In the 'this is not news' department, Honda and Toyota are going to steal market share from General Motors and Ford. The only part of the story that changes is the date. This time the headline holds true for January 2007. Gas prices hit $2 per gallon in January, about 50% lower than in January 2006. That, combined with winter weather, would usually mean a spike in sales of SUVs and trucks, but at this point the American public seems to know better. The shift has been made, and fuel efficiency is winning the day for now in the grand old USA.
With Americans pining for crossovers and smaller sedans, Honda and Toyota simply offer more choices. If you're looking for a small entry-level sedan from Ford, you have your choice of Focus. Toyota, on the other hand, has the Yaris, Corolla, and pick your Scion. Honda has the Civic and Fit. GM does have the Cobalt and Aveo, but neither vehicle approaches the sales volumes of the Asian counterparts. We think we'll see plenty of these headlines in 2007, so if you're tied to the domestic automakers in any way, you've been forewarned.
[Source: Detroit News]