Crossover utility vehicles overtake cars as the most popular light-duty vehicle type

[thackney]

Crossover utility vehicles overtake cars as the most popular light-duty vehicle type
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=36674



Trends in the sales shares of new light-duty vehicles by vehicle type have continued as the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) share of light-duty vehicles has increased, largely at the expense of cars, despite increases in gasoline prices over the previous two years. In each month since September 2017, sales of CUVs have exceeded those of cars, a class that includes sedans, hatchbacks, and sports cars.

CUVs, which typically have ride height and interior space similar to truck-based sport utility vehicles (SUVs), are built on more fuel-efficient, car-based platforms and often have fuel economies that are only slightly lower than comparable cars. Vehicle sales shares for pickups, SUVs, and other vehicle types—which typically have much lower fuel economy than sedans and many CUVs—have remained relatively constant in recent years, with pickup shares showing comparatively modest gains.

Although CUVs and cars are built on similar platforms, CUVs often have slightly lower fuel economy than their comparable sedan counterparts (for example, the Toyota RAV4 CUV versus the Toyota Camry sedan), even when they are equipped with the same engine and transmission. However, the change in vehicle shares from cars to CUVs had less effect on fuel consumption compared with other historical shifts in sales, such as the shift from cars to SUVs in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The relatively small variability in annual fuel costs has not been enough to change purchasing trends in the same way that consumers exchanged low fuel economy SUVs for cars and CUVs in the peak of the recession in 2009. At that time, replacing a 20 mile-per-gallon (mpg) vehicle with a 30-mpg vehicle would save an annual 250 gallons when driven 15,000 miles, at a cost savings ranging from $500 ($2/gallon) to $1,000 ($4/gallon).

CUVs often have fuel economy ratings that are more comparable to cars than to the fuel economy ratings of SUVs or pickups. Also, as fuel economy increases, cost savings from fuel consumption reductions decrease. For example, a consumer who drives 15,000 miles per year using a 35-mpg sedan consumes about 429 gallons of gasoline annually, while a 30-mpg CUV traveling the same distance would consume 500 gallons, a difference of 71 gallons. That difference in gasoline consumption would cost $143 to $285 annually with gasoline prices in the range of $2/gallon to $4/gallon.

[Jazzhead]

As expensive as new cars are nowadays,  it makes sense to make one's primary vehicle the practical CUV.   The trend is evidenced by the growth in small CUVs, which (for the most part) are ugly as sin,  but able to carry the groceries and more.  Cars are increasingly seen as second vehicles or vanity purchases (see, e.g., Ford, which soon will produce only the Mustang for the American market).   

Of course, the trend I've been hoping for years has never materialized - the return of the station wagon.   I don't believe there's a single domestic choice out there anymore in that category.   My house and garage are over 100 years old,  and CUVs are just too wide to fit (or, if they're small enough, look like guinea pigs on wheels).   So, inevitably, my last car was a used car,  a first-gen Caddy SRX that's quite simply the biggest garage-able vehicle I could find. 

[roamer_1]

The trend is evidenced by the growth in small CUVs, which (for the most part) are ugly as sin,  but able to carry the groceries and more.

Of course, the trend I've been hoping for years has never materialized - the return of the station wagon.   I don't believe there's a single domestic choice out there anymore in that category. 

My tenure in construction as a painter has put me solidly in the mini-van category. The head room working out of a minivan is far better than a wagon, or anything else. Subaru makes a great wagon, but the room available in a minivan just knocks em out of the park.

And cheap... FWD Dodge caravans are always laying around with a busted tranny. Buy one up for 500 bucks, buy a tranny for it for a grand, and beat it like a rented mule for 100,000 miles.

[Jazzhead]

And cheap... FWD Dodge caravans are always laying around with a busted tranny. Buy one up for 500 bucks, buy a tranny for it for a grand, and beat it like a rented mule for 100,000 miles.

I had a Ford Windstar back in the day,  and it was probably the worst vehicle I've ever owned.  For the next 25 years, I was a Mopar guy.   The Caddy I bought last year was the first GM vehicle I'd owned since college.   

[Frank Cannon]

Crossovers are a better design than a sedan.

[roamer_1]

I had a Ford Windstar back in the day,  and it was probably the worst vehicle I've ever owned.  For the next 25 years, I was a Mopar guy.   The Caddy I bought last year was the first GM vehicle I'd owned since college.

Other than Dodge vans, I am still a Chevy guy. Everything else I own is either Chevy or converted to Chevy (Jeep CJ5)... But then, that van is a '98, I think, and everything else is from the 70's and 80's. My pickup is a 78.

I have trouble getting past the 80's. Every time I do, I get bit. Either it's a total POS, or it costs a mint to fix, or I can't fix it myself, and have to pay some chooch 90 bucks an hour to fix it wrong. 

[Smokin Joe]

My tenure in construction as a painter has put me solidly in the mini-van category. The head room working out of a minivan is far better than a wagon, or anything else. Subaru makes a great wagon, but the room available in a minivan just knocks em out of the park.

And cheap... FWD Dodge caravans are always laying around with a busted tranny. Buy one up for 500 bucks, buy a tranny for it for a grand, and beat it like a rented mule for 100,000 miles.

I drove a Chevy cargo van (G10) for 180,000 oilfield miles. About 300K on it when I put the antique plates on it and put it out to pasture (Second engine, second tranny rebuild). I liked the idea of my gear being out of the weather, being able to lock it all up, and being able to get in back and take a nap on long hauls.
I even hauled motorcycles in the back, including a vintage Servicar.
I was so sold on a van, that by the time I had worn that one out, I bought a 1 ton Express, off lease, 500K highway miles, but runs well and in good shape (no rust) for work.  In town, I like a GMC Safari AWD I picked up cheap from a rental place, because its turning radius is well inside the Dodge Caravan (had one of those, too, but it got real quirky electrical/electronic problems). Nimble and easy to park, has the half hatch with the lower doors in back, good for hauling small loads, groceries, or parts.
If I'm not hauling gear, the Suburban or the pickup for dump runs. None of the vehicles cost over 3 grand, all are paid for, bought used, and all are old enough to vote. Mrs. Joe has her suburban (Grandma's 'taxi').
Total initial outlay for the fleet was under 10K for the herd. Biggest expense afterwards was for new tires, aside from fuel.

[truth_seeker]

As expensive as new cars are nowadays,  it makes sense to make one's primary vehicle the practical CUV.   The trend is evidenced by the growth in small CUVs, which (for the most part) are ugly as sin,  but able to carry the groceries and more.  Cars are increasingly seen as second vehicles or vanity purchases (see, e.g., Ford, which soon will produce only the Mustang for the American market).   

Of course, the trend I've been hoping for years has never materialized - the return of the station wagon.   I don't believe there's a single domestic choice out there anymore in that category.   

Re. Wagons. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo, VW have made multiple sizes for the US market, all along. Acura has one now.

The fact the US makers left this market, is just part of their brilliant management, shedding market share, since the 70s.

Since sedans and CUVs use unibodies, there is not much difference.

S BMW 3 series wagon, and their X1 utility vehicle, use the same chassis and drivetrain. The X1 is less costly to buy, but has more interior room.

Thereis a market, but the domestics won't bother to compete. 

[roamer_1]

I drove a Chevy cargo van (G10) for 180,000 oilfield miles. About 300K on it when I put the antique plates on it and put it out to pasture (Second engine, second tranny rebuild).

I am first and foremost a pickup man... But I'll admit, I had some of my best times in a full size chevy utility van...Took the time to make all my gear boxes modular for that thing, and on the weekend, I could pull all my crap out of it, shove in the modular camping crap, and off I'd go. Other than the 2wd, I loved that ol girl...

Got another one of em sitting out back at the farm, a 76 that's going through a 1T 4wd conversion... 454, Stick, and a drop-gear overdrive... Even on 36's it's a sky-jacked sombich. Tippy. Kinda glad I ran out of fun tickets. I have a mid 80's suburban I am probably going to do instead... take it all out of that van, and hang it on the suburban.

If I'm not hauling gear, the Suburban or the pickup for dump runs. None of the vehicles cost over 3 grand, all are paid for, bought used, and all are old enough to vote. Mrs. Joe has her suburban (Grandma's 'taxi').
Total initial outlay for the fleet was under 10K for the herd. Biggest expense afterwards was for new tires, aside from fuel.

Yep. The CJ is one I built back in the day... The guy I built it for checked out of this ol world  a couple years past, and his widow sent it back my way... Had twenty years on it, so it was tired, so I did a re-ring on the ol 327 in it, gave the whole thing a fresh coat of Hugger Orange (the whole Jeep, I mean), brakes, and some upholstery.... and rebuilt the Warn winch just for giggles... I ain't got $1500 in the whole thing, other than the new Cooper 12.50x33's on her paws... 

The pickup is a bit of a problem. It's awful tired, and ready for a rebuild. Lost 2nd gear in it, so it's a bugger to drive... Just found an 83 1T 4x4 Cowboy Cadillac ... Fat-fendered dually loaded Silverado with a blown motor... Got a 427 back in the shed ready to go, so that's probably where I am gonna go...

Dunno yet. The pickup's a touchy thing. It's got an onboard air compressor and generator, and the sawbox, dump bed, removable cherry-picker, ladder racks, and mechanically operated hydraulics for either the bed or the plow... Shoveling all that onto another rig is almost as bad as rebuilding the rig that it's on.

So the skyjacked Suburban grandkid gitter is probably the next trick, while I stew on the pickup. By then I will be having to switch out the minivan... and so it goes... 

But yeah... same thing... Antique plates cost 100 bucks, and then I don't pay no more... Getting tough though. Getting hard to find the parts...

Wish I could bust into the 90's or 00's, but they suck. Just for starters, any one of them is going to need a straight axle conversion, just to be able to work at all, and all the trannys suck no matter brand or size. By the time you get it all back to analog, and heavy duty, it ain't worth the trouble.

[jmyrlefuller]

Re. Wagons. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo, VW have made multiple sizes for the US market, all along. Acura has one now.

The fact the US makers left this market, is just part of their brilliant management, shedding market share, since the 70s.

Since sedans and CUVs use unibodies, there is not much difference.

S BMW 3 series wagon, and their X1 utility vehicle, use the same chassis and drivetrain. The X1 is less costly to buy, but has more interior room.

Thereis a market, but the domestics won't bother to compete.

I have heard that much of the move from wagons (disclaimer: proud station wagon driver) to CUV's is regulatory. The bailout-era push to boost mileage put so much focus on cars that mid-sized and larger sedans and wagons got the squeeze, and the manufacturers decided to get around them with the CUV, which could be classified for regulatory purposes as a truck.

[truth_seeker]

I have heard that much of the move from wagons (disclaimer: proud station wagon driver) to CUV's is regulatory. The bailout-era push to boost mileage put so much focus on cars that mid-sized and larger sedans and wagons got the squeeze, and the manufacturers decided to get around them with the CUV, which could be classified for regulatory purposes as a truck.

Perhaps that is part of it. With my wife, when I first wanted a wagon she would hear none of it. Ourdaughter was grown, and she associated a wagon image with a child-mobile. A nice pickup was fine, though.

Next I wanted an SUV but couldn't interest her, until it was a lux brand. Finally I got my station wagon.

It was an Audi Allroad..luxury and performance to the max. plus all wheel drive. She resisted UNTIL she drove it. Her comment was "I didn't even know that a wagon could be like THAT!!

Hands down, both of us call it our favorite vehicle, ever. I regreted not buying it at lease end.

[thackney]

I have heard that much of the move from wagons (disclaimer: proud station wagon driver) to CUV's is regulatory. The bailout-era push to boost mileage put so much focus on cars that mid-sized and larger sedans and wagons got the squeeze, and the manufacturers decided to get around them with the CUV, which could be classified for regulatory purposes as a truck.

Likely true.  EPA does classify these smaller "SUV"s as trucks.

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/2018ClassList.shtml

[dfwgator]

Well, so much for the glaciers.

[GtHawk]

Remember the bad old days when car companies made station wagons? We can't have those, their not functional enough(or more truthful, they were too functional), now we get 'crossovers' that are neither meat nor foul, sometimes bigger than a car but smaller than a SUV. Why the heck don't they just make a damn station wagon again? Oh I know there are companies that put out piddly sized things they laughingly refer too as station wagons but nobody has made a real station wagon since 1996.

Anyone remember this BEAST? The 1996 Roadmaster, the last true station wagon!

[Jazzhead]

Roadmaster - best car name ever!

C'mon, who wouldn't love barrellin' down the boulevard in a "Roadmaster"?   

[GtHawk]

Roadmaster - best car name ever!

C'mon, who wouldn't love barrellin' down the boulevard in a "Roadmaster"?   

Definitely stylin in 1936



The first Roadmaster wagon was no slouch.