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HomeSubcompact cars

Subcompact cars

History

1933-42 Willys: A better template for an import beater than later compacts

October 6, 2025 Steve 29

(EXPANDED FROM 15/19/2023) The 1933-42 Willys gets far less attention than it deserves. The model 77 and its successors were important because they anticipated the American compacts of the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, the […]

2008 Scion xB
Design Notes

Toyota ruined the Scion xB by making it too big

September 11, 2025 Steve 11

(EXPANDED FROM 1/22/2021) Toyota has had an enviably strong track record here in the United States, but it has had a few misses. They include its mishandling of the ill-fated Scion subbrand. Although one could […]

Links

1970 Ford Maverick gets surprisingly critical take from Motor Trend

September 2, 2025 Steve 12

(EXPANDED FROM 9/25/2023) Should I be embarrassed to admit that the first car magazine I subscribed to was Motor Trend? When I was around 11 years old I was enticed by one of those promotional […]

1960 VW versus US compact car ads
Multimedia

Satire of a 1960 VW ad essentially mimics marketing for U.S. compacts

August 14, 2025 Steve 3

(EXPANDED FROM 3/20/2023) Back in 1963, advertising executive Fred Manley presented a slide show parody about how to improve Volkswagen’s legendary “Think small” ad. The “best practices” he presented look hilariously misguided when applied to […]

2025 Ford Maverick
Current Events

Debate over whether CAFE killed the small car in the U.S. may be moot

July 28, 2025 Steve 10

Indie Auto reader Troy linked to a provocative comment by bzcat (2025) at Blue Oval Forums about why small cars have disappeared from the U.S. market. Here’s what he has to say: “Americans like small […]

1967 Rambler Rebel SST convertible
History

Would AMC have done better if George Romney had stayed longer?

June 26, 2025 Steve 26

(EXPANDED FROM 6/11/2021) The comment thread in the previous post about George Romney (go here) has generated a robust discussion that deserves a substantive response. I thought the best way to do so would be […]

George Romney
Multimedia

George Romney talked about why he gambled on the Rambler

June 25, 2025 Steve 5

(EXPANDED FROM 5/31/2023) Joe Ligo’s six-part AMC series has completed its run on the Public Broadcasting Service and is now posted at AutoMoments on YouTube (go here). Documentaries such as this one can provide a […]

1960 Saab 93
Gallery

Why didn’t the Saab 93 catch on like the Volkswagen Beetle?

April 11, 2025 Steve 6

The Volkswagen Beetle was so popular in the United States during the 1960s that it can be viewed with an aura of inevitability. Even so, one could argue that the VW benefitted by being in […]

Links

Motor Trend coverage shows rise of imported cars in the late-1950s

April 4, 2025 Steve 2

Car-buff magazines have tended to focus primarily on entertaining their readers. Thus, they have mostly avoided serious topics until they become too pressing to ignore. That’s why I find interesting how Motor Trend magazine covered […]

1978 Volkswagen Scirocco
Design Notes

First-generation Scirocco was trendy but didn’t look like a Volkswagen

February 14, 2025 Steve 26

(EXPANDED FROM 1/16/2023) Yesterday Aaron Severson weighed in on the original Volkswagen Scirocco, so this is a good time to expand on a piece I wrote a few years ago after finding a rare — […]

Posts pagination

« 1 2 3 … 6 »
  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 20
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 7
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 1976ish Toyota Corolla
    Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80
    September 18, 2026 5
  • 1974 Chrysler New Yorker
    1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
    September 16, 2026 16
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
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