All About Japan Autos

Mini cars are growing on Americans. They’re eco-friendly, get great gas mileage and offer more amenities than they used to. Combined, this package is hard to turn down.

“It took a long time for car companies to realize that drivers in the United States might consider a small vehicle that wasn’t ruthlessly built to a price,” says the New York Times. “The modern Mini Cooper was the trailblazer, proving that Americans might buy a diminutive hatchback on its own merits, even when they could afford something bigger. Cars like the Mini and the Honda Fit offer a more upscale driving experience than the frill-free automotive flounders that scour the bottom of the market for rental sales, college students and frugal commuters.”

Ford’s sales data for the 2011 Fiesta attest to the growing popularity of mini cars among American consumers. Detroit News reports: “The average transaction price of the Fiesta is higher than many of Ford’s compact cars, said Ford sales analyst George Pipas. Early sales data shows almost two-thirds of buyers are opting for the more-expensive hatchback; 80 percent are adding Sync entertainment and communications system; and the bulk of buyers are either affluent young people or baby boomers who are downsizing but unwilling to give up creature comforts.”

In fact, the hatchback is so popular that dealers can’t keep them on their lots. Lou Stanford owns Varsity Ford in Ann Arbor, and spoke with Detroit News. He says he only gets 20 to 25 Fiestas a month, but could sell 50.

Despite strong sales for Ford, the mini car industry has stereotypes to overcome. First, people think smaller cars are unsafe even though they perform well in crash tests and have a lot of standard safety features. The Fiesta, however, just debuted, and gained recognition as an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety “2010 Top Safety Pick.” Second, people think small cars don’t drive well. It’s true that mini cars will never handle like sports cars, but they offer more than enough juice for the average driver’s needs, the New York Times summarizes. On the whole, automotive reviewers are pretty impressed with what mini cars can do on the road.

Automakers find that one of the best ways to overcome these misconceptions is to offer car shoppers something midsize cars and SUVs can’t: a fun, customizable personality. Ford is one automaker that’s been successful in this department. The Fiesta comes in funky colors like Lime Squeeze and Yellow Blaze.

“Ford analyzes its U.S. sales data to identify buying patterns and to better understand unique consumer preferences by region,” explains Edmunds Daily. “Cincinnati sees red while Boston sports green. Not surprisingly, Tinseltown loves silver. These are just a few of trends revealed by Ford Motor Company’s first annual look at U.S. buying preferences… many of the findings seemed predictable orange cars in sizzling Phoenix and heat-resistant white cars in San Diego.”

Small cars have a lot stacked against them. After all, for many Americans, bigger is better. But with Fiesta sales doing well, it seems that this mindset is beginning to change.

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.