| It's been a while since the sub-compact
| |
| | efficient vehicle. And these cars are
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| car market has garnered such attention in
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| | fuel-efficient. The new Honda Fit for
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|
| |
| | example,
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| North America. Our friends in Europe
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| | gets an estimated 33 miles per gallon in
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| have always known the virtues of small
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| | the city, 38 mpg on the highway.But these
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| cars.
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| | are no one-show ponies. Beyond fuel
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| But here in North America, SUV's have
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| | efficiency they offer respectable
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| dominated parking lots at the local Pier
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| | performance. The Toyota Yaris has 106
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| 1 for
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| | horsepower which may not sound like
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| more than a decade. However as current
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| | much, but tipping the scales at only
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| gas prices inch forward and with future
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| | 2315 lbs, it has a power-to-weight ratio
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| prices looking uncertain (and by
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| | close
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| uncertain I mean they're certainly going
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| | to that of the 220 horsepower Hummer H3.
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| to be
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| | And these cars can carry just about
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| higher than today) more people are
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| | anything. With the rear seats up, the
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| buying small, fuel-efficient cars. We've
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| | Honda Fit can swallow 21.3 cubic feet of
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| seen a
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| | gear.
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| lot of activity in the segment recently.
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| | A Ford Crown Victoria by comparison can
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| Toyota has introduced the Yaris, Hyundai
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| | hold 20.6 cubic feet worth of cargo in
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| has
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| | the
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| significantly revised the Accent, Kia
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| | trunk.The domestics haven't invested
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| has updated the Rio, Honda has just
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| | much in this class recently, if ever. The
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| introduced
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| | Chevrolet
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| the Fit, and Nissan will introduce the
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| | Aveo is essentially a re-badged Daewoo
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| Versa in May of this year. And let's not
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| | and doesn't offer the level of refinement
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| forget
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| | as
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| Scion with the xA and xB.Having a car in
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| | the others. The Ford Focus is larger and
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| the sub-compact market makes sense for a
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| | more expensive, as is the new for '06
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| variety of reasons. First,
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| | Dodge Caliber. But with the uncertainty
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| it introduces new, young buyers to the
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| | of gas prices and growing competition in
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| brand. If their experience is good
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| | the segment, GM, Ford, and
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| they'll stick
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| | DaimlerChrysler would be wise to offer
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| with the brand as they grow up and move
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| | competitive
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| to a larger vehicle. Toyota, Honda,
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| | offering in this segment and introduce
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| Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Volkswagen, Mazda
| |
| | first time buyers to their respective
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| and others all got their start in the
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| | brands.
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| sub-
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| | For most manufacturers, having
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| compact car market. Secondly, it
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| | competitive sub-compact cars has grown
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| provides a safety net during economic
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| | the
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| downturns.
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| | business and created brand loyalty,
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| If gas prices rise unexpectedly, the
| |
| | something the folks in Detroit have been
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| knee-jerk reaction is to get a small,
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| | trying
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| more fuel-
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| | to do for a while now.
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