SUVs Continue to Grow

Ford, Toyota and GM are enlarging their already hefty vehicle lines.
Ford, Toyota and GM are enlarging their already hefty vehicle lines.
According to the research firm’s analysis, more than 35% of U.S. households with a sedan in the garage that returned to market for a new vehicle between April 2017 and March 2018 acquired an SUV. That's up from just 24% five years ago.
May's average transaction price for light vehicles rose by a healthy 3%, even as new-vehicle demand is expected to falter in 2018, according to the vehicle information site.
With the car market having plateaued after several years of increases, the California New Car Dealers Association said it continues to see increasing demand for larger, more family-friendly vehicles. But with gas prices continuing to increase, that trend could shift in the quarters ahead.
The analysis, which looked at more than 1.9 million return-to-market events during the first quarter, found that 63% of SUV/CUV owners who returned to market for a new vehicle during the first quarter purchased another SUV or CUV.