...Generation Y

It seems as if American auto makers may have another major problem in the near future. We all know how they have been doing lately, mostly okay to good, though not nearly as strong as they were in the 90's and the decades before. Detroit is trying though, making more and more cars that get over 30 miles per gallon and are more environmentally friendly, but is it too late? Generation Y seems to be in favor of foreign cars. These are the top ten brands and models Gen Y prefer:

Top Brands for Gen Y Buyers
(Ranked by percentage of buyers in Gen Y)
1. Scion — 21.2%
2. Mitsubishi — 20.3%
3. Mazda — 10.7%
4. Nissan — 9.8%
5. Volkswagen — 9.6%
6. Kia — 9.1%
7. Hyundai — 8.6%
8. Honda — 8.0%
9. Toyota — 7.6%
10. Subaru — 7.3%

Top Models for Generation Y Buyers
(Shown with MSRP)
1. Scion tC — $18,995
2. Mitsubishi Lancer — $20,670
3. Honda Civic Si – $22,975
4. Toyota Yaris Sedan — $13,915
5. Ford Focus Coupe — $17,365
6. Scion xD — $15,830
7. Volkswagen GLI — $25,365
8. Subaru Impreza – $19,220
9. Kia Forte — $15,690
10. Toyota Corolla — $16,660

As you can see they tend to prefer cars under $20,000. Before I saw the prices I was wondering how true this is. With such American models as Mustang, Camaro and Fusion I found it hard to believe that no American brand or model made the top ten. Then I thought about how many Baby Boomers prefer those cars. The styling for the Mustang and Camaro are reminiscent of Mustangs and Camaros from the 60's and 70's, something that a lot of Baby Boomers love. Generation Y in concerned about money. Less trips to the gas station mean more trips to the mall. There are a slew of American models out now though that could attract younger buyers such as the Chevrolet Cruze and the Ford Fiesta and Focus. Will those models rank as high in reliability as some of their foreign competitors? Maybe. Will they attract buyers? That is the question that has yet to be answered. I am giving Generation Y a Digit Up because they will help open the eyes of American auto makers. Though they have learned their lessons from previous failures, I have a feeling they are still clueless on when it comes to what consumers actually want in a car.

...Pontiac

And so it ends... After 84 years General Motors has decided to end the production of Pontiac. The sad thing is I thought that they already ended it. GM is still trying to cut its debt and along with many other brands they had to sell or end Pontiac just had to bite the dust. Since I have been alive the only thing that the ever made that seemed cool and acceptable was the Firebird and the Trans AM, other than that they just seemed like horribly styled Chevrolets. While those with Pontiacs can still get them serviced and worked on at any GM dealership and if under warranty it will still be honored, after this weekend any Pontiac left on a dealership will be considered used. I cannot say that I personally am sad to see this brand go, it was already dead. Most people still think of the Pontiacs of the 60's, mainly the GTO, but that was decades ago and when they decided to make a new GTO it looked more like a Grand AM with a body kit, shame. As long as Chevy, Cadillac and Buick are still being produced, no other brand under GM is safe. Actually I could see Buick going away within a decade or 2, what is the purpose of it...really? Anyway I am giving this news a Digit Up because I am sure this will cause something semi major to happen at GM, although I still will not care, this brand needed to die.