I’ve expanded most of our segments slightly this month to include some vehicles that either sell poorly enough to usually drop off our charts, or don’t quite fit into any one segment. For example, the Juke’s widened-Versa platform means it should probably be in a class lower than this one, but it’s selling well enough to earn a spot here, and doesn’t have enough direct competition for a “Crossunder” chart anyway. In any case, the Compact CUV segment is turning into something of a two-car battle between the CR-V and Escape after the close battles of the 2009-2010 period. And with a redesigned CR-V set to debut this year, Honda should pull away here… but that new Cute Ute has been delayed and supply interruptions are coming down the line, all thanks to the Japanese tsunami situation. Which means Ford’s old soldier, the Escape, will continue its unlikely prominence in a segment packed with newer, fancier options. But with a very different next-gen Escape coming down the line, Ford is taking a step into the unknown rather than building on the Escape’s SUV-lite positioning. So even though this chart doesn’t necessarily reflect it, this segment is actually fairly wide open. Game on!
so Cadillac SRX doesnt fit in here? Either that or they had a horrible month for the SRX. I kinda expected Kia & Hyundai to be a bit higher.
I assume that the SRX falls under the “luxury CUV” category.
I agree about Hyundai and Kia – maybe the Tucson and Sportage have been overshadowed by the Elantra/Sonata and Optima, respectively?
April saw 4,380 Caddy SRX sold, which is consistenty with typical 4k per month.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fuel-efficient-vehicles-propel-general-motors-april-us-sales-increase-of-27-percent-121156889.html
Hyundai and Kia are having a difficult time keeping up with demand for the Tucson and Sportage overseas, but they aren’t quite the sales success here.
One problem may be that they were designed primarily for the Euro market so they are probably smaller than what what Americans typically like in a compact CUV and they aren’t giving out the deals that Nissan is on the Rogue.
Another reason is that the “tweener” Kia Sorento offers a lot more space for not that much more $$ – which is probably why the Sorento is the no.1 selling vehicle for Kia.
+1 for “crossunder”. Why no MINI Countryman?
How is that that the Escape can do so well, while the Tribute doesn’t even make the chart? What do people have against Mazda?
The lack of a huge dealer base and advertising/brand recognition is a lot of it, the fact that Ford keeps the Hybrid version to itself doesn’t help either.
Same reason the F-series is the top-selling full-size truck: Chevy & GMC split the sales.
21,683 Ford Escape
2,873 Mazda
= 24,556 total
vs.
17,067 Chevy Equinox
7,205 GMC Terrain
= 24,272 Chevy & GMC Theta
+ 4,380 Caddy SRX
= 28,652 GM Theta
Did the new Elantra cut into Tucson sales?
Also, it’s interesting how the #1 seller, the Honda “scrubbing bubbles” CR-V, is almost at the end of its life cycle. Even stranger is the 10-year-old (well, essentially) Ford Escape at #2! I guess both of those vehicles are still the right fit for buyers in this segment.
I think the old Escape doing so well suggests an enormous amount of people care about real && small SUVs.
And what of that new Ranger? :|
The Escape is only a “real SUV” as much as its Focus roots allow it to be. How is this different than the Rogue, Forrester, Patriot, etc.?
It is boxier, though.
The Escape isn’t based on a Focus. It was spun off an old Mazda 626 platform.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_CD2_platform
The Escape replacement will be based on a Focus, for better or for worse.
Yes. You are wrong. It is an SUV.
Still not seeing how a 626-based platform makes the Escape is any more an SUV, Cole. What’s an Escape got that the CRV, RAV4, or Equinox don’t?
I like the exterior styling of the Escape, but considering it’s age and cheapo interior, I am surprised it is still doing so well. Ford did something right with this one.
I guess I am not getting the “real SUV” thing. It’s an FWD/AWD tall station wagon-esque unibody car platform like the others.
Is it BOF or not?
Can you even have FWD w/ BOF? (Aren’t dump trucks?)
I’m not that wrong.
The Escape has never been body-on-frame. It’s a unibody SUV, like the Honda CR-V that it was introduced to compete with. The Explorer was the smallest body-on-frame SUV that Ford sold until it went unibody recently.
FWD BOF is possible, but makes little sense.
And Dump Trucks are definitely RWD (but could be AWD). It would be stupid to put all the weight on an undriven axle, while putting all the torque into an unladen axle – there would be no traction to put the torque down.
@cole: The Escape is a unibody CUV, not a BOF SUV.
Methinks our friend cole is making a meta-point. As far as the market is concerned, BOF and RWD are one big WTF. Those things were never really the point anyway. The Escape looks more like an SUV than the (newer) competition and, surprise, it sells better. Something like methadone for the Explorer binge. As I wrote in the OP, I think Ford’s Euro-Kuga-Vertrek replacement is a risk for precisely this reason.
Maybe Cole is thinking of the original Explorer, I think it was based on the Ranger truck chassis, as the Expedition was based on the F-150.
As poster boy for the crowd who thinks that BMWs are FWD and manual transmission means you can flick the stick +/-, cole is doing just fine.
He’s still completely wrong.
What!
We weren’t even talking about any of those things
@cole: sorry, bro, you happened to be making the wrong remarks about the Escape, confusing assumptions & appearances for technical engineering.
That we were discussing my misunderstanding of BMWs is the most wrong remark on the whole page.
And also don’t just think I thought it was BOF because of the way it appeared. Just dont assume!
So that is why I think I’ve seen all of one Tiguan on the road. Perhaps VW should focus on cars…
If they’re going to continue selling the Tiguan in North America, they need to get the 2.0 TDI certified in it. Preferably without using urea. I’m not sure why they still aren’t offering a TDI version. Except that VWAG/VWoA are clueless.
“So that is why I think I’ve seen all of one Tiguan on the road. Perhaps VW should focus on cars…”
Maybe once prospective VW buyers look at a Passat or Jetta wagon they realize how worthless the Tiguan, like the rest of these cute utes, is!
Seriously, who would rather have a Compass over a Juke? The Juke is way better!
The Compass and the Liberty suffer from the Caliber platform, but really suffer because the Jeep name requires the 4WD option, and the compromises that have to be made for that off-road capability makes them less competitive against AWD road SUVs. They both end up doing poorly against real Jeeps too.
As for who would rather have one than a Juke, thousands of people. The Compass and Liberty combined would have placed fifth, ahead of the Rogue, and either alone tops the Juke. Check the MSRP and cash on the hood. A LOT of people like them at those prices.
The Compass and the Liberty suffer from the Caliber platform…
You mean Patriot? The Liberty and Caliber are completely different.
I would rather have a Compass than a Juke, but I am even happier with neither.
I would rather suffer through a pre facelifted Compass then go anywhere near a Juke. Besides the fact that its ugly as sin, its also smaller and for the most part more expensive.
We have a 2011 Equinox LS FWD –
Claimed mpg is 32 highway –
Try maybe 25mpg –
We have a 07 HHR with essentially the same drivetrain that stays North of 35mpg combined –
This was at a computer displayed average speed of 27 mile/hr –
Not exactly freeway miles –
In fact every GM vehicle (14) we have owned beat the EPA highway stated mpg window sticker in combined driving cycle –
Lots of Equinox owners crabbing also –
Think maybe GM got a special break now that they are Obama based ?
Isn’t the Equinox about 1000 lbs heavier than an HHR? I’d expect on a level road at 55mph, the Equi could still see 32mpg though.
A computer displayed average speed of 27 miles per hour suggests that you should not be comparing your achieved fuel economy with the EPA Highway rating. Maybe the combined. Top gear these days is very much chosen for fuel economy, but that means you can’t really use it below maybe 45MPH. Equinox, like many current vehicles from several manufacturers, have a very large difference between the city and highway ratings.
Other than that, you have proven that you drive differently than the EPA rating cycles. Maybe those ratings should include some kind of disclaimer. Perhaps something like, “Your mileage may vary.”
Ed, should I make anything of the fact that the last 4 or 5 Sales Charts that TTAC has posted have a Chevrolet in 2nd or 3rd spot? Toyota is in a strong sales position and that’s indicated by their #1 or #2 placement, consistently. With this observation about Chevy might someone come to a similar conclusion regarding their brand? I know sales are not equal to profit but consistent sales leadership (if it’s not fleet based) might improve the brand image and lead to greater (not great, greater) profitability. Or is this just a flash in the pan or an anomaly?
@celebrity208- GM did report $2B in profit for Q1 2011 before special additions and deductions resulted in a net total profit of $3.2B for the quarter.
GM forecasts higher profits in the remainng quarters of the year.
I can’t help but note that platform mates, Equinox/Terrain alone outsell CR-V and with HHR YTD sales total 114,797 making GM by far the largest seller in this segment.
Well, that chart belies the fact that GM is aheadm of YTD sales in this category by 8,000 units over the CR-V. And I can tell you this, Its very, very hard to find a rental Equinox of Terrain. (well at least in my area anyway.)