CSM
Will Americans buy tiny cars? Nope
Sales of the Smart ForTwo minicar have remained at low levels–10,009 in 2012, after totals of 5,348 in 2011, 5,927 in 2010, and 14,600 in 2009.
In fact, they never again reached the lofty heights of 2008, the ForTwo’s first year on sale, when it sold 24,622 units–far higher than the annual goal of 16,000.
And now the results are in for the almost-as-smallScion iQ, which has just completed its first full year on the market.
Regardless of confident predictions in 2010 by Scion executive Jack Hollis that it would sell ”1,700 to 2,000″ iQs each month, the 2012 sales total is just 8,879.
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I thought Matchbox was dead!?
OldEnglish on January 6, 2013 at 10:15 PM
She’s giving all she’s got, aye, but “Cute” can’t change the laws of physics, Captain!
viking01 on January 6, 2013 at 10:19 PM
Minicars can’t be used to blast profanity-laden noise as one drives through a neighborhood, so there goes there popularity with most Democrat voters.
MelonCollie on January 6, 2013 at 10:22 PM
I’d be interested in buying one, self-image be damned, but they aren’t really competitively priced. At all. Which would be the entire point for me.
I know: products marketed as vanity gadgets for hipsters and yuppies not competitively priced; who would have thought?
HitNRun on January 6, 2013 at 10:25 PM
I’m right there with you. A *good* small car is just too expensive to buy new.
Mohonri on January 6, 2013 at 10:39 PM
Yes, but in ObamaWorld, we won’t have a choice.
Of course, he will still ride around in a luxury air conditioned armored limo that gets worse gas mileage than a M1A2 Abrams tank.
wildcat72 on January 6, 2013 at 11:07 PM
Ford Focus. I bought one 2 years ago, it’s super reliable, gets 34 MPG (higher than it was rated for), and has every electronic feature a geek would want. It’s also the cheapest Ford they make.
And Ford didn’t have to take a bailout to survive…
It’s not a hybrid, it’s just efficient.
wildcat72 on January 6, 2013 at 11:09 PM
I’ve seen them around, each time they made me cringe inside – imagine them in an accident with a normal sized car, they’d have to hose you out of that deathtrap.
Rebar on January 6, 2013 at 11:16 PM
On a good day I pull 38 MPG with my Kia Rio ’07
I call it the “Rollerskate.”
Looks like you can slide ya foot right in and skate off
blatantblue on January 6, 2013 at 11:20 PM
My first rule of car buying is something which can withstand getting T-boned by that bottle blonde airhead’s Suburban as she rants wildly on her cellphone and blasts through that major intersection red light about 4:35 PM every weekday afternoon.
viking01 on January 6, 2013 at 11:29 PM
I see tons of mini cars around my neighborhood, but I think you know them as shopping carts.
El_Terrible on January 6, 2013 at 11:35 PM
Can’t/won’t/shouldn’t take it out on the freeway. Useless.
John the Libertarian on January 7, 2013 at 12:31 AM
I’ll bet driving one of those miniature Fiats on the freeway and being passed on both sides simultaneously by 18-wheelers must feel much like being in that house in the Wizard of Oz right before it landed on Hillary’s sister.
viking01 on January 7, 2013 at 12:47 AM
You live in Sydney, too?
OldEnglish on January 7, 2013 at 1:08 AM
I park my freaking 8 cylinder Jeep Freaking Cherokee in the Hybrid/fuel economy parking spaces any freaking chance I get!
There’s a new community center near here(the only reason I know about it is because I helped to build it) that has a hybrid space closer to the building then the handicapped parking space!
I love the word freak.
JellyToast on January 7, 2013 at 6:47 AM
There’s an easy solution. Ban full-sized cars the way that 100-watt light bulbs were banned. We’ll thank our government overlords in time once we realize what fools we were!
Abelard on January 7, 2013 at 7:52 AM
I use to work only 3 miles from my house and looked into these. Freaking expensive for what they offer. Starting at close to 13 grand for the base model it is just not worth it. I picked up a 97 Saturn wagon for a dollar and a grand later I have a fairly decent 28 mpg ride. Unless you want radio or air conditioning that is.
Dr. Frank Enstine on January 7, 2013 at 8:22 AM
Friggin’ golf carts are what they are.
ZK on January 7, 2013 at 8:24 AM
I bought a used one. Can’t seem to kill it.
CurtZHP on January 7, 2013 at 8:42 AM
The tiny Fiat and the Smart (really any green-mobile) beg a question every time I see one. Both are ugly little Euro-beasts. Would it have been so hard to give either some style. Back when they were introduced, I saw 2 Smarts next to each other in traffic. It really was like looking at my pair of inline skates. Who told them geeky would outsell sporty?
ironked on January 7, 2013 at 9:17 AM