US SUV sales plummet

[Pangloss]

Sales of SUVs are plummeting. These numbers are really huge -- perhaps unprecedented in the history of domestic auto sales.

 

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P131570.asp?GT1=7159

 

Sales of the perennial best-selling SUV, the Ford Explorer, dropped by 58% compared with September 2004. Its larger kin, the Ford Expedition, which gets 14 mpg in city driving, saw sales drop 61%. Ford stopped producing its even larger SUV, the Excursion, last month.

 

GM’s full-size SUVs, due to be replaced with more fuel-efficient models next year, fell 56%. Sales of its Hummer H2 – so heavy it doesn’t fall under the EPA’s fuel-mileage ratings system -- were off by 31%, but the brand’s smaller new SUV, the H3, is off to a brisk start. It’s rated at 16 mpg in city driving.

 

Toyota moved 46% fewer of its immense Sequoia sport-utilities, rated at 15 mpg city, and sales of its smaller SUVs were off sharply as well. Sales of Honda’s largest SUV, the Pilot, fell 26%. Nissan sold 20% fewer of its 13-mpg Armadas.

 

"These are lifestyle-changing prices," said James Toedtman, editor of the AARP Bulletin, in a statement.

 

Fascinating. I had no idea they were dropping that fast. It could end up beign a spike, and no doubt the numbers are being enhanced by the end of the hugely popular "Employee Discount Pricing" program, but as Toedtman states, this really looks like a major shift in the market.

[bascule]

I just hope I never have to hear "It's got a HEMI!" again

[Phi for All]

And on the flip-side, hybrid and small car sales are going through the roof. Toyota announced at the end of September that they only had a 20-hour supply on their Prius hybrid. They are coming out soon with a Camry hybrid that is expected to outsell every hybrid model to date.

 

I'm so glad it looks like the oil crunch has curbed the automaker's plans for fuel cell designs. When I found out that the hydrogen cells would be using petroleum anyway I just shook my head.

 

Ford and GM have always mispredicted the market on economy cars. They were late to join the compact revolution and when they did they fell short with the Pinto and the Vega. Crappy cars that even had crappy names, like they were ashamed of them for being small (pinto = multi-colored pony, vega = lowland). They've come a long way on quality but they still want to sell big gas-guzzlers over economy cars.

[Tetrahedrite]

Its larger kin, the Ford Expedition, which gets 14 mpg in city driving, saw sales drop 61%.

 

*Does quick calculation*

*Gets a shock*

 

That's only 5 Km per litre!!!

 

I do around 800 Km a week, in that car it would be equivalent to 160 Litres / week. At todays prices that would equate to $212 per week (or a third of my total income)!!!! No wonder the sales are dropping.

 

BTW I also drive a 4WD, but it get the eqivalent of 30 mpg!!!

[john5746]

Ford and GM have always mispredicted the market on economy cars. They were late to join the compact revolution and when they did they fell short with the Pinto and the Vega. Crappy cars that even had crappy names, like they were ashamed of them for being small (pinto = multi-colored pony, vega = lowland). They've come a long way on quality but they still want to sell big gas-guzzlers over economy cars.

 

One reason is that they give what the US consumer wants. Gas wasn't expensive enough for people to pay a premium on a hybrid. Plus, the western mind tends toward innovation in leaps - catapult from gas to something else.

 

Well, the market is finally asking for fuel efficiency. So, what was idiotic for the government to demand a couple of years ago is now demanded by the public. Well, the Japanese have a solution that is ready.

[AL]

Hmm...interesting there's no mention in the article about sales performance of the hybrid SUVs, like the Ford Escape Hybrid, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The Highlander in particular is an impressive piece of engineering. It's rated at 30 mpg (combined hwy/city) with room for 7. Of course, actual fuel efficiency is probably lower, but it's still as good as many compact cars, so the market can have its cake and eat it too.

 

The Escape has been out a while now, but I'm guessing the Highlander is too new a release to for us to get any good sales data on.

[H W Copeland]

*Does quick calculation*

*Gets a shock*

 

That's only 5 Km per litre!!!

 

I do around 800 Km a week' date=' in that car it would be equivalent to 160 Litres / week. At todays prices that would equate to $212 per week (or a third of my total income)!!!! No wonder the sales are dropping.

 

BTW I also drive a 4WD, but it get the eqivalent of 30 mpg!!![/quote']

 

Is it? I get close to 6 km pr litre. 5.965 to be more exact.

 

It looks like it would only use up 28% of your total income.

[ku]

Those environmentalists who burnt SUVs would be happy. Forget street protests. From now on target oil refineries and create war in the Middle-East.

[Tetrahedrite]

Is it? I get close to 6 km pr litre. 5.965 to be more exact.

 

It looks like it would only use up 28% of your total income.

According to my calcs, the actual value is 4.956 km/L. Maybe I'm using the wrong conversion factors:

 

1 mile = 1.61 kilometres

 

1 gallon = 4.546 Litres

 

* realises mistake *

 

I was using the imperial gallon instead of the US gallon. The actual conversion factor should be 3.785 litres to the gallon.

 

*mutters about the stupidity of the imperial (inferior) system *