The premium large SUV segment has increased its growth rate from 11% in the first quarter to a whopping 23% in the second quarter, making it +16% for the first half of 2014.
Photo credit: Auto ExpressThree main suspects are responsible for this growth: the BMW X5, as the new generation helps the model more than double last year’s sales and push it from third place to firmly in the lead of the segment. Then the Range Rover Sport, also thanks to the new generation which is much lighter than the outgoing and therefore more fuel efficient and easier to drive. It also sells more than twice as many as in the first half of 2013. And on a bit smaller scale but still worth mentioning: the Jeep Grand Cherokee, rising from 9th position to 5th as the new generation proves popular among European buyers. Jeeps best selling model is on track to reach its fourth consecutive year of increased sales and its highest annual sales figure since 2007.
The recently updated Volkswagen Touareg also sees its sales advance, by no less than 19%, helping it hold on to the fourth position it held after the first quarter, although that’s still down from the impressive second spot it held in the full-year 2013 ranking.
If there are winners, there must be losers. And there are two big ones in the top-10: The Mercedes-Benz M-Class, segment leader in 2012 and 2013, is down 20% and into third position, which was 250 sales off the second position last year, is down 22% and into sixth place. Both are suffering from increased competition by the all-new X5 and RR Sport while they haven’t been updated in three years now.
Volvo is taking advantage of sell-out pricing of the outgoing XC90 as the long-awaited second generation is coming to showrooms by the end of the year. The same goes for the Audi Q7, which is also (finally) close to replacement. The BMW X6 has been replaced recently, but the new generation hasn’t yet started customer deliveries, but it should be able to move up at least one more position by the end of the year.
| PREMIUM LARGE SUV | ||||
| 2014-H1 | 2013-H1 | Change | ||
| 1. | BMW X5 | 19.351 | 8.545 | 126% |
| 2. | Range Rover Sport | 14.198 | 6.696 | 112% |
| 3. | Mercedes-Benz M-Class | 11.972 | 15.002 | -20% |
| 4. | Volkswagen Touareg | 9.853 | 8.282 | 19% |
| 5. | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 7.144 | 4.522 | 58% |
| 6. | Porsche Cayenne | 6.954 | 8.916 | -22% |
| 7. | Range Rover | 6.580 | 6.703 | -2% |
| 8. | Land Rover Discovery | 5.944 | 5.878 | 1% |
| 9. | Audi Q7 | 5.716 | 5.886 | -3% |
| 10. | Volvo XC90 | 4.573 | 3.787 | 21% |
| 11. | BMW X6 | 2.979 | 4.784 | -38% |
| 12. | Lexus RX | 2.494 | 3.109 | -20% |
| 13. | Mercedes-Benz GL | 2.279 | 2.527 | -10% |
| 14. | Mercedes-Benz G-Class | 1.157 | 1.319 | -12% |
| 15. | Land Rover Defender | 719 | 452 | 59% |
| 16. | Infiniti QX70 | 488 | 696 | -30% |
| 17. | Mercedes-Benz R-Class | 24 | 916 | -97% |
| Segment total | 102.425 | 88.020 | 16% |
Click on any model to see its annual sales from 1997-2013 and monthly sales in 2012, 2013 and 2014, or use the dropdown menu in the top right of this site. Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.