Maybe traffic here in Mayberry II is slow enough that the Chevette’s performance is acceptable for many. But when the Chevette was introduced it was somewhat popular as were all manner of minimalist compact sedans and mini trucks. Those of us who experienced Stagflation with 18% interest on automobile loans can recall how desperate the situation was. “It was the best of times-It was the worst of times,” as Dickens would have said. The Chevette’s poor reputation seems underserved to some of us though.
The Chevette was a luxury car compared to a King Midget. Electric start was an option and the windshield wiper was crank operated. In 1953, the King Midget was powered by a 1 cylinder Wisconsin engine.
And there was the Crosley, of course
and almost a Cadet
http://www.examiner.com/article/1948-chevrolet-cadet-history-making-influential-and-forgotten
No doubt, Americans as a whole just don’t care for economical transportation. Give us Escalades or give us death.
And I would bet that I am the only poster on this board who has driven on of these in a race against a Mustang.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrB8pgz2T9V7VgARMkunIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsZ29xY3ZzBHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEc2xrA2J1dHRvbg--;ylc=X1MDMTM1MTE5NTY5NARfcgMyBGJjawM0M2ttZWlkYTFsbnVxJTI2YiUzRDQlMjZkJTNEbUhCaWdPSnJZSDB5cnZjR012REdWTU4xcUUxMlhUTDJiT0JLZnRyVTZZbndFQS0tJTI2cyUzRG1tBGZyA3locy1tb3ppbGxhLTAwMwRncHJpZANFaUxTVnR6dFRkS1ZsYkFUUVhtR3NBBG10ZXN0aWQDbnVsbARuX3N1Z2cDMTAEb3JpZ2luA2ltYWdlcy5zZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzE1BHF1ZXJ5A2J1ZyBleWVkIHNwcml0ZQR0X3N0bXADMTQzMDI0Nzg0MgR2dGVzdGlkA251bGw-?gprid=EiLSVtztTdKVlbATQXmGsA&pvid=4BOpAzY5LjFB0s6TVBrf2gyPOTguMgAAAAB.Nwu&p=bug+eyed+sprite&fr=yhs-mozilla-003&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&ei=UTF-8&n=60&x=wrt&hsimp=yhs-003&hspart=mozilla
Basic transportation these days seems to mean “no bluetooth sync to the car’s entertainment system” but of course we still have automatic transmissions, electric windows and keyless entry. And the basics like fuel injection, ABS, TPMS, ESC and airbags
A Bugeye (or Frogeye to you Brits) Sprite! Are you short enough, @Rod Knox to see through the windshield or did you look OVER it like a friend of mine had to?
I hunkered down behind the windscreen to improve the aerodynamics @Mustangman. That 65 CI engine needed all the help I could give it.
We used to drag race in our Fraternity parking lot. My Big Brother drove his Sprite and I drove my Austin America. We might have gotten to 30 by the time we traversed the lot and had to hit the brakes. Every once in a while we switched cars. Not fast, but lots of fun.
I like the idea of basic simple transport, but a 78 Chevette wouldn’t be my choice, even if it was brand new just off the production line. The main reason is the carburetor. The simplicity and drivability advantages of electronic fuel injection are just too great to ever go back to a carb’d engine.
Next door neighbor in '81 had a '78 Chevette. Stick shift. It was OK around town, but I didn’t like it one bit on the freeway. I could come up with a boatload of other econo-boxes I’d choose before considering one of these. Definately not one of GM’s finer hours…
my mom had a suburu van in the 70 s that was about the size of a beetle. not a volkswagon beetle, an actual beetle. it was supposedly brought over from japan and not sold here. I have only seen similar ones in Godzilla movies
Personally, I never thought the Chevette was any better or any worse than many other small Econoboxes of that era.
One of, if not the worst, Econoboxes performance-wise was the VW Diesel Rabbits of that time.
Zero to 60 could be measured in sunrises… 
“And there was the Crosley…”
I checked it out…and it looks like the cast-iron powerplant (i.e. NOT the brazed-together one) was a decently reliable engine. I think I might like owning a little Crosley pickup as a utility micro-hauler (provided I didn’t have to take it on the highway, ever).
Even better would be a farm-o-road with a PTO for a mower deck: forget hauling a riding mower to a job in a pickup–just drive up to the house IN the mower and start mowing!
I agree with @ok4450 It was the equal of all those other Eco cars…but by today’s standards, they are really poor. If you live on a small island and have several Junkers on hand for parts, it might be worth the effort if you have too much free time on your hands.
The original Subaru was imported by a shyster who later went on to con the Canadian government into financing his Gull Wing plastic car (the Bricklin) which was a complete flop.
Consumer Reports tested the Subaru and found it “wholly inadequate” as a safe and comfortable vehicle for US roads. It was a good lesson for Subaru as to what it takes to succeed in the North American car market.
Early on Subaru offered a 360cc 2 stroke powered sub mini. They were somewhat common in Japan in 1970 while I was there. The gas cap had a cup attached for measuring the proper oil to blend with the fuel. Japan’s culture, geography, population density and extremely narrow streets in old downtown areas makes for some peculiar transportation options. And the 100,000km recertification requirement results in rapid depreciation there.
As I understand it, the re-certification process creates a great used car market for less stringent Pacific Rim countries to import Japanese used cars. That was explained to me by a New Zealander driving a late model RHD Toyota. Fits their and the Aussie markets since they drive on the left, too. It artificially pumps up auto sales in Japan and makes it very expensive to own cars there. Funny how they last 2-300,000 miles while they generally don’t see that in their home market.
Crosley gear-driven OHC.
The cheap new car back in the late 1950s was the 1957 and 1958 Studebaker Scotsman. It was offered in three version: 1) 2 door sedan; 2) 4 door sedan; 3) 2 door station wagon. It wasn’t fast, but it would out accelerate a VW Beetle, the Renault Dauphine, the Morris Minor and most other 4 cylinder imports. All models of the Scotsman would carry 6 passengers. With the optional overdrive transmission, one could attain over 30 mpg on the highway.
The options were few–overdrive, positive traction rear axle, right hand sun visor, electric wipers instead of vacuum wipers. A radio had to be purchased on the aftermarket. The heater was the old recirculating box under the dashboard. It did provide adequate heat–more than that of the VW Beetle. The trim was Spartan, there was no interior dome light, the choke was operated by hand, but it was a full-sized car compared to the imports or the Rambler American. It was truly basic family transportation.
@Mustangman Yes, ten year old Japanese cars in good condition can be found in many countries where they drive on the left side. Cheap Japanese used cars nearly ruined the Irish used car market, and dealers petitioned the government to put a stop to it.
Japanese upscale cars make great “limousine” taxis in Malaysia too. In Bolivia, where they drive on the right, they simply move the steering column and pedals to the other side, but leave all the dashboard items in place. They end up with the steering column coming up through the glove box, and the passenger is asked to see how much “gasoline” the gage shows.
Bolivia is a poor country without a car industry and the prospect of importing a very good., low mileage car for about $300 (scrap value in Japan) helps the country.