Compact car is a largely North American term denoting an automobile smaller than a mid-size car, but larger than an subcompact variant.
Compact cars usually have wheelbases between 100 inches (2,540 mm) and 105 inches (2,667 mm). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a "Compact" car as measuring between 100 cubic feet (2.8 m3) and 109 cubic feet (3.1 m3) of combined passenger and cargo volume capacity. Vehicle class size is defined in the U.S. by environmental laws in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40—Protection of Environment, Section 600.315-82 Classes of comparable automobiles. Passenger car classes are defined based on interior volume index or seating capacity, except automobiles classified as a special vehicle such as those with only two designated seating positions.
In North America, currently the compact segment has a significant share of 16% of US market. This segment is dominated by non-American models from Toyota Group, Honda Group and Hyundai together with its controlled Kia, trough successful models as Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, and Kia Forte. The Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze are successful American compacts.
Among the 2012 new models, General Motors launched the Buick Verano and Chrysler launched the new Dodge Dart. As a confirmation that this segment is more popular in Europe than in the US, those two models are based on two European counterparts (respectively the Opel Astra and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta).
Last news for 2012 is the Honda FCX, first production model of hydrogen fuel cell automobiles manufactured by Honda.
Read more about Compact Car: European Market, Japanese Market
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