Car designs cater to the American public

by Abigail Knowles Wolfe (BPRW)

Compact and subcompact cars are more fuel efficient and easier to maintain yet sometimes hinder the expression of the active American lifestyle. Families carting children to soccer and football practices need to store heavy equipment, carpooling with friends and children’s young teammates. Commuters accessing busy expressways and regular highway commutes worry about car safety features in the matter of unforeseen accidents. The American consumer market wants the best of both worlds, reasonable gas mileage incorporated into a smooth, comfortable ride.

For the first time the Honda Accord sedan has been classified by the EPA as a large car. Honda’s 2008 model weighs around 1500 pounds more than the original subcompact introduced in the late 1970’s and has added an additional foot and a half of length to a car that is evolving more and more into the American consumer ideal. Furthermore, the original 68 horsepower 1.6 liter engine has been upgraded to a 2.4 liter, four-cylinder engine with 180 horses under the hood. The same engine in more luxurious models offers 190 horses or 47.5 horses per cylinder. The V-6 model utilizes Honda’s noteworthy cylinder management system that allows the engine to save fuel by switching between three, four or six cylinders depending on road conditions.

The Honda Accord sedan is amongst the top ten most purchased vehicles in the African American community according to recent statistics. A 2005 study released by “Target Market News® The Black Consumer Market Authority” reported that automakers and sellers can improve their chances of selling to the African American community by better understanding the expectations and values of the black consumer. Honda was listed as the sixth car maker out of the 10 most purchased brands for African Americans in 2005 yet experts believe that Honda can climb higher up the ranks if focused more of the black consumers’ expectations and self-perception. Costumer care, purchase incentives and vehicle reliability are all factors that inspire continued brand loyalty within the African American community.