Europe's SUV market also downsizing
It's become common to hear how big trucks and SUVs are not selling well in the U.S. these days. But it's not just in the States where people are rethinking just how useful a road tank is. Automotive News Europe has a story (subs req'd) on the hit that big SUVs are taking on the continent. Unlike in the U.S., it's not just high fuel prices that are driving the trend in Europe (prices have been high there for a while), but it is the combination of those prices and the new CO2-based taxes implemented by various governments.
Sales of some models - ANE lists the Volvo XC90 and the Hyundai Santa Fe - are down almost 40 percent compared to last year. Customers may still be looking for SUV capabilities in their rides, but are willing to pack people into smaller, cleaner models. This means that the overall SUV market in Europe is down only slightly, thanks in part to big sales of the BMW X5, which benefits from the marque's EfficientDynamics technology.
[Source: Automotive News Europe (subs req'd)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris 12:35PM (7/07/2008)
I took note of AutoBlogGreen's article at the end of June http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/06/26/paramount-tuners-get-more-for-their-diesel-16-more-they-say/ and ordered the sweet aftermarket item and now I get over 30MPG from my Mercedes ML320 CDI turbodiesel "Road Tank." Yes you can have your cake and eat it too!
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Mr. Blake 1:23PM (7/07/2008)
In all likelihood, large SUV's like the Suburban will become all but extinct here in the U.S., and our auto market will more closely resemble that of Europe. It causes me to wonder how long it will be until compacts become our daily drivers and my Grand Prix begins to seem like a gas guzzler...
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BlackbirdHighway 2:23PM (7/07/2008)
Hey, people need those big SUVs to tow boats!
Haven't you noticed all the people towing invisible boats to the office, the grocery store, the nail salon, the drycleaners ...?