Slappy3243

I still prefer some "meat" on my cars. I don't feel safe driving smaller vehicles for some reason. I am not going to buy a Hummer, but I like the heft my GTO has and it has the power to back it up.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=23379

Tokuzumi

The cruze is surprisingly large. We were able to fit 5 adults in one, with ease. I was in the back, and I'm 6'. I didn't feel cramped. It wouldn't have been comfortable to drive long distances with 5 people, but for a short lunch trip, it wasn't that bad. And the Elanta has a 14 cu ft trunk, which is really good, and is larger than some midsize car trunks. Would easily fit a stroller and groceries, or a set or two of golf clubs. The focus offers paralell parking assist, and a nav screen with sync, so at least manufacturers are starting to put luxury style appointments in these smaller vehicles.

JeremyNYR

The move to compacts is really in name only. As the article states, compacts have grown and are nearly the same size as a mid size car. I honestly think most people wouldn't know that the Malibu and Cruze are in different size classes.

jawzforlife

That's one of the keys I think.
Every segment has gotten a little larger.
A honda civic is now the size of an old accord.
Where the honda fit, is now like the civic replacement.

I will say over the years I've been trying to figure out my next car.
It started out thinking about getting a full size SUV (Tahoe/Explorer), then went to a full size car (Charger/300), then went to a mid size car (Malibu), now I'm currently thinking about a smaller car (Corolla).

I want to save on gas, car payment, and I have a small garage so, it small car will fit better. Plus I still have my wife's crossover SUV when we need a little more room.

Chrome383Z

I guess I'm the opposite...I am pricing out a new 2011 2500HD to take advantage of the 2012 roll-in and the 72mo 0% offers on the 11' models.

I'm a retard.

Z28x

Cruze is more fun to drive than the Malibu. Plus it is less expensive to buy, insure, fuel, and maintain.

soul strife

That's how I read it. People haven't changed in wanting a Mid-sized car. The cars themselves have grown in size though.

That Camaro Guy

Smaller paychecks and larger bills lead to smaller cars. Fortunately the smaller cars have grown a pinch. Times have changed and nobody wants a 15ft long gas guzzling SUV, and the midsized cars are so close to the compacts it's a no brainer.

Z28x

Americans are getting poorer and cars are getting more expensive. Many probably go with the smaller vehicle because that is all they can afford now.

jg95z28

You nailed it. My wife and I are both gov't employees and are locked into 0% salary increase for 4-years. There's no way we can afford car payments right now with a kid in college, hence we're hoping the Tahoe lasts past 200k miles.

Silverado C-10

We're also blowing money like crazy on crap we really don't need but feel we have to have to be like everyone else. Cable/satellite, internet, and cell phones alone can add up to anywhere from $200-500/month. Personally, my wife and I spend ~$210 on all 3 of those combined. Basic satellite, cell phones with talk and text only, and $30 for our internet connection. I know people who spend a couple hundred/month on their phone plan and then pay hundreds per year for new phones. We pay large amounts of money for things that 10-15 years ago only more well off people had, like phones, internet, and satellite.

Just my thoughts. People don't want to give these things up, so it leaves less money for cars (as well as much higher fuel costs.) My next new ride will be a nox or bu, just haven't decided when to buy. Maybe the end of next year. I have no desire to own anything smaller than a malibu.

95firehawk

These two points are primarily why we traded in our G6 for a new Focus. We originally intended to look at the Fusion but it was priced above what we wanted to spend. We could have gotten the bigger car but with the uncertainty of the cost of our future son we went in with a ceiling and stuck to it.

With the ability to put a rearward facing baby seat in the back, my hockey bag in the hatch, and costing less pretty much made up our minds for us. I'm 6'2 and could fit quite comfortably behind my wife (5'7".) I fit behind my seat but it was definately tight in the footwell. Getting over 30 mpg doesn't hurt either.

After discussing it with my wife we just couldn't justify spending the extra money on the midsize when the compact filled our needs just as well.

guionM

Another thing to also consider is that subcompacts today have improved in quality of materials and content perhaps more than any other class of car.

All US cars have greatly improved but sub compacts (especially over the past 5 years) have gone from cheap, content challenged afterthoughts to in most instances being on par with anything else in the showroom costing more.

That Camaro Guy

I would agree that some spend money on things they don't need,but such has alays been the case. The government figures "inflation" with leaving out "volatile prices of things like food and energy" Honestly, what else do I need besides food, energy, and clothes? People have had their salaries cut, 401k matching cut, hours cut, or job cut. Yet the price of everything we need in a day has been on the rise faster than our government wants to admit.