Consumer Interest in Compact Cars 'Fueled' by Rise in Gas Prices

SEE ALSO: Compare Compact Car Specs, Prices and Pictures

Washington DC April 15, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that in the last few months, consumer interest in the compact car segment at NADAguides.com increased an average of 96 percent – a fact the company's experts believe is closely related to an average nationwide increase in fuel prices of 19 cents per gallon during that same timeframe.

The compact car segment consists of three sub-categories, while 'consumer interest' pertains to the amount of people who obtained pricing for a vehicle at NADAguides.com.

From January to March, consumer interest in the mini-compact category increased 128 percent, while consumer interest in the sub-compact and compact categories increased 83 percent and 77 percent respectively.

Of the top 25 most researched new cars across the entire website, five were compact cars, with interest in the 2008 Mazda MAZDA3 increasing 105 percent and interest in the 2008 Toyota Yaris increasing 102 percent.

The 2008 Honda Civic Sedan showed an increase in consumer interest of 80 percent during that time. The Toyota Corolla, which experienced its model year changeover during this time, was also immensely popular with the 2008 model ranking 12th in overall interest and the 2009 model ranking 20th in overall interest for the month of March.