Trump's "Tiny Cars" Has Huge Hurdles. People Say "Let The Market Decide." But It Already Did.

President Donald Trump's recent post on Truth Social.

President Trump's recent announcement about "tiny cars" being built in America has brought out some interesting online discussions, including in some groups I admin. I keep hearing "let the market decide." But people seem to forget that the market already decided not very long ago. 

Nissan Versa Note

Remember subcompact cars? (Well, you're here, aren't you?) We've run Subcompact Culture for 18 years. We tracked subcompact car sales until about 2019. We saw the decline of small cars starting around 2010. We had many tiny cars that weren't terribly expensive, were fuel-efficient, and practical. They're all gone sans the MINI, the electric Fiat 500, and the Mazda MX-5 Miata. And just in case you forgot:

• Ford Festiva: Dead, 2019

• Ford EcoSport: Dead, 2022

• Chevrolet Spark: Dead, 2022

• Chevrolet Sonic: Dead, 2020

• Mazda2: Dead, 2014

• Scion xB (original): Dead, 2006

• Scion xA: Dead, 2006

• Scion iQ: Dead, 2015

• Toyota Yaris: Dead, 2020

• Toyota Prius c: Dead, 2019

• Honda Fit: Dead, 2020

• Fiat 500: Dead, 2019

• Smart ForTwo: Dead, 2019

• Mitsubishi Mirage: Dead, 2024

• Nissan Versa Note: Dead, 2019

• Nissan Cube: Dead, 2014

• Hyundai Accent: Dead, 2022

• Hyundai Veloster: Dead, 2022

• Kia Rio: Dead, 2023

• Kia Rio 5: Dead, 2023

We Bought Small Cars In Our House

Our 2007 Toyota Yaris

Our household actually bought small cars new: a 2005 Scion xB (Toyota), a 2007 Toyota Yaris (above), a 2009 Suzuki SX4, and a 2010 Suzuki SX4. All those cars are gone from the North American market. Why? No one bought them. 

The market decided once, and it'll likely decide again. But people seem to have forgotten we had scads of "tiny car" offerings in the U.S.—and no one wanted them. 

Don't Get Me Wrong: I Want Cheap Tiny Cars

Should the U.S. actually get a rash of small car offerings, I'd be thrilled. I'd have more to write about on Subcompact Culture, too. I'd probably get in line and even buy one (We already have a Suzuki Jimny Wide in my fleet.) 

Trust me: I want this to happen. But if history is a predictor (and the 2000s weren't the first decline of small, affordable cars), I think this is unlikely to come to fruition.