The large SUV segment in Europe shrinks 9% in Q1 of 2016 while the overall market grows by 8%, after the segment grew a healthy 23% in 2015. Only two models improve their volume on the same quarter of last year: the new leader Kia Sorento, boosted by the all-new generation, and the evergreen Mitsubishi Pajero. That leaves last year’s leader Hyundai Santa Fe in 2nd place with sales down 22%, probably thanks to cannibalization from both the new Sorento and the new Hyundai Tucson, even though that model is a class smaller. I have no substantiated explanation for the rebound of the Pajero, which started last year when it gained 22%. A small facelift hasn’t exactly turned the already 10 year old model into a hot fresh thing, especially since the engines are simply carried over.
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
The Toyota Land Cruiser is relatively stable at -4% and remains firmly in fourth place, while the SsangYong Rexton loses 9% of its volume. The remaining three models are unlikely to be replaced by the new generations in Europe. Mazda will probably sell every CX-9 it can make in North America, Russia and Australia, while Nissan is keeping the new Murano and Pathfinder from us. To offset the loss of these models, the arrival of the Ford Edge this should revitalize the segment somewhat, but in reality these cars are simply too large and too inefficient to ever gain a substantial volume in Europe.
Also check out the midsized SUV segment in the US, where the Ford Explorer is ultra-dominant while the Santa Fe loses big-time there too.
| Large SUV segment | 2016 Q1 | 2015 Q1 | Change | |
| 1 | Kia Sorento | 4.054 | 3.522 | 15% |
| 2 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 3.662 | 4.683 | -22% |
| 3 | Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero / Shogun | 1.755 | 1.609 | 9% |
| 4 | Toyota Land Cruiser | 1.513 | 1.574 | -4% |
| 5 | SsangYong Rexton | 525 | 578 | -9% |
| 6 | Mazda CX-9 | 78 | 366 | -79% |
| 7 | Nissan Murano | 50 | 206 | -76% |
| 8 | Nissan Pathfinder | 3 | 200 | -99% |
| 9 | Segment total | 11.640 | 12.738 | -9% |