SUV, for ” Sports Utility Vehicle “. Literally, ” utility car with sporty character “. Imported to the United States in the 1990s, the term is hermetic, or even abstruse, but it refers to a reality that is perfectly tangible in the world. Cars high on wheels, the bow imposing, who install their occupants well above the traffic and are entichées all automotive brands, to the point, sometimes, of not consider making something else.
Heir to the 4 × 4, which features of false air, the SUV offers a roomy close to that of a minivan and a style that reminds that of a sedan. This multi-faceted identity, a catch-all, has achieved an old dream of automotive manufacturers : one of the universal car that we can broadcast in the world without being forced to conform to complex and expensive adaptations to the local customs.
The SUV is a tidal wave. “This year, its share in registrations will still jump of 5 points in the european Union [EU] for up to 35 %. In China, it weighs 40% of sales and in the United States, it is close to 50 % off pick-up. All the other silhouettes – sedans, station wagons, minivans, etc. – are losing ground, ” says Ronan Noizet, vehicle expert at the firm IHS Markit.
Divine surprise
In 2020, the SUV will be the first “species” of automobile sold in Europe. According to a study of The Argus, the brands most committed to the race to the SUV – except Jeep and Land Rover, which it is the only specialty – are Jaguar (78 % of sales in France), Volvo (72 %), Nissan (71 %), but also Peugeot (47 %), far ahead of Renault (26 %). In almost all cases, the manufacturers “SUVisés” are also those who achieve the best business performance – and the most profitable.
A SUV costs barely more expensive to produce, but it sells for the price of a model from a higher category
So…
