Chart Of The Day: Subcompacts In July And Year To Date

by Edward Niedermeyer

Updated: February 23rd, 2023 Published: August 15th, 2011

In contrast to rapid changes in the compact and midsized segments, the subcompact segment is moving along established trendlines. Kia’s Soul has completely overtaken this segment’s previous champ, but that’s been a long time coming. A new Accent is arriving at dealers, and that model’s starting to take off… in fact, if there’s news here, it’s that the Accent appears to be outselling the segment’s next-freshest offering, the Ford Fiesta. Otherwise, Aveo and Rio are dropping off ahead of their replacement by new models, the 500 is getting closer to MINI’s monthly volume, and Mazda2 can’t quite get past the Cube The YTD chart doesn’t show too many changes either… but watch this space as the A/B segment heats up with new models later this year.

#ChartOfTheDay #NewCars #Sales #SmallCars #Subcompact

Edward Niedermeyer

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Tallnikita on Aug 16, 2011

I think Fiat buys them and sends to Nigeria as part of Fiat-Nigerian Letters scheme whereby Fiat agreed to purchase Chrysler from the US Gov and as part of the purchase deal Fiat would "sell" its 500 in the US so that our fuel economy improves. Fiat sells and then buys back all the 500s, then sells them in Nigeria or converts to scrap, which in total cost is still cheaper than if they paid cash for Chrysler. So it is in Fiat's interest if its US sales tank.

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Slance66 on Aug 16, 2011

Mini's dominate where I live in the Boston suburbs. Though they change so little, it may be hard to judge. I think the Soul is a urbanite vehicle, few here in the suburbs. I'm seeing more and more Fiestas and new Accents. Fits I only ever see on the highway, few nearby. I think the 500's price advantage on the Mini will do some damage. I expect to see them here in the exurbs, but only one so far. The Versa, Aveo and Yaris all seem to be cars bought solely on price.

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JMII on Aug 16, 2011

Tons of Souls down here in South FL. Maybe ex Scion xB owners are going after them? I love the Hamster ad however I think it sells well because CUV are hot items and a cheap mini-CUV is perfect for many folks. I know someone who's 20-something daughter just bought one. The Cube is just too Japanese cartoon-ish looking to sell in big numbers. The MINI might be in this class based on size... but not on price. It will be interesting to watch what the 500 does, they just starting marketing it but I predict a flash-in-the-pan: very hot sales that quickly cool.

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- Highdesertcat on Aug 16, 2011
  
  Loads of Souls in New Mexico as well, mostly driven by the college crowd. Four kids in my neighborhood own them and attend colleges in Las Cruces and El Paso. Next most common is the Fit in my area, also driven by the college crowd. Most other kids drive hand-me-downs from their parents or older sibs. One drives a pristine all-white Ford Fairlane with a 289. Sweet sound, coming and going. Brings back memories. Sure beats the whiny little rice grinders.
  
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- Geozinger on Aug 16, 2011
  
  @hdc: Back in the malaise days, I had a Ford Maverick that originally came with the 250-I6. My college room mate got me a job at the Ford dealership he worked in. While there, that dealer bought out another dealer and all of his stock. While going through the stuff at the other dealer, we found a couple of in-the-crate 1967 289 4bbl. motors, untouched for 14 years. I enlisted the help of the master mechanic to determine if either one was OK, both were. I bought one of the 289s and set about to swap it in. It was a tougher than expected job, but once we got all of the parts and the headers on, there was nothing that sounded like that Maverick. I know what you mean about that Fairlane.
  
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- Highdesertcat on Aug 16, 2011
  
  @highdesertcat geozinger, that distinctive sound of the 289 went all the way up to the 312. I put an old Thunderbird 312 in a 1960 Ford stationwagon I once owned. Except for jacking up the front springs with spacers to offset the added weight, all went well. It had a three-speed stick shift. Did a lot of moving in that old wagon when I was a young guy in the Air Force and couldn't afford nothing. The kid driving his mom's old Fairlane: his dad and I put in a dual exhaust system with identical mufflers and pipes all the way back. But the 289 is only a two-barrel. Getting a 4B manifold and carb would be pricey these days. Still, it runs pretty good for its age and at this altitude, without emission controls. This is where my MIG-welder comes in handy. His dad was a retired AF welder who mostly used torches (acetylene/oxy) but tacking with the MIG is so much quicker, better and finishing welds not nearly as hot as with a torch. Memories of the lazy, hazy, crazy days of yesteryear.
  
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Speed_3 on Aug 16, 2011

So we are calling the Kia Soul, Nissan Cube, and Scion xB "subcompacts"? I think the EPA classifies subcompacts as vehicles with 85-99 cubic feet of volume. I believe all three have more volume than that, but if you bumped them into the compact class you wouldn't have as good of a story now would you?

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