Big vehicles - including minivans, SUVs, pick-ups - are selling worse now than they were at this point in 2006. John K. Teahen Jr., senior editor at Automotive News, says (subs req'd) that while sales are sluggish "the market is alive and well and will continue that way for as long as anyone cares to forecast."
Specifically, Teahen writes, the 9.2 percent drop in pickup, van and SUV sales in the first seven months of 2007 vs. 2006 are "not good in view of the increases of recent years but certainly not a cause for alarm." Small trucks (Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma) are fell more than the big ones (Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F series). The reason? "I think the smaller trucks are novelties that are purchased by city residents who ought to be driving sedans. Perhaps many of those buyers have returned to sedans or have switched to station wagons - oops, crossovers," Teahen writes. He also lays into SUVs, so if you've got a subscription to AN and want to read that part of the column, click on over.
Teahen is quite right about (most) city dwellers not needing a truck, but with car sharing, scooters and so many smaller cars (fortwo, anyone?) coming to the market, even sedans might seem outrageous for most city folk in the not-too-distant future.
[Source: John K. Teahen Jr. / Automotive News]
Specifically, Teahen writes, the 9.2 percent drop in pickup, van and SUV sales in the first seven months of 2007 vs. 2006 are "not good in view of the increases of recent years but certainly not a cause for alarm." Small trucks (Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma) are fell more than the big ones (Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F series). The reason? "I think the smaller trucks are novelties that are purchased by city residents who ought to be driving sedans. Perhaps many of those buyers have returned to sedans or have switched to station wagons - oops, crossovers," Teahen writes. He also lays into SUVs, so if you've got a subscription to AN and want to read that part of the column, click on over.
Teahen is quite right about (most) city dwellers not needing a truck, but with car sharing, scooters and so many smaller cars (fortwo, anyone?) coming to the market, even sedans might seem outrageous for most city folk in the not-too-distant future.
[Source: John K. Teahen Jr. / Automotive News]
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