November Sales Snapshot: Mid-Large CUVs

by Paul Niedermeyer

Published: December 6th, 2009

The Lexus RX, the originator of the genre, held the lead in November sales. With the help of strong Venza sales, Toyota is the manufacturer leader of this category overall. The Chevy Traverse is the sales leader YTD. The category showed strength in November, as part of the overall shift back to larger vehicles after the crisis and C4C driven spurt of smaller cars in previous months. I have also included vehicles that are not typically considered CUVs, like the Grand Cherokee and the Explorer, because they certainly compete for sales in this category, in their current softy incarnations. Chart after the jump:

YTD Rank Nov. 09% change YTD% changeChevy Traverse7054140%82210NALexus RX792347%8156411%Ford Edge646127%79085-25%Honda Pilot690226%74717-9%Toyota Highlander6213-14%73676-23%Hyundai Santa Fe656453%7107910%Toyota Venza414048591GMC Acadia387747%47834-24%Nissam Murano3924-6%47044-28%Jeep Grand Cherokee3085-41%46231-32%Ford Explorer4440-7%45578-38%Buick Enclave305634%37701-9%Acura MDX346579%28279-32%Kia Sorento1657-58%21324-20%Lincoln MKX1364-11%19427-28%Nissam Pathfinder163034%16027-50%Cadillac SRX3004208%15251-3.00%Jeep Commander1439-1%11021-57%Hyundai Vera Cruz459-51%9679-4%Volvo XC 90969-15%9193-47%Volvo XC 6010987882Subaru Tribeca177-72%5772-44%

Paul Niedermeyer

More by Paul Niedermeyer

Comments

Join the conversation

7 of 21 comments

Psarhjinian on Dec 06, 2009
Chevy Traverse sales leader and plus 140%? Wow! The sales leader isn't entirely surprising: the Lambdas really are very good crossovers---they're less cramped than anything save the Flex and the minivans---and the Traverse can be had for less than Flex or Highlander, and from a large number of dealers. The 140% is easy to understand: it's a new model that's getting traction, and Chevy really had nothing in this space prior: either the too-small (and mediocre) Equinox, the too-big and ill-purposed Suburban, or the total-crap Uplander). You wouldn't need much to post a huge gain in the segment, and the Traverse is more than "not much".

Like Reply
- See 1 previous
- Steven02 on Dec 07, 2009
  
  Would you really call the current Equinox mediocre? Have you seen one? They are quite nice. I do think that the Traverse will take sales from the outgoing Trailblazer, and take some from the Tahoe. The 140% is only because it was newly introduced at this time last year.
  
  Like
- 86er on Dec 07, 2009
  Steven02 is correct, the Traverse is the replacement for the Trailblazer. However, I'm sure it's eating mightily into Tahoe sales. The Sub is enough of a niche vehicle that it will likely survive the coming "apocalypse" when BOF SUVs are purged in favour unibody designs. The Tahoe likely won't be so lucky.
  
  Like
Kpax on Dec 07, 2009

Yes the RX, the minivan disguised as an SUV.

Like Reply
Ktm_525 on Dec 07, 2009

Where is the 4Runner? Pathfinder is in this category...

Like Reply
- Don1967 on Dec 07, 2009
  
  Please. The 4Runner does not belong in this group just because the Pathfinder is there. You're comparing upper-mid-sub-mid-large-lower-mid SUVs to mid-upper-sub-mid-lower-mid-large SUVs.
  
  Like
Don1967 on Dec 07, 2009

As a Santa Fe owner, I am not surprised by the Veracruz's poor showing. It's a nice enough machine, but next to the Santa Fe it comes off as 10% more car for 25% more money. Takes all the fun out of buying a leaning-H product. Also, as a first-gen model it suffers from a bit of Lexus knock-offism, whereas the Santa Fe is second-gen and has grown its own personality.

Like Reply