Small is Big

Sales reports from Detroit automakers this year have been grim. Pickup trucks sit on dealer lots. So do sport utilities, many minivans, so-called "crossover vehicles" and, surprising to some, large luxury cars.

The crash of America’s real estate sector explains the truck flop. Construction companies are not buying as many new work trucks this year. It’s a good time to be a mechanic, in fact; older vehicles are being repaired, not traded in.

And with soaring gasoline/diesel prices, many buyers are stepping down for their next vehicle, settling for what satisfies their needs instead of their wants. The effects of corporate layoffs and frightened consumers have combined to ratchet down the standard of living for many. This year’s bleak economic news might explain why I’ve been sent a number of smaller cars for test driving lately.

Frankly, I welcome a chance to drive something under $20,000, to get a proper contrast to luxury cars topping $100,000. But the automaker’s motive is more likely to spotlight what has a realistic chance of finding buyers. That’s probably the reason a 2008 Ford Focus was dropped off and left for an unusual two weeks. This popular four-door has a suggested retail price of $16,375. Slap on just about every desirable option, from satellite radio to heated seats, and it tops out at $20,200.

That’s about as affordable as today’s market offers. And it probably explains the first-quarter report in which Ford sales took a hit, as did most manufacturers, in higher-priced vehicles, but showed an 11 percent increase over last year with sales of the Focus.

This little car has caught on. Think of it as an American alternative to the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima.