US sales 2017-Q1 Large SUV segment

Krzysztof Wozniak
US Large SUV segment

US SUV Large

Sales in the Large SUV segment increased by 25.9% in Q1 of 2017, after already improving more than 20% in 2016. A total of 80,604 large SUVs were sold in the US in the first three months of the year, making it the second-fastest growing segment overall and the fastest growing mainstream segment. Still, it’s a far cry from the 750,000 annual units the segment sold in the first few years of the new millennium so there’s plenty of room to grow, especially with continued low gas prices. Each of the segment’s 8 models increased its volume, of which only one with single digits. The Nissan Armada even more than doubles up thanks to the new model generation, while 2017 will also bring an all-new Ford Expedition.

Highlights for Q1 2017:

  • General Motors remains ultra dominant in the segment, but loses a fair bit of share as the competition outgrows its four models. In the full year 2016, Chevrolet and GMC held a combined 73.8% share of the segment. This has dipped to 66.5% in Q1 of 2017, the lowest share since 2005 when the second generation was about to be replaced by the third generation.
  • The Chevrolet Tahoe remains the undisputed segment leader, especially when you add in the sales of its long-wheelbase version Chevrolet Suburban.
  • However, the Ford Expedition enjoyed the highest sales growth of the top-5 at +44.7%, and leapfrogs the Suburban to take second place of the segment, even though it’s by far the oldest model currently on sale and about to be replaced by an all-new generation this year.
  • Nissan_Armada-2017-US-car-sales-statisticsThe GMC Yukon and its long-wheelbase version Yukon XL, close cousins to the Tahoe and Suburban, both improve in the low double digit figures and the latter is under threat of losing its fifth place to the all-new Nissan Armada.
  • The Armada is the fastest growing model in the segment, more than doubling its sales on last year, thanks to the new generation, which is based on the international Nissan Patrol rather than the new Titan pick-up.
  • That means it moves way ahead of the two other Japanese players in the segment: the aging Toyota Sequoia, which still manages double digit growth, and the recently updated Toyota Land Cruiser, which remains a niche player due to its higher price, but it does have its share of extremely loyal fans.


Note: Clicking on the model name opens the sales data page for that model; clicking year in the legend turns the display for that year on/off