Volkswagen Polo is a subcompact car.
The Honda Fit subcompact
The Toyota Yaris 2 door subcompact
A subcompact car is an automobile in a North American vehicle size class, encompassing vehicles smaller than compact cars (usually not exceeding 165 inches (4,191 mm) in length). Depending on local public transport quality, they can also be faster and far more convenient than using subcompact buses, subcompact bicycles or subcompact trains (steam-powered, diesel-powered, electric-powered, monorail or light rail). According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a passenger car is classified as subcompact if it has between 85 cubic feet (2,407 L) and 99 cu ft (2,803 L) of interior volume but relatively less than a subcompact lorry and subcompact bus.
Many contemporary subcompacts sold in North America fall into the supermini category (as defined by EuroNCAP) in Europe.
History[]
In North America, the term “subcompact” came into popular use in the early 1970s. Previously, cars in this size were variously categorized, including "small automobile" and "economy car."[1]
This type of car was first seen in 1939 with the Crosley, and then popularized in the 1950s with the introduction of the Nash Metropolitan, as well as a number of imported models, notably the Volkswagen Beetle and various small British cars.
The subcompact market segment expanded in the 1970s with the introduction of new domestic-built models produced by North American automakers in response to the growing popularity of small imported cars from Europe and Japan. The AMC Gremlin was described at its introduction as the first domestic-built American subcompact car.[2][3][4] The Chevrolet Vega and Ford Pinto were introduced six months later.
As of 2009, numerous models of subcompacts are sold, including the Chevrolet Aveo, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, Scion xD, and Toyota Yaris.
Examples of subcompact cars[]
- Honda Jazz
- Ford Fiesta
- Mazda 2
- Peugeot 207
- Nissan March
- Toyota Yaris
- Nissan Livina
- Toyota Rush
- Daihatsu Terios
- Daihatsu Xenia
- Toyota Avanza
- Daihatsu Sirion
- Suzuki SX4
- Toyota Vios
- Honda City
- Suzuki Baleno
See also[]
- Car classification
- Mini SUV
- Supermini car
References[]
- ↑ Foster, Pat: "Developing the Metropolitan", Hemmings Classic Car, 2005-10-01, retrieved on 2009-08-21. "During WWII and immediately afterwards, Mason began to explore the idea of developing a truly small car, the size of what today we'd call a subcompact."
- ↑ Adler, Dennis (2000). Chrysler. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 188. http://books.google.com/books?id=DALX2AsrZTcC&pg=PA188&dq=AMC+Gremlin+first+subcompact&lr=&ei=H59NSMa0JpTyiwHJwPzlDQ&sig=OBxpvQqWyYM0e5Z4Phs94PDVpno.
- ↑ Sagert, Kelly Boye (2007). The 1970s (American Popular Culture Through History). Greenwood International. p. 213. http://books.google.com/books?id=9feBCLNhcFQC&pg=PA213&dq=AMC+Gremlin+first+subcompact&lr=&ei=nJRNSL-WDJWmigGutuH5CA&sig=g1csNfYEP2dcWMyNKjNtLcMuVPo.
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