Sales of midsized SUVs and crossovers stay hot, improving their growth rate from 11% in the first half to +13% after three quarters. Of the top-7 players, only one loses volume on last year, and that’s just a shy 1%. The Nissan Qashqai has been the traditional leader of the segment, consistently selling over 200.000 units a year for the past 5 years and 2015 is going to make its 6 in a row, with more than likely a new volume record for the model and in fact for any midsized SUV nameplate. Thanks to the new generation, the Qashqai grows faster than the rest of the segment at +15% to almost 180.000 units in 9 months. And note that this is without the extended Qashqai+2 version, which has been replaced by the X-Trail. The latter is the fastest growing model of the segment and has moved into the #11 position so far this year.
The Volkswagen Tiguan surprisingly recovers from its slow first half of the year to boost sales by 20,8% in Q3 thanks to sell-out pricing of the outgoing model which will be replaced in 2016. The rest of the top-10 is stable as well, with the Kia Sportage benefiting from its facelift, despite having already released images of the upcoming new generation. Surprisingly, the Hyundai ix35 also remains relatively stable at +11% year-to-date and just -9,4% in Q3 while its replacement Hyundai Tucson is already widely available and scored a respectable 6th place in September, just behind the ix35. As the latter will continue its slowdown, the Ford Kuga has a shot at finishing the year in 4th place, also thanks to being the fastest growing model in the top-9.
After losing its 6th spot to the Skoda Yeti in the first half, the Toyota RAV4 is now under threat from the Mazda CX-5, outselling the RAV4 by 2.000 units in Q3. That would be a nice little victory for the small Japanese manufacturer over its much larger rival. Surprisingly, the already 5-year-old Mitsubishi ASX manages to add more than a third to its volume of last year and looks set to leapfrog the recently facelifted Honda CR-V by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the ASX’s larger sibling Mitsubishi Outlander has been overtaken by the above mentioned Nissan X-Trail, as the Outlander was waiting for a facelift at the end of Q3, which will solve one of the biggest issues that I and from what I hear many others as well have with the model: its looks.
The all-new Renault Kadjar is already in 14th place of the segment with over 20.000 sales, and a 7th place in September with over 6.000 units, despite being restrained by capacity shortages and long waiting lists for new orders. By the end of the year, the Kadjar should be able to overtake the Suzuki S-Cross, and it will be interesting to see how the battle with the Tucson will unfold next year.
2015 January – September midsized crossover sales Europe
| Midsized SUV segment | Jan-Sep 2015 | Jan-Sep 2014 | Change | |
| 1. | Nissan Qashqai | 179.804 | 155.845 | 15% |
| 2. | Volkswagen Tiguan | 112.732 | 113.819 | -1% |
| 3. | Kia Sportage | 81.926 | 72.899 | 12% |
| 4. | Hyundai ix35 | 78.199 | 70.488 | 11% |
| 5. | Ford Kuga | 75.554 | 63.615 | 19% |
| 6. | Skoda Yeti | 50.845 | 47.654 | 7% |
| 7. | Toyota RAV4 | 43.458 | 41.180 | 6% |
| 8. | Mazda CX-5 | 43.344 | 44.753 | -3% |
| 9. | Honda CR-V | 35.903 | 37.975 | -5% |
| 10. | Mitsubishi ASX | 35.281 | 26.155 | 35% |
| 11. | Nissan X-Trail | 31.345 | 8.852 | 254% |
| 12. | Mitsubishi Outlander | 31.085 | 25.219 | 23% |
| 13. | Suzuki S-Cross | 23.047 | 29.969 | -23% |
| 14. | Renault Kadjar | 20.826 | 0 | New |
| 15. | Hyundai Tucson | 11.066 | 0 | New |
| 16. | Subaru Forester | 11.036 | 10.466 | 5% |
| 17. | Fiat Freemont | 10.613 | 13.241 | -20% |
| 18. | Jeep Cherokee | 9.863 | 5.445 | 81% |
| 19. | Citroën C4 Aircross | 8.640 | 8.951 | -3% |
| 20. | Subaru XV | 7.256 | 7.890 | -8% |
| 21. | Opel/Vauxhall Antara | 5.931 | 6.861 | -14% |
| 22. | SsangYong Korando | 4.827 | 3.513 | 37% |
| 23. | Jeep Wrangler | 4.641 | 3.989 | 16% |
| 24. | Renault Koleos | 4.425 | 5.550 | -20% |
| 25. | Suzuki Grand Vitara | 2.435 | 4.805 | -49% |
| 26. | Peugeot 4008 | 1.885 | 1.949 | -3% |
| 27. | Jeep Compass | 540 | 4.326 | -88% |
| 28. | DR5 | 132 | 54 | 144% |
| 29. | Chevrolet Captiva | 49 | 2.855 | -98% |
| Segment total | 926.688 | 818.335 | 13% |
Also check out the 2015-H1 compact SUV segment in the United States.
Click on any model to see its annual sales from 1997-2014 and monthly sales in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, or use the dropdown menu in the top right of this site. Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics. Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.