Green Options » small cars

India Looms As Global Manufacturing Cradle For Small Cars

Nick Chambers — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:30:17 +0000

To many Americans, India is just another one of those countries with LOTS of people in the general vicinity of China where they sometimes get routed when they call customer support with questions about why the new HP they just bought won’t turn on.

And that’s a shame, really, because India has so much to offer. From excellent food to the funky movie scene, India has some pretty great stuff. And now we can add another bean to India’s basket — the country has been stealthily gaining a reputation with auto manufacturers as the place to build fuel-efficient, small cars for export to the rest of the world.

Are Tiny, Gas-Saving Cars Unsafe? Today Mine Saved My Life

Nick Chambers — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:33:51 +0000

I rolled my Toyota Yaris three times this morning after hitting a six-foot-high dirt embankment at highway speed. I crawled out with no more than a bump on my head, seat belt burn, and a massively stiff neck. So, for all you small car safety-doubters out there, I’ve now got personal experience to say otherwise.

Inevitably, whenever we post about small electric cars, funky three-wheelers, or any other small fuel-efficient vehicle here at Gas 2.0, we get typical responses along the lines of “It may get 60 mpg, but that thing’s a death trap,” or “It’s nice to drive electric, but would you trust that car to your family?”

After this morning’s shenanigans, I can unequivocally say “Yes. Yes I would trust my family to a small fuel-efficient car, and I’m miraculously alive and mostly uninjured… so no, it’s not a death trap.”

Smaller Is Bigger

Max Lindberg — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 02:59:02 +0000

Car buyers are thinking small.

Auto sales in the U.S. during the last three months have been down, except for the smaller, cheaper and not-so-thirsty cars, with starting prices from $12,000 to $14,000, according to Autodata.

The Toyota Yaris led sales with a 70% increase, Honda’s Fit sales were up 61%, and Kia’s Spectra saw a 41% increase in sales. While the percentages are impressive, the number of cars sold is not large.