They have cheap fuel. And they’re willing to use it. While sales
of SUVs have languished in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, they’ve increased yearly in oil-rich nations such as Saudi
Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, who are generating record revenues from increased oil prices around the
world.
And the bigger the better, say car dealers.
“Our business is booming at the moment. It’s actually affecting our stock levels. It was the busiest summer in my six
years here,” said Julian White, who heads sales for Dubai-based 4×4 Motors. “This is the first place I’ve ever sold
cars where no one asks about fuel consumption.”
Reasons for SUV purchases are the same as in North America. SUVs like the GMC Yukon and the Nissan Armada are
perceived to be safer than smaller vehicles. And SUVs have a certain prestige associated with them – the Porsche
Cayenne and the BMW X5 are hot sellers in the UAE. And both preferences are reinforced by the low cost of fuel in the
Middle East where gas sells for as little as 83 cents per gallon.