The small-car market in the U.S. is important for many reasons, but
the main one is its size, says Ron Zarowitz, a program planning
executive for small cars at DaimlerChrysler. The two million units sold
in '98 represent 25% of the total passenger cars sold in the U.S.
And though retirees and
two-car families comprise the majority of
current small-car owners, the market is a primarily younger, entry-level
buyer. Some stats: Median age (around 40) of a small-car buyer is the
youngest of any segment except sports cars, where the median age is 38.
In 1988, Ford's Escort was the best-selling small car in the U.S.
with a median price of $8,300. Last year, Honda's Civic was the
best seller in the class, at $15,800.