Compact Car Sales Booming

BOSTON -- U.S. auto dealers watched car sales slide in August for the 10th month in a row, but many believe the slump is ending.

NewsCenter 5's Pam Cross reported that if you want a small car, you're facing challenges of another type. Most recently, one in five cars sold was a compact or subcompact.

Compact Car Sales Booming

"It's affordable and gets great gas mileage," car shopper Janie Cron said.

When gas prices went above $3.50 a gallon, sales of small cars shot up, as well. For the first time ever, this spring sales of easy-on-the-gas four-cylinder cars passed more powerful six-cylinder models in popularity.

That's good news for Honda and other fuel-efficient Asian carmakers.

"We're the greenest car company -- low emissions vehicles all good on gas," said Jeff Keast, of Bernardi Honda.

One of their smallest cars is taking its place next to the hybrids as hardest to find. The Fit, which has been on the American market for about two years, is scarce. It gets 27 miles per gallon in the city and 33 miles per gallon on the highway.

"It is a hard thing to find. In fact, I think they just got it in the other day, only one. And, yeah, I think I have to put my name on a list," Cron said.

Fit's success is more bad news for American automakers. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler want Congress to approve a $50 billion loan package so they can retool plants to build more fuel-efficient cars instead of trucks. The Fit, which costs less than $17,000, is gaining ground.

"We've had people for the past six months coming in trying to get their hands on (it). So people leave $1,000 deposit just waiting for one to come in. Most people don't even care what color it is," Keast said.