| | | | | kind of compact cars and get used to the Escape |
| Everyone knows that the US automotive market | | | | being the Ford brand's best selling SUV. |
| is in an upheaval as customers shirk big trucks | | | | Nissan – Like Toyota, Nissan needs to |
| and SUVs for smaller cars and crossover vehicles. | | | | concentrate on smaller cars. Unlike Toyota, their |
| In the midst of this sea change, every automaker | | | | sales are doing quite well. Nissan plans to beat GM |
| who sells cars in the US and Canada is in the | | | | to the market with its own Chevy Volt type |
| process of transforming their model lines to bring | | | | vehicle, perhaps as early as Spring 2010. |
| an even greater number of fuel efficient vehicles | | | | Chrysler – The smallest of the Big 3 |
| our way. | | | | automakers, Chrysler needs a lot of help to shift |
| By the time the calendar flips over to 2011, the | | | | production to smaller cars. Fortunately, the |
| model line ups for most manufacturers will have | | | | automaker will be tapping its relationship with |
| been radically changed. Please read on for a | | | | Nissan to get some of that done, but it'll probably |
| primer of what's to come: | | | | take at least one Chinese automaker, Chery |
| General Motors – As the automaker with the | | | | Automotive, to help the company deliver a truly |
| most sales as well as the steepest losses, GM is | | | | small car to the US market. |
| scrambling to change its line up across its eight | | | | Honda – Recently passing Chrysler to take |
| brands quickly. Expect the Hummer brand to be | | | | over the #4 spot in the US market, Honda's best |
| gone by the time 2011 rolls around, leaving GM | | | | offering will be here very soon. The Honda Insight, |
| with seven brands to work on. The biggest | | | | a five passenger hybrid car, will go on sale early in |
| changes will be with its quintessentially American | | | | 2009. Priced $3000 less than the Prius, the Insight |
| brand, Chevrolet, where the plug-in hybrid Volt will | | | | will deliver 60 mpg and be the leading edge of a |
| be on the scene, the 45 mpg Cruze will replace | | | | number of small, economical models that will |
| the Cobalt, and as yet unnamed Scion like vehicle | | | | dominate Honda within two years time. |
| will also be introduced. Expect some of these | | | | Best of the Rest – Look for VW to offer an |
| changes to spread to Buick, Pontiac, and Saturn. | | | | all-new sedan for the US market by the time its |
| Toyota – Who would have thought that | | | | new Chattanooga plant goes online in early 2011. |
| Toyota would ever be so pummeled? No, the | | | | Expect that Kia and Hyundai will increase their |
| automaker isn't racking up multi-billion dollar losses, | | | | small car offerings and at prices below its |
| but their fleet is too top heavy with trucks and | | | | competition, while Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru |
| SUVs. Expect Toyota to continue its hybrid | | | | overhaul their line ups to incorporate additional gas |
| dominance, spreading this technology across all | | | | saving technologies. |
| model lines. | | | | Ultimately, the consumer will be the winner when |
| Ford – Ford has already tipped its hand where | | | | the new cars come to the market. Even if gas |
| the automaker is going, with plans to introduce six | | | | prices spike upwards, many drivers will find that |
| European models to the US market. The Fiesta | | | | turning in their late model cars for a new compact |
| will lead the way followed by an all-new Focus. | | | | will pay off quicker then they think. Cars offering |
| Expect both Mercury and Lincoln to get some | | | | exceptional fuel economy and costing less to run. |