The subcompact segment is one that is most affected by gas prices. Along with pickups and SUVs, an expensive gallon of fuel will make waves in dealerships, be it incoming or outgoing.
You may have guessed that the higher the price of said gallon, the more little cars will leave dealer lots. Over the last five years, many manufacturers have introduced, or completely revamped, their small-car offerings.
For some, success was immediate; for others, it was an uphill battle. In some cases, the plunge has been vertiginous.
For the Ford Fiesta, the climb to the top has taken place at an unprecedented pace. In no time flat, the Ford gained a 21% share of the segment. Yes, 1 in 5 subcompacts sold in the US carries the Fiesta nameplate. This spot was previously held by the Toyota Yaris, which is now very old and surpassed by all of its competitors.
Tied in second spot are the Nissan Versa and Honda Fit. The current Fit arrived as an '09, sales dipped somewhat but are steadily climbing. The actual Versa has been around since '07 and deliveries began shrinking about the same time that the Fit's started rising. We predict that the new Versa probably will not be as warmly received as Nissan would like, but only time will tell.
In the meantime, the new Ford Fiesta is tops and deservedly so.
Source: Polk
You may have guessed that the higher the price of said gallon, the more little cars will leave dealer lots. Over the last five years, many manufacturers have introduced, or completely revamped, their small-car offerings.
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| Photo: Matt St-Pierre/Auto123.com |
For some, success was immediate; for others, it was an uphill battle. In some cases, the plunge has been vertiginous.
For the Ford Fiesta, the climb to the top has taken place at an unprecedented pace. In no time flat, the Ford gained a 21% share of the segment. Yes, 1 in 5 subcompacts sold in the US carries the Fiesta nameplate. This spot was previously held by the Toyota Yaris, which is now very old and surpassed by all of its competitors.
Tied in second spot are the Nissan Versa and Honda Fit. The current Fit arrived as an '09, sales dipped somewhat but are steadily climbing. The actual Versa has been around since '07 and deliveries began shrinking about the same time that the Fit's started rising. We predict that the new Versa probably will not be as warmly received as Nissan would like, but only time will tell.
In the meantime, the new Ford Fiesta is tops and deservedly so.
Source: Polk