Best Subcompact Cars in the US & Global

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: DaRider34
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
I can't believe Ford isn't brining the new Fiesta to tge US. Instead, they're dropping it. Bad move. Not everyone wants an Ecosport.


It's also because all of the domestic nameplate HATERZ in this land refuse to buy a sub compact from any domestic manufacturer, DESPITE how great the Fiesta is with the manual transaxle (because they also REFUSE to shift their own gears as well).

why buy a fiesta when u can get a focus for a little bit more money?


Absolutely agreed. The comfort/ride level is far superior as you move up in size and the mileage penalty is very little if none at all. The only Fiesta's I see around here are fleet cars.

 

[eyeofthetiger]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
Why pay more money for something you don't want or need?
bigger != better


The market speaks and disagrees. Remember over 50% of the population is overweight/obese. Many of them just don't even fit in a small car. I hear them talk and they're always looking for big cars/trucks because they don't fit in small ones.


I'm 260 pounds, and my Fiesta feels huge on the inside. Most subcompacts are huge on the inside. The Versa has more room than most cars a class larger. People overlook them because tbey're thr smallest amd cheapest. It isn't 1980 anymore. Modern subcompacts are excellent.

Originally Posted By: madRiver
Originally Posted By: DaRider34
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
I can't believe Ford isn't brining the new Fiesta to tge US. Instead, they're dropping it. Bad move. Not everyone wants an Ecosport.


It's also because all of the domestic nameplate HATERZ in this land refuse to buy a sub compact from any domestic manufacturer, DESPITE how great the Fiesta is with the manual transaxle (because they also REFUSE to shift their own gears as well).

why buy a fiesta when u can get a focus for a little bit more money?


Absolutely agreed. The comfort/ride level is far superior as you move up in size and the mileage penalty is very little if none at all. The only Fiesta's I see around here are fleet cars.


Take a Fiesta for a drive. It is probably the most comfortable and refined subcompact. The ride and handling balance is excellent. It is about the same as a Focus. In fact, I think the Focus feels more cramped in the driver's seat.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: NewEnglander
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
I can't believe Ford isn't brining the new Fiesta to tge US. Instead, they're dropping it. Bad move. Not everyone wants an Ecosport.


It's also because all of the domestic nameplate HATERZ in this land refuse to buy a sub compact from any domestic manufacturer, DESPITE how great the Fiesta is with the manual transaxle (because they also REFUSE to shift their own gears as well).

OK I'll bite. I'll even go so far as to say I'd consider picking up a manual Fiesta for myself and the wife can take the Rio.

I need to read up but are the manuals completely free of the wretched transmission problems in the automatics? Guilt by association is tough to beat.


There are people on the Fiesta ST forums with TOTALLY 'non-approved' gear oil (Motul Gear 300 75W-90 non-limited slip) in their Getrag B6 transaxles, with nearing 200K miles on them (including a lot of open tracking/HARD use), with NO problems whatsoever.

The IB5 in the other Fiestas is just as bulletproof.

One does not HAVE TO buy a Nippon or Korean nameplate in order to have that sacred 'reliability'(and they are not always 'up to snuff' in that area either, as the masses seem to hold as gospel).

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
Take a Fiesta for a drive. It is probably the most comfortable and refined subcompact. The ride and handling balance is excellent. It is about the same as a Focus. In fact, I think the Focus feels more cramped in the driver's seat.


The Fiesta ST can outright EMBARRASS/SHAME many cars costing 3 times as much, and which so many on here just take for granted as the 'gold standard' because of nameplate, or status level.
(And hate on the Fiesta because of it's domestic nameplate, and pre-conceived notions/biases that it HAS TO BE 'garbage' because of that badge.

)

It does NOT have to have an "H", 'roundel', stars, or otherwise on the hood to be fun, and VERY capable.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Jett Rink
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
I can't believe Ford isn't brining the new Fiesta to tge US. Instead, they're dropping it. Bad move. Not everyone wants an Ecosport.


It's also because all of the domestic nameplate HATERZ in this land refuse to buy a sub compact from any domestic manufacturer, DESPITE how great the Fiesta is with the manual transaxle (because they also REFUSE to shift their own gears as well).

I don't think buyers around here are hating on the car. They just don't know it exists, unless they are really up on Ford cars. The only Fords I ever see marketed are their pickups or Mustangs. Local dealers go on TV commercials talking about what all they are offering and the deals they are making, but they don't ever mention this car.

Just doesn't seem to me that Ford or the dealers are much interested in selling them. If so, can you fault the public for not beating down the doors of that dealership to demand one?



^^^This is TRUE, sadly enough.

There has NEVER been a more under-marketed/under-advertised (by it's own manufacturer) model since the last one I've owned (GM's 4th gen, LS1 f body).
Yes, it does seem as if Ford ONLY wants to sell it's 'big ticket' trucks and tanks for their MUCH MUCH higher profit margins, and the VERY capable, little Fiesta was just an afterthought to bring up CAFE averages so that they could sell those said tanks to the masses, without penalty.

 

[Wolf359]

They basically don't make any money selling those little cars, they only do it so that they can sell the big ones. No point advertising it if the market is that small. For the Fiesta, it was less than 47k last year. The focus was more like 158k last year. They sold 2.4 million vehicles last year. The F series did 896k. Fusion 209k. Explorer was 271k.

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/ford/

 

[javacontour]

We had a 1.25L Fiesta as our rental in Italy back in 2012. Great little car and had no trouble doing 130km/h (81mph) on the Autostrada. It handled well and didn't seem overtaxed to run at freeway speeds.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
In terms of parking, lots of cars now have parking sensors or cameras as options. So you can squeeze midsized cars into spots that only compacts or subcompacts would fit in. I think the parking skills of urban dwellers are starting to decline, I have no problem squeezing my car into a tight spot, sometimes you just have to back and forth a few times. Now I see people give up on spots where they have at least 3-4 feet of space to squeeze in.

Also don't forget the country is getting richer and there's a constant war with size, the bigger car is safer in an accident. I believe the stats are something like you're more than 3x likely to be killed in a small car vs a large car or SUV. Hence the arms race to buy bigger vehicles. Just boils down to whether you think your life is worth the extra cost in gas and vehicle to be 3x safer.

If you look through the IIHS death rate data its actually hard to generalize which size of vehicle is safer. A fwd GM Terrain seems to have been a death trap between 2011-14 compared to a Mazda2, but still less so than a Hyundai Accent.

In general the bigger classes of vehicle average a bit better, but there's always a few that seem to be terrible. A Nissan Titan manages to be twice as likely as the average vehicle to kill its passengers?


You make a valid point which illustrates the weakness of looking at real-world fatal injury rates as a means of rating the relative safety of vehicles.
Buyer demographics are an often ignored factor in determining the fatal injury results seen with any vehicle.
Vehicles with a driver demographic skewed toward older and more experienced drivers will have lower fatal injury rates while those with a younger and less experienced driver demographic will show exactly the reverse.
Real world fatal injury rates might seem like good data, but you also need to consider who's driving these vehicles.

 

[NewEnglander]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27


You make a valid point which illustrates the weakness of looking at real-world fatal injury rates as a means of rating the relative safety of vehicles.
Buyer demographics are an often ignored factor in determining the fatal injury results seen with any vehicle.
Vehicles with a driver demographic skewed toward older and more experienced drivers will have lower fatal injury rates while those with a younger and less experienced driver demographic will show exactly the reverse.
Real world fatal injury rates might seem like good data, but you also need to consider who's driving these vehicles.


Context. BOOM!

 

[Jett Rink]

Not only is Ford not particularly interested in selling the Fusion, Fiesta or Focus. They may not even sell them at all for much longer in the US.

https://jalopnik.com/ford-is-thinking-about-giving-up-on-the-fusion-focus-a-1825510482

Ford all in on pickups and SUVs only, it seems. Usually when an automaker decides to move away from smaller cars they get burned when gas prices inevitably surge up again.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Jett Rink
Usually when an automaker decides to move away from smaller cars they get burned when gas prices inevitably surge up again.


You mean like about now?

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Jett Rink
Not only is Ford not particularly interested in selling the Fusion, Fiesta or Focus. They may not even sell them at all for much longer in the US.

https://jalopnik.com/ford-is-thinking-about-giving-up-on-the-fusion-focus-a-1825510482

Ford all in on pickups and SUVs only, it seems. Usually when an automaker decides to move away from smaller cars they get burned when gas prices inevitably surge up again.


Ford is a global company and yes the fusion may go but the Focus and Fiesta will sell well in appropriate markets. If they need them back it’s modifications for US market and import them. Solid business plan to me.

I have owned one subcompact in life 1995 Civic EX and regretted not getting the far superior Accord LX for near similar money. The Civic felt like a penalty box and subcompacts to me still have that compared to next class size up for little money more.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Jett Rink
Not only is Ford not particularly interested in selling the Fusion, Fiesta or Focus. They may not even sell them at all for much longer in the US.

https://jalopnik.com/ford-is-thinking-about-giving-up-on-the-fusion-focus-a-1825510482

Ford all in on pickups and SUVs only, it seems. Usually when an automaker decides to move away from smaller cars they get burned when gas prices inevitably surge up again.


NOT so sure about that, as most obese 'Murricans seem unwilling/unable to give up their tanks, regardless of fuel prices at this point.

(It would probably take $10.00/gallon+ for REGULAR to 'pry their cold, dead hands off of their tanks' steering wheels'.

)

 

[NewEnglander]

Ford Saying So Long to the Likes of the Fusion and the Fiesta

Ford Motor Co. said it will no longer invest in traditional sedans for its namesake brand, spelling the eventual demise of models including a long-ago best-seller, the Taurus.

“Given declining consumer demand and product profitability, the company will not invest in next generations of traditional Ford sedans for North America,” the automaker said in a statement announcing its first-quarter earnings. “Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles -- the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year.” Bloomberg

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: NewEnglander
Ford Saying So Long to the Likes of the Fusion and the Fiesta

Ford Motor Co. said it will no longer invest in traditional sedans for its namesake brand, spelling the eventual demise of models including a long-ago best-seller, the Taurus.

“Given declining consumer demand and product profitability, the company will not invest in next generations of traditional Ford sedans for North America,” the automaker said in a statement announcing its first-quarter earnings. “Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles -- the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year.” Bloomberg


I'm reminded of two well-known quotes:

"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." - Karl Marx

and

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." - George Santayana

A strategy that brought disaster just a decade ago seems a poor one, and Ford is not alone in this.

 

[DweezilAZ]

Originally Posted By: wemay
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
I can't believe Ford isn't brining the new Fiesta to tge US. Instead, they're dropping it. Bad move. Not everyone wants an Ecosport.


It's also because all of the domestic nameplate HATERZ in this land refuse to buy a sub compact from any domestic manufacturer, DESPITE how great the Fiesta is with the manual transaxle (because they also REFUSE to shift their own gears as well).

So what if they "refuse" to shift their own gears? That's the market, plain and simple.


Because in the Fiesta mentioned above that would require the unreliable Power Shift automated manual to remove the problem of shifting their own gears. Or CVT in others [not everyone's favorite].

 

[DweezilAZ]

Bracing for flaming, but have you considered the Mitsubishi Mirage ?

 

[Vuflanovsky]

I wouldn't consider the Mirage as one of the best subcompact cars to qualify but I don't have the Mitsu hate that some do on here because a '97 Mirage I owned was probably the overall best car that I've ever had in terms of reliability and what I put into it over 150K miles. IMO, Mits would need to have a similar car in the running to be considered.

I think there's a strong "public wants what the public gets" component to the dearth of subcompacts and the rise of 500 lb. heavier subcompact CUVs. For all the blathering about CAFE on here, it does seem that manufacturers might be running into a potential buzz saw if their higher cost, higher unit margin SCUVs ( in non-hybrid guise ) get considerably less real world mileage and gas goes to $5/gallon...or whatever inflection point it takes to get people out of their Escalades and Navigators.

 

[NewEnglander]

Originally Posted By: DweezilAZ
Bracing for flaming, but have you considered the Mitsubishi Mirage ?


It's a good question and I did give it some thought. I had a Mirage as a rental for almost a week a year or two ago. I didn't mind it, and I think for an around city car it would be fine and do the job quite well. It did feel "tinny" to me on a level I haven't experienced with other subcompacts, but I have nothing but love for Mitsubishi as one of the great rally car developers back in the day. I am sure it would be reliable as well. Have you liked it or had experienc with the Mirage?

I am tentatively driving a Yaris tomorrow. We'll see what happens!

 

[jstert]

i got my yaris hatchback for a snowbird car after living in indonesia for 3 1/2 years where the yaris sedan is the national taxi. i was in a yaris at least daily and saw first hand how well they hold up to abuse. my yaris is a scooter on four wheels and the crank windows are a retro hoot.