It’s been over a week since Ford CEO Jim Farley said America needs to fall in love with small cars again. We asked readers earlier this week what those vehicles should be. There were recommendations for a wide array of small cars that ranged from subcompact SUVs to traditional hatchbacks. A few people let their imaginations run wild and designed completely new machines. Without further ado, here are the compacts the country should embrace:
Anything that can actually be had below $20,000 out the door would be a good start. Profit margins are thin in the subcompact segment, but with automakers largely moving to modular, unified platforms (e.g. TNGA, Skyactiv, MQB etc) I can’t imagine development and validation costs for another vehicle derived from the same architecture are outrageous.
That said, I think the key to selling small cars is nailing that “chic” factor in the overall design, without overdoing it. Fiat 500, Mini Cooper, and Honda E come to mind (pay no attention to the fact these are all ~$30K cars now, though). Design something neat and just quirky enough to appeal to any income range, and you’ve got the makings of a classless car.
I know I’m more or less dreaming / armchair-MBA product planning, here. If I’m being slightly more realistic, I’d settle for us getting the Kia K3 with a base sticker of $18,995 + destination.
Submitted by: Turbolence1988 Loves Magic Turn Circles
The easy answer is a Focus...they still exist elsewhere and my 2013 ST was an incredible all-around car. Good to daily, reasonably practical, and fun when the road got twisty.
A more interesting answer would be something like a Renault Clio. The bevy of hot hatches found in Europe and the UK are almost enough on their own to warrant ditching the US. Something light, decent handling, with a fuel-efficient 3- or 4-cylinder, 3 pedals, and enough room to carry a family of 4. It’s a pipedream here, but not elsewhere.
Submitted by: SantaCruzin6
The car that’s this close -><- to being my recommendation is the Kia Soul. It was fun, easy to care for, had tons of usable interior volume, and I never had any trouble with the drivetrain.
The only thing keeping it from being perfect for me was where they decided to cut corners. If they’d beef up the body a bit (a strong wind once blew my driver-side door back completely in the wrong direction when I opened it) and stop cheaping out on things like the interlock making it so easy to steal. Otherwise, the form factor is perfect.
Submitted by: Gin and Panic
Fiat 500 would be my #1 pick. Maybe if Americans were into that stuff in the first place, we would’ve had access to the GR Yaris which I vastly prefer over the GR Corolla we ended up getting as a consolation prize
Submitted by: StalePhish
I’ve had a 500 in the stable for over 13 years now and it’s the still the perfect daily. But even when they were affordable and gas-powered, people didn’t buy them. Now they’re EV only and DOUBLE the price.
Submitted by: OutForARip
Honda Fit - the perfect car for city and suburban dwellers who don’t need to use the highway. Massive amount of cargo space inside, tiny dimensions on the outside.
Yes, it lacks power, but a EV version would alleviate that. Maybe even a Si version (!).
Submitted by: Saigon_Design
I want a Honda E so bad I can taste it. Delicious.
Submitted by: R.Zachary Williams Esq.
OKAY SO WHAT IF
We bring back the Fiesta, and we cram the little EcoBoost from the F150 in it, and since the hatch area is uselessly small anyway, we put a fastback on it. Then we give it a flat snoot so it looks like a baby Mustang. Call it the Ford Colt or something. If it sells, tack on a ton of ugly corners, slather the inside in leather and walnut, and give Lincoln a Euro-style compact sport.
Submitted by: Rayce Archer
I am all for the Suzuki Jimny being a wonderful small car that Americans Should be able to buy and fall in love with.
Submitted by: 4jim
It’d have to be a small SUV. Americans like the high driving position, cargo capacity, and styling (you personally may not, but Americans as a whole very obviously do). I thought the Bronco sport had a good chance of becoming that since it fits the bill and is styled in a way people resonate with.
Submitted by: BigRed91
Oh, crap, I’m going to get flamed on this.
Behold the future of Small Cars!
It’s actually a small car (Fiat 500X) that is made to look like an SUV. This gives a couple advantages in the US.
1. Being an SUV, the rules for fuel economy aren’t as strict.
2. Because it is taller, it has more cargo space than a car of the same footprint.
3. It can have sidewalls under it without looking stupid.
4. It can have suspension travel without looking stupid.
5. The Seat is closer to “Butt Height” for an aging population.
6. It’s tall enough to be seen by most full-sized trucks when in front of them.
7. Since it looks like an SUV, it sells at an acceptable rate and price.
Americans SHOULD fall in love with Small Cars. But there is 40+ years of marketing telling them to love SUVs and Trucks and not cars. So, the best we can hope for is that Americans learn to love SMALL vehicles and lose the older marketing side of “bigger is always better”.
Submitted by: hoser68