Automobile Retailers

Something strange is happening in car dealerships across the country. People are bringing in their mid-size and large SUV models and trading them “down” for a smaller more economical car.

Oh, the horror!

Naturally today’s record gas prices have a lot to do with such a decision, as do the disappearing myths of being “safer” in a larger SUV. With top-notch crash ratings on smaller cars, like the Toyota Yaris or the Scion, what people once thought about small or mini cars is starting to evolve with new information about the cars’ construction.

People are finding that they are saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars a month by trading in their larger gas-guzzlers for smaller models. It’s a downsizing trend that is gaining some serious momentum across the country, especially in cities and heavily populated areas.

Industry experts say the trend could equal the industry disruption that followed the last big oil price shock back in 1980. That price surge caught U.S. automakers lacking in fuel-efficient models buyers were demanding and set the stage for the rise of Asian competitors such as Toyota and Honda, with the Scion and Yaris vehicles leading the charge for the most part. Now it seems that the Asian competitors are leading the way once again, with better fuel economy on most of their cars and a higher standard of safety production.

American-based companies like Ford and General Motors rebounded after the 1980s situation after fuel prices dropped in the 1990s and sales of SUVs went through the roof as people flocked to the apparently safer automobiles again. Will that same cycle repeat itself or have we quite simply run out of fuel capacity?

Nationally, sales of large SUVs plummeted 28 percent in the first quarter of this year, while subcompact sales rose 32 percent. Thriftier four-cylinder engines, once unloved by Americans for their supposed lack of power, are selling in record numbers. Many others are seeking hybrids or fully electric vehicles.

It seems the times are changing yet again. But will it last? We can only hope.

The new Pontiac Vibe is a great vehicle if you need a lot of room but don’t want to pay those high gas prices for an inefficient vehicle. And I’m not the only person who says that. This blogger agrees.

She was placed in a situation in which her mother needed to give up her old minivan for a newer vehicle. That seems like an easy dilemma, but she also wanted something that still had the roominess of the minivan with a sportier look and a four-cylinder engine. The mom needed something that her mom could get in and out of with little effort and she also needed room for a walker in the back. The Pontiac Vibe was the only natural choice.

After driving the Vibe, she was impressed immediately. She said she would have purchased this one-of-a-kind vehicle even if they weren’t receiving the GM employee discount. The mother and daughter took turns driving it before picking up grandma. Once they got to grandma’s house, she was able to slide in with ease and the walker fit conveniently underneath a storage area in the back.

If you need more storage, the rows of seats fold up for extra cargo space. And a simple flip of the floor panel and you have a handy spot to place grocery bags so they won’t go rolling around everywhere.

This is quite a testimony for Pontiac coming from a family who swore off the brand in the 1980s. But with its fuel efficiency, spacious interior and all-around great features, it’s no wonder people are flocking to their local Pontiac dealer facilities to get their hands on one.