- published: 11 Aug 2015
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Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding 165 inches (4,191 mm) in length, but larger than a microcar. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a passenger car is classified as subcompact if it has between 85 cubic feet (2,407 L) and 99 cu ft (2,803 L) of interior volume.
In North America, the term "subcompact" came into popular use in the early 1970s. Previously, cars in this size were variously categorized, including "small automobile" and "economy car." This type of car has been around since the 1940s with the Crosley, and in the 1950s with the captive import, the Nash Metropolitan. A number of imported models, notably the Volkswagen Beetle and various small British cars, were also marketed at "economy" cars during this time.
The subcompact market segment expanded in the 1970s with the introduction of new domestic-built models produced by North American automakers in response to the growing popularity of small imported cars from Europe and Japan.