All Cars, All the Time

Older Buyers Poised to Overtake Another Model


First they took over the Honda Element then they search for love on the Internet and now they're running away with Dodge Calibers. Why won't older buyers drive the Avalons and Lacrosses like the marketing data says they are supposed to? Maybe because they are they are looking for four door cars in the right price range with good fuel economy and insurance rates. Huh. Just like younger buyers. I don't know when manufacturers and their marketing mavens are going to figure this one out. Years ago my 70 year old aunt rented a Lumina Euro that had a firmer suspension and better handling than the regular model. She wanted to buy the car from the agency on the spot. Why? I handled a lot better than her Buick did and she liked the feeling of control she when driving the car. And that, folks, was a Lumina! Of course manufacturers sometimes start to sweat when they see older buyers flock to a newly minted "young persons" car lest they cast a pall on the model and scare away "the kids." The bottom line is people of all ages can be attracted to a car that has something to offer. It looks like the Caliber might be such a car. I'm just bummed that the 300hp SRT model isn't going to be AWD. Original Automotive News article here.