GM and Ford are putting these to bed. I won't speculate what this may mean for the Fit (or other subcompact hatches).

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...ala/485483002/

 

You can thank the average American & their CUV for the lack of small cars for sale.

 

I guess I'll keep my GK as it's great gas mileage is the main reason I bought it. If it meets an early demise, I'll probably move up to a Civic HB since it gets nearly as good gas mileage with better road manners.

I still enjoying filling up under $20 :)

 

It would be ironic if gas prices spiked just after these models are discontinued.

 

No doubt gas prices will rise again. It is only a mater of time before they do. So many short sighted people buying giant road hog SUVs & Trucks. Heck if you need a giant SUV or truck I understand, but for most folks it's a want not a need. Gas mileage be damned they say. Yet they will cry the loudest when prices spike higher than ever.

Ford couldn't sell enough Fiestas to bother continuing them here. That's a pity the ST was a nice little hatch. The Sonic seemed to sell to rental outfits, I see few on the road. GM wants to close their Korean plants so that would kill the Sonic & Spark. Along with the little Buick CUV & Chevy CUV. I don't see losing any of those a loss.

 

also the demographics and the physical size of those people (in the usa) are a terrible match.

 

Here in Kalifornia, gas went up again with added tax on top of added tax of $0.20 per gallon for diesel and $0.12 per gallon for gas.

 

I don't think sub-compact vehicles will ever totally disappear.
From a global perspective, there are too many cities and countries where a subcompact is almost a needed tool.

It's a harder sell in the USA. Which is still sprawling by comparison. With a linked history to the idea of the rambling open highway and forays into the wilderness.

I spent a little time in both England and Ireland. What I believed I saw, was a "Big and Small" dynamic. With a lot of families, people, owning a large vehicle perhaps for weekends, or special affairs, road trips or times when space was needed, and a small vehicle, for nearly everything else.
There are some cities and towns in Europe you wouldn't want to venture near in anything larger than a subcompact.

Plus I believe, there is always going to be a market for agile, small, easy to maneuver vehicles, even in the USA.

Automakers just haven't really got a grip on how to sell that idea in mass, to North American consumers. They are a lot better at showing us how their latest full sized pick-up truck can pull a stump out of the ground in a lightening storm, than how fun to drive, and versatile a subcompact can actually be.

But from original VW bug, to Honda Fit today, I believe there will always be a place and market for smaller vehicles.

 

I Honda discontinues the fit ... two words: Nissan Micra.

 

fit's sales volume is like 4000+ per month which is about what the fiesta is selling. i wouldnt be surprised if honda discontinued it.

 

i saw on cnn that GM is closing its Cruz (sp?) plant in ohio due to slow sales.

telling ya mang.. unless you sell a high performance hatch, there is no reason why most people will want these under powered poor folk looking cars. there is a reason why car enthusiasts like me buy real sport hatches that can churn real numbers.

 

People just don't want cars, they want inferior in every way CUV.

Source: HRV & the like sales numbers.

Bring on a new gas crisis.