Trump wants U.S. carmakers to make a tiny car. Why it won’t happen.
The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
“My best guess is that neither Trump or Duffy really know what the hell they are talking about,” Brooks said. “We could have been importing, building and driving smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles for decades at this point, but the auto industry and car buyers chose to go larger, and that’s where we sit.”
By Jamie L. LaReau
December 5, 2025
The auto executives representing the Detroit Three stood in the Oval Office stone-faced, softly nodding as President Donald Trump proposed on Dec. 3 that they start thinking about making tiny, inexpensive cars for the U.S. market that are similar to ones popular in Japan.
It’s an idea that likely will never happen, auto industry analysts said. In part, because it’s been tried already and failed — U.S. car buyers prioritize utility over price. Plus, the cars Trump referred to would never withstand the safety standards needed to protect drivers on U.S. roads.
Trump’s raving about the small cars followed his announcement proposing to ease the stringent fuel efficiency requirements made under former President Joe Biden’s administration. Trump followed his praise and endorsement of tiny cars by then heaping praise on Ford Motor’s full-size F-150 pickup, a vehicle the president also admires.
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