Big 3 Japanese companies combatting Hyundai?

[hjr]

On the radio, I heard them report(OK, Paul Harvey news, on Am... got tired of same old 6 songs on fm dilas every hour) a few days ago that "Honda is bringing a less-than 13,000 dollar vehilce to the USA , soon, Way Less, but Honda did not say how much less". Something like this.
I am sure some of you had heard about the Honda Jazz, a 10K msrp vehicle, kind of smallish(a tiny bit smaller than Civic)?

And , of course, Scion has "cheap" cars now.
Also heard about Nissan (same news story) may also bring out a small, inexpensive car next year or two.

So, is this to combat "Scion'(as radio said?), or as other sites called Scion, "Korean car fighter", on thecarconnetcion.com, some months back, and there are more sites that called Scion that.

The stories usually said Toyota was losing youth sales, and a lot to "the Koreans", so they dubbed Scion, last year(media did) Korean car fighters.

I honestly wonder if HyundaiKia say folded up a few years back, would Scion, and now Honda and Nissan, all be coming out with "cheaper" priced cars,etc???

Elantra at 13,599(gls w/autoamtic) or an xA?
xA is ok looking( I think it is what ECHO was trying to be, but did not quite make it), but.....3/36K warranty?
No thanks.

[hjr]

Andrew: sorry if this post sounds familiar to one I had posted 2-3 months ago.( I'll understand if you delete it, and I won't "repeat" the topic, or liek this one is, sort of repeated. This is "real news' versus mainly rumors of Honda/Nissan, et al). That was just about Scion, this adds the "Jazz"(radio said Honda did not confirm what the vehicle would be), but that is all they have in the 10-12K price range that I could find on the net,etc..

Nissan may bring a class b "Micra"(classb?, larger than Micra overseas) here. It IS sharp looking, I'll give 'em that.

Looks sort of sporty. If slightly lengthened, and met US standards for crash tests,etc, I could see them here.

In a ways this is good news, since then Hyundai will have to work even harder to keep the customers happy, and to gain new ones.

[hjr]

Honda, Toyota Rethink U.S. Small Cars

Toyota's announcement of its model changes come as it changes its philosophy of selling small sporty cars, once the mainstay of the brand in the States. A Toyota spokesman confirms to TCC that Toyota is rethinking its approach to the U.S. small car field and will work to fill in its Toyota lineup with small cars that are more appealing and don't compete head to head with Scion, its fledgling youth-car brand. Currently, Toyota's Corolla sedan and Matrix combo is selling well, outpacing last year's mark through June by 5 percent to be the top-selling small car in the U.S. However, its Echo is struggling with sales down 88 percent from 2003.

As Toyota tweaks its small car strategy, Honda Motor Co. said Thursday it plans to launch an entry-level car in the U.S. that is smaller and less expensive than its Civic sedan by 2006, confirming a January report by TCC. It currently does not offer a car in the so-called sub-compact range in the U.S., although its customers say they want one, Senior Managing Director Michiyoshi Hagino said at a press conference. "Our customers have long been demanding a car in the class below the Civic. By 2006 we believe demand will be even stronger and this new car will be a necessity," he told reporters in Tokyo. Based on previous reports, it is likely Honda's U.S. sub-compact will be based off the Jazz/Fit model that is wildly-popular in many other markets, including the U.K. and Japan. -Jack Gilbert


About 06 is when I will be looking to buy!
I hope this does put pressure on Hyundai, and maybe have them "outdo" Japan, Inc, again.( HCD-8, anyone? It is the size of spouses 01 tibby, but maybe a few inches longer wheelbase inside, with V6!).