SAN FRANCISCO — Cheap oil prices in recent years have allowed consumers to rediscover their love of trucks and SUVs, especially in the first half of 2016, according to a new analysis from Jumpstar Automotive. The firm, however, said their are some notable exceptions.
By analyzing the first half of 2016 versus the first half of 2015, Jumpstart Automotive found that every large vehicle segment — SUV/CUV, trucks, vans — showed growth, but so did certain car segments. High-volume car segments like sedans, compact cars and coupes saw less consumer interest, but sport, luxury exotic and alternative fuel vehicles saw interest grow 4%, 12% and 6% from the prior-year period, respectively, according to Jumpstart Automotive.
“Although sales data may continue to show that trucks are outperforming cars in noticeable ways, it is very interesting to see that many car segments remain top of mind for consideration among desktop and mobile shoppers,” stated Libby Murad-Patel, vice president of strategic insights and analytics for Jumpstart. “This is important data for OEMs and dealers to recognize as they build their digital marketing strategies for the balance of 2016 and entering 2017, particularly as the new models come onto the lots.”
Jumpstart Automotive also found that the trend looked remarkably different when comparing the first half of 2016 to all of 2015. Truck segments, for instance, saw a decrease in consumer consideration while even more car segments garnered more interest among car shoppers.
When looking at the full year of 2015 vs. the first half of 2016, SUV/CUV interest fell by 2%, truck interest fell by 5%, and van interest fell by 3%. On the flip side, sedans experienced a 4% bump in shopper interest, while sport, compact, coupes and performance cars all realized a 2% gain in shopper interest.
