Who Will Win The Small Car Wars? (PHOTOS, VOTE)

For automakers across the globe, small is the new big.

Gone are the days of gas guzzling SUVs and huge payloads. Car sales, driving habits and consumer's budgets have all been summarily downsized. As GM and Chrysler attempt to resurrect their embattled companies, both Detroit manufacturers have announced that small, fuel-efficient cars will figure prominently in their future.

Better yet, diminutive cars modeled after European brands could very well figure prominently in America's economic future. GM announced recently that its forthcoming Michigan small car plant will create 1,200 jobs. Ford, for its part, has promised that it will market a small car to India in the next few years.

But there are already a handful of small cars on the market or nearing the market, both in America and abroad. Toyota and Honda already have a strong presence in this market, but which new small car do you find the most appealing? Which has the best chance of remaking the automobile industry? Which would you drive? View our SLIDESHOW and VOTE below:

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Chevy Volt

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Vote and Share Choose Your Top 5 Clown Car Future Classic Now Make Your Own Top 5 And Share with Your Friends RANK: AVERAGE:  OUT OF 10 The Chevy Volt is a 4-5 passenger Sedan that should get around 50 MPG and cost $30,000-35,000.

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Comments

[ErnestineBass]

LMAO...boo­oey, they're gonna sell us on that Volt regardless of whether it's ever built or not.

[JScott]

Take a Nissan Versa put an independent rear suspension on it and have a tow load of 1000 lb. and I would buy it!

[jsarets]

Versa is a great car that should have been on this list. Ditto for Fit, Yaris, Insight, all Scion models, Smart Car...

Ford Fusion doesn't belong on this list. Not that it isn't a great car in the midsize class.

[aceholiday]

nissan versa is crap. my 94 sentra could out-handle it. if you want a good small car the fit wins that battle.

[JScott]

That's why I posted to put an IRS on it. (better handling)

[denisedthornton]

We can all drive more fuel efficient cars starting today without spending a dime – it’s a matter of adjusting your driving habits. I learned a ton at an eco-driving workshop at this summer’s Midwest Renewable Energy Fair. Check out the top ten tips at http://digginginthedriftless.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/10-ways-to-cut-gas-costs-and-save-the-planet/
Denise Thornton
http://digginginthedriftless.wordpress.com

[dolphy]

Nissan will come out with a real EV next year at an affordable price. Hybrids will be obsolete in about five years.

[berrycooda]

Does it really matter...A lot of people will keep their big cars and SUV's.

Most of the other people are unemployed and are losing their cars and are
filing bankrupcy. So how can they afford any car, let alone a small car.

The old beaters will still stay on the roads because the people who drive them can't afford a new "little car" or else they would already have one.

[DRaymond]

It is noteworthy that many of the best-voted vehicles were fords. I think that they have a bright future. The fiesta looks as good as its gas mileage. The new Focus almost as well. By comparison the Fiat looks dumpy and the chevy cruze is a bit awkward. The volt certainly has technology, but the price is to high and the production numbers too small to actually save the company.

[jeg]

The Volt has the technology, although it's a bit of a place-holder until the technology actually gets here. I'm not sure what you base your estimation of it's cost on (since it's not out, and may in fact be competitive with the Prius in value for money, if not out-right cost-- a maxed out Prius is $32k, and a Volt with a rebate will, at worst, be $32.5k) or the production numbers (since they've only built a handful of pre-production units, and the production line hasn't been assembled yet).

Further, GM doesn't expect the Volt to save the company-- they expect cars like the Cruze and the Camaro and the SRX and the LaCrosse to sell far, far, far better than the Volt-- but that's because they have a better idea of what's selling in the market.

It's kind of funny, actually, because on the one hand, you have pundits, and news organizations, and columnists all saying how GM's future is resting on the Volt-- but if you look at actual sales numbers of even the mighty Prius, it's less than 3% of Toyota's sales, and all hybrids together account for less than 5% of auto sales. Hybrids are still a niche product, and the major manufacturers all have time to get their products going. Toyota has a lead for now, and the Volt is designed to leapfrog them by a bit. No doubt someone else will leapfrog the Volt.

[ferrarimanf355]

Ford's the only one of the Detroit Three who didn't declare bankruptcy. That alone will get more butts into dealers.

That, and the Fiesta is a great little car. I had a chance to drive one as part of that Fiesta Movement tour and I liked it. Oh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KIqdS1SO0

[alleycat32]

It won't be GM cause they won't be around long enough. They are still stuck in the 50's with the same ideas and the same management.

[jsarets]

GM is officially TBTF (too big to fail).

[VikingQuest]

Nobody because all those cars are terrible and most importantly to the car companies . . . not very profitable.

[hypnotoad72]

Funny, some of them haven't even come out for people to buy yet. Credibility down.

[VikingQuest]

Well we know these cars are the least profitable in the entie line . . . GM has said the Volt will not be profitable . . .

[onepotatotwopotato]

My Mitsubishi Evo X gets 21 M.P.G. from its 2.0 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine but it is FAST!

[totaldisbelief]

and a VW TDI diesel gets 35-45 mpg

[Cloud7Raymaker]

Our 2001 Insight still gets a real life 60mpg (we have the automatic) and we love the great mileage and sporty handling. We would've loved to buy American..­. but none of the US Automakers make anything that comes even close. Would love a new Insight now that they're 4-passenger or possibly the CR-Z if Honda actually begins production of the modern version of the beloved CR-X.

[FredDobbs]

My 1966 Ford Galaxie gets 20mpg on the highway with a 352 cubic inch big block V-8 with a 4 barrel Holley

[MajorKong]

Your Galaxie predates emission controls, which is why it gets relatively good mileage.

[JScott]

So what would a 3.52L (216 cid) v8 w/direct inj, v v t, 32v get on reg gas? power?
Probably much better, interesting that only thru gov't interventi­on/foreigh competition that automakers are doing this (shoulda done it earlier)

[JackRusselTerrier]

Stop labling everything as a "war".

[conservatist2010-12]

FORD.....T­he only car maker without the government tentacles that will drain innovation­..kill profits..a­nd cost taxpayers billions..­.how will they do it....they will sell the cars Americans want...TRU­CKS..SUVs.­..Sport cars......­..Obama and climate BS will drive GM under....T­here are only so many Liberals and Movie Stars that want these death traps....I bought Ford stock at $2.26.....­Im up 170%......­.the government is very inefficient in ANYTHING IT TRIES TO DO......Ob­ama will destroy the Country if (1) Cap and Tax goes through (2) Obamacare goes through (3) is reelected

[jeg]

If you can put your paranoia on a leash for a moment, you might want to read a recent Bob Lutz interview where he admitted that he had the exact same concerns about the Obama administra­tion... and that he's happy to report that they want GM to do what GM wants to do, and there's no evidence of management, let alone micro-management.

I know it'll make people like Michael Moore unhappy, but the Obama administration wants a successful GM, not a GM that is forced to adhere to government mandates.

http://gm-volt.com/2009/07/18/lutz-explains-why-he-unretired-and-is-skeptical-about-hybrid-car-sales-potential/

From the article:

“When I made the decision to retire, I thought we’d be in bankruptcy for a long time. I thought we’d lose our freedom to design and build the products the public wants as opposed to the products the government wants to see on the road,” said the 77 year old Lutz. “I thought all of the fun is gone from the business. … But lo, and behold, the government task force were not a bunch of ogres. They were extremely helpful, and their only agenda was to make GM the best company it could be.”

[Russycle]

"....and that he's happy to report that they want GM to do what GM wants to do."

Great, that's worked out so well for the past few decades.

[JScott]

ATTENTION TROLL VISIT FROM THE RWNM!!!!!!

[isis]

Northerners need 4wd . I believe that only the Fusion will have that. I downsized from an Expedition to a RAV4. I can't say I miss the EXCESSpedition but it's going to take me a while to downsize further. I had a very hard time finding 4wd, fuel efficient and available at less than 30K. Did like the Fusion. Maybe next time. The economy in my state is not that bad so Ford was not working hard to sell me a car.

[MajorKong]

You can get all wheel drive in a (relatively) small Audi or VW.

[totaldisbelief]

TDI diesel huge MPG

[totaldisbelief]

and Subaru station wagons are manifold for the northern climes but they don't get 30 mpg

[Cloud7Raymaker]

I respectfully disagree..­. 4wd is a gimmick that while improving acceleration in slippery conditions contributes negatively to handling and stopping. Don't get me wrong, if it makes you feel better go spend the 5k-10k extra for 4wd. We've had a lot of police departments up here experiment with truck & suv patrol vehicles, but they generally return to crown vics & chargers rather than purchasing more 4wd cruisers. A good driver will take handling & stopping over 4wd and simply install the best snow & ice tires available.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

I'm just wondering where I'm going to fit 3 teenagers over 6 feet and a Golden retriever for the Sunday drive to Grams.

[Russycle]

You never heard of Subaru? Suzuki makes a nice little AWD car too, under 20K.

[andrea]

You didn't even mention the Mazda2, the world small car of the year.

[GoDogGo]

Oddly, I think Ford's going to take this fight: The European Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo (small/mid-sedan) and Kuga (small SUV) are all fantastic cars and sell largely to people who don't care for the BMW or Audi badge. They really are that good.

Unfortunately, Ford has built redundant (and largely inferior) platforms for this market and neglected to tailor the exceptional European ones to our federal standards. It'll take time to phase out the domestic platforms while federalizing their European counterparts. However, we're getting the new Fiesta and the next Focus will underpin a number of new US models.

Views of American cars will change -- dramatically -- when we finally get these excellent vehicles here on our shores.

[Cloud7Raymaker]

Yes Ford is in a good position - the Focus had terrific handling for its class when it was introduced. Unfortunately much of the platform design was outsourced and it showed when early owners were saddled with multiple recalls & failures on a brand new vehicle. Personally I didn't care much for the styling either but Ford's generally not known for great styling these days. Their European vehicles are well regarded overseas, if they can capitalize on their proven European small car design shops they may do well in coming years.

BTW, on one visit to Germany about 10 years ago I captured a photo of an Escort *convertible* over there and wondered why Ford's only small car in the US at the time was treated so poorly at home while getting some nice variations overseas.

[hypnotoad72]

The 2009 model's engine, transmission, and other vital components are USA-made.

VERY good handling, indeed. The Fusion feels smoother when braking, but otherwise.­.. most people have been complimenting the newer model for improved reliability (Ford learning its lesson, hopefully?)

The Focus has not a bad style either, but if the rumors that the European edition will be coming to the USA in the next year or two, I might do a trade-in..­. time will tell. I'd rather have a good ending and great MPG - with those, Ford excels. (near-hybrid MPG with mine, so why spend the extra $10k?)

[LindyK]

The left out the ultra-narrow TANGO, www.commutercars.com.