Smart USA has been getting interesting feedback after it released its vehicles in America in 2007. The car company has been widely popular among Europeans for the past decade and decided it was now time to amaze American consumers. In a report by CNN they claim, “At just under 9 feet long, the Smart car is about 3 feet shorter than the Mini Cooper and 7 feet shorter than the Ford Explorer. At 1,800 pounds, it's about 4,500 pounds lighter than an empty Hummer H2” (Pawlowski 1). This car has been recognized for its interesting look, high gas mileage, and compact size. Americans are finding this car to be more suitable for the city rather than the highway. It also comes at a good time when Americans are steering away from huge, gas-guzzling vehicles and looking for energy efficient alternatives.
While Smart did not start this trend of sub-compact vehicles, it acted on the demand for smaller vehicles in the U.S. Smart USA waited to enter the American market after selling their cars in Canada because they felt that U.S. consumers were not ready for this type of vehicle. However, the current lacking economy and desire to be green has caused an increased demand for smaller, cheaper, and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Increased compact vehicle sales are telling automakers that consumers are looking for value and function, not big SUVs. This has significantly changed automakers’ manufacturing lines and the way that they market to consumers in this competitive segment. Under these economic conditions, I predict that many other similar vehicles will enter the market to help manufacturers stay above water during these tough times.
Source: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/08/smart.car/index.html?iref=allsearch
I don't think the Smart car will become popular in the U.S. at least with the younger generation of drivers. Every time I see a Smart car the first thing that comes to my mind is how puny looking it is. A friend of mine in high school drove a Prius and he often got made fun of for it. I think Americans correlate themselves more to their cars than people in other countries. When people think of 'cool' they think of gas-guzzling muscle cars rather than eco-friendly compact cars. I think these fuel-efficient cars must first look 'stronger' in the eyes of the drivers before these cars are sold in higher numbers.
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