Noun

Singular economy car

Plural economy cars

economy car (plural economy cars)

1. A car - usually small and lightweight - designed for low-cost operation.

   He was so fed up with high gas prices that he traded in his full-sized sport utility vehicle for an economy car.

An economy car is an automobile that is designed for low cost operation. It is designed for a driver who uses their car primarily for personal transportation. The best of these cars are not merely cynically cheapened or miniaturized versions of conventional cars. They are designed by taking an inventive look at how to meet their stringent design constraints, and pushing the boundaries of those design constraints themselves. Many of the most important innovations in general car design, were originally developed for economy cars. Typical economy cars are small, light weight, and inexpensive to buy. Until recently, the size of an economy car was larger and heavier in the USA than those of the rest of the world.

History