Economic crisis has small car sales making a U-turn

Sales of small cars have taken the wildest ride in the auto business this year


Small-car sales doubled during the first half of the year as gas topped $4 a gallon. By the end of November, sales levels had tumbled 63% from the peak. Even with the drop, the segment is holding up better than others because overall vehicle sales are so weak. “It’s surprising,” says Ford Motor analyst George Pipas.

No other vehicle segment saw such sales volatility in 2008. First, it was falling gas prices that slowed small-car sales. Now, it’s the inability of recent college graduates and other price-conscious drivers to qualify for loans.

ABC