People look for a variety of attributes when they’re looking for a new car: economy, comfort, horsepower; but younger Americans also want a little bit of…quirk. That’s what carmakers are counting on, at any rate. Take a look at a roundup of recent models and you’ll find a bevy of small, economically friendly cars that practically scream quirk—from the paint schemes available on the new Chevy Spark (Techno Pink and Jalapeno are two of the colors available) to the off-kilter versatility of Ford’s Transit Connect (which despite its looks, no one at Ford ever will call a minivan). In truth, automakers have to find new connection points with younger buyers. Consumers from Generation Y are far less likely to be brand loyal than their parents, and they shy away from anything that feels like something their mothers or fathers might buy. (Time)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com, and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife Wendy and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.