid Sky-High Gas Prices
2008 Focus sedans sit outside a Ford dealership in the east Denver suburb of Aurora, Colo., on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008.    (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Facing ballooning gas prices, many Americans are turning to smaller cars, with about one in five vehicles sold in April a compact or subcompact, the New York Times reports. That compares to one in eight 10 years ago. “It’s easily the most dramatic segment shift I have witnessed in the market in my 31 years here,” said Ford’s chief sales analyst.

SUV sales fell 25% this year; meanwhile, four-cylinder engines outsold six-cylinders for the first time last month. The trend has put a big dent in the profits of Detroit’s Big Three automakers, now scrambling to catch up with Honda and Toyota's smaller vehicles. “The era of the truck-based large SUV’s is over,” said an industry watcher. (More auto industry stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X