Full-size SUVs Bounce Back… On the Used Car Lot
As discussed here yesterday, America's used car market is booming. One segment that's particularly (and surprisingly) strong: full-sized SUVs. BusinessWeek reports the residual value of large SUVs is up almost three percent over last year. The fuel-sucking lumbering behemoths' resale values are now on a par with midsize cars and small SUVs. According to Ricky Beggs of the Black Book vehicle pricing guide, owners who dumped their large SUVs have discovered that smaller, less capable CUVs don't offer much better overall gas mileage or provide the utility of their former rides. Instead of buying new again, they're opting for used and Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, which offset the slight difference in operating costs. Overall, sales of gargantuan SUVs are still well down from last century's heyday, but don't count them out just yet. Not as long as there are boats to pull, kids to schlep and MINIs to intimidate.
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Damn it! I want my superdiscounted, barely used 'Slade ESV or Navigator L! Depreciate faster!
The real world numbers in some auto rags and automobile forums show the truth on crossovers. Long-term reviews have the Acura MDX at 14mpg, the GM crossovers around 15-16mpg, and even the Honda Pilot struggling to make the high-teens. We have a Volvo XC70 Cross Country in the family that averages 22-23mpg in mixed but slightly biased towards highway driving. Before the lemmings leap towards the next trend, it should be interesting to see how the real-world crash test results between a crossover and a full-frame SUV and a crossover vs smaller cars to test bumper structures and accident loads on the people inside. People purchased SUVs for the perception of safety and if the crossovers don't do as well as their older SUV, I wonder what will they purchase next. Heck, by that time we'll probably have $4/gal gas!
One of the very first of what could be called crossover vehicles was the Aztek. Mine gets 22mpg average with a low of 17.8 in below-zero weather. I average 28 highway.High 29.3/ low 24.8. My EPA ratings are 19 and 26. Very few 2008 crossovers can match either the EPA or the real world economy of my vehicle. I'll take ugly ( I would use the word "unique" myself) over overweight and inefficient any day.