Will Honda or Toyota offer subcompact replacements in the U.S. soon?

[Torrid]

I know I prefer more performance oriented options and VW is still doing it, for a not so small price. I do plan to buy another before the GTI goes away. I figure once these cars die off I’ll be in an EV. I drive way too much to be in a car that gets less than 30mpg and I’m not going to buy a small slow crossover.

I considered the Integra Type S for a bit, but base price is $12k more than a fully loaded GTI and $5k more than a Golf R and the GTI is basically on its level performance wise and the Golf R leaves it for dead. I think it’ll be hard to get a Type S without a markup and my VW dealer sells GTIs and Golf Rs for sticker. I think it could be argued that the Type S is probably a better product, I just don’t see it being $12k more car than a new GTI Autobahn or $21k more than my current GTI Autobahn.

 

[zzyzzx]

My favorite comment:
Let me save you 11 minutes of your life, short answer: Automakers make less money on cheaper cars.

 

[Torrid]

AWD is primarily catering to the stupidity of the population. How am I going to get to the grocery store in a blizzard??!?

Larger is somewhat practical. The move towards safety at all costs that requires longer times in rear-facing child seats affects buying for families. The fact that people are taller, and indeed fatter, doesn’t help.

I would shoot a hole in the AWD theory, but my situation is fairly unique. I’m on call day and night no matter the weather and it sucks driving unplowed roads with a front wheel drive turbo car. It’s why I’ll likely buy a Golf R next time. It’s what my GTI is lacking.

 

[supton]

I would shoot a hole in the AWD theory, but my situation is fairly unique. I’m on call day and night no matter the weather and it sucks driving unplowed roads with a front wheel drive turbo car. It’s why I’ll likely buy a Golf R next time. It’s what my GTI is lacking.

I remember visiting a friend once, we had a group meeting. Everyone else made it up the driveway, except me. The difference? My snow tires on a FWD station wagon was not as good as half worn all seasons on AWD's. Driveway was one of those steeply pitched affairs.

AWD isn't useful most of the time, but occasionally it can be nice! Although ground clearance in snow IMO is probably more important more of the time, you get one of those thicker snows and high ending is what usually gets me... but missing a drive axle isn't far behind in "importance".

 

[CanAmAndMore]

Maybe it's me, but I don't think Honda nailed it when they replaced the Fit with the HRV. The Fit was just as practical and more fun to drive, especially with the manual transmission that no one buys these days.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

Maybe it's me, but I don't think Honda nailed it when they replaced the Fit with the HRV. The Fit was just as practical and more fun to drive, especially with the manual transmission that no one buys these days.

I had a manual transmission Fit, that was a GREAT car!

 

[odie]

Recently I discovered the Honda Amaze

It looks like a miniature version of an Accord and is offered in the Indian market.
It's positioned as smaller than the N. American Fit, and is offered with a manual, CVT for transmissions.
The engine is a conventional 1.2 gasser, but is also offered with a diesel version.
https://www.honda.co.za/cars/amaze

I think it's the same as the HONDA City . Sell them in Mexico .

 

[odie]

My favorite comment:
Let me save you 11 minutes of your life, short answer: Automakers make less money on cheaper cars.

Less money to go back into the economy due to high cost of loans and the gas that goes into them .

 

[JHZR2]

I would shoot a hole in the AWD theory, but my situation is fairly unique. I’m on call day and night no matter the weather and it sucks driving unplowed roads with a front wheel drive turbo car. It’s why I’ll likely buy a Golf R next time. It’s what my GTI is lacking.

Nobody would say it’s prudent to drive a low to the ground “performance” oriented car around in your situation. That’s your decision and circumstance

 

[2019CRVlx]

Likely no, I think Kia Rio is an option if you are into these type of cars.

Didn't know you could mention Kia in the same sentence as Honda and Toyota

 

[fdcg27]

Back some years or decades, entertaining small cars abounded and Honda made some of the best of them. A mid-eighties or mid-seventies Civic stick is a joy to drive and is very functional and abstemious of fuel.
Fast forward to today, The Civic is now about a thousand pounds heavier and stick availability is slim to none, plus most buyers these days can't even drive a stick.
The other side of things is that people have been convinced that the minimum acceptable commuter is a half ton pickup not up to much more than hauling a bed full of air.
The old, light stick small cars were a lot of fun to drive and were very cheap to run. The later cars, like my mother's leased Fit, the last car she had before she gave up driving at 94 was also nice and fun to drive.
A shame that so many people have never experienced the joy of owning a small and agile car but are sentenced to a clumsy and uncomfortable truck instead.

 

[andrew_j]

Didn't know you could mention Kia in the same sentence as Honda and Toyota

The FIT and Yaris are same class as rio, boxes or more kindly penalty boxes. Not sure why folks would not pony up for the vastly superior Civic or Corolla.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Mission creep.

A Kia Rio is $18K for base. Lets call it 20K is best your finding after a couple dealer adders.

You can find a Corrola for say 23-24K - again based models if you can find one.

Once your at 24K, then for like $5K more you might find your way into the smallest, cheapest SUV if you can find a base model. Just finance it out for a couple years longer

So there you have it - no small cars anymore.

 

[dogememe]

The FIT and Yaris are same class as rio, boxes or more kindly penalty boxes. Not sure why folks would not pony up for the vastly superior Civic or Corolla.

Agreed. Underpowered, buzzy engines. I’ve ridden in many little cars and I have a buddy with a Chevy Spark. When I went with him to go pick up his used Corvette it was an hour or so drive on the highway. It wasn’t as bad as I expected for such a cheap car but personally I couldn’t drive something like that. I expect it to actually move when I press the go pedal and when I’m on the highway I’m not usually going 55.

People claim they want these cheap little cars and some people do but most people would rather get something more substantial. And there just aren’t good margins. It doesn’t cost much more to design and build a Civic than it costs to make a Fit but you can sell it for way more money. And of course the economies of scale help you the more of one thing you sell. So why would any car company bother with those little buzzy buckets!? They understand that and that’s why cars like that are disappearing.

 

[Rmay635703]

Didn't know you could mention Kia in the same sentence as Honda and Toyota

I’ll raise you one more, this used to be what I thought a Kia was

https://www.allsurplus.com/asset/40318/226

 

[CanAmAndMore]

The FIT and Yaris are same class as rio, boxes or more kindly penalty boxes. Not sure why folks would not pony up for the vastly superior Civic or Corolla.

Former owner of a Fit, Civic, and Camry, currently own an Accord. The Fit is by far my favorite of the 4 cars.

 

[jstert]

toyota alone offers lots of small, pleasant, safe, clean, cars and suvs, all built to a high standard, in southeast asia: rush, avanza, veloz, yaris cross, yaris gr sport, agya… ultimately u.s. automotive emissions and safety laws are a racket whose beneficiary isn’t the american consumer.

 

[Torrid]

Nobody would say it’s prudent to drive a low to the ground “performance” oriented car around in your situation. That’s your decision and circumstance

Probably not, but I don’t want a truck or a vanilla crossover driving experience.

 

[Torrid]

toyota alone offers lots of small, pleasant, safe, clean, cars and suvs, all built to a high standard, in southeast asia: rush, avanza, veloz, yaris cross, yaris gr sport, agya… ultimately u.s. automotive emissions and safety laws are a racket whose beneficiary isn’t the american consumer.

If people were still buying the Yaris we would still have them. Everyone thinks they need a tall hatchback these days which is the weird small crossover that’s become so popular.

 

[supton]

Probably not, but I don’t want a truck or a vanilla crossover driving experience.

That’s why it’s nice having two vehicles, you can try to optimize. “Fun” car and one less so, but functional for other things. Leave all seasons on the fun car, truck/suv/cuv gets snows for the winter months, and driven when the space or traction is needed.