Trendy today, gone tomorrow Nothing is forever…including vehicle bodyshapes!

Fashion is never more than temporary, and the same is true of vehicle bodyshapes. This is evident in the Crossover/SUV becoming South Africa’s favourite Passenger vehicle bodyshape.

According to Lightstone Auto data, the Crossover/SUV is the favourite Passenger vehicle bodyshape, while one-time leader, the Hatch, is now in second spot. In fact, the Crossover/SUV was third choice in 2013, behind the Sedan in second place and the Hatch, then riding high as leader of the pack with just under 50% share of the Passenger vehicle market.

Jaco van Staden, Head of Sales at Lightstone Auto, says, “The Hatch is down from 48% to 37% in 2022, but its decline is modest compared to the Sedan, which has seen its market share plummet from 26% in 2014 to just 8% in 2022.”

The big winner has been the Crossover/SUV, which has soared from 22% to 50% market share in 10 years.

The changing consumer preferences have been recognised by the OEMs – in 2013 there were around 530 available Crossover/SUV options, and 440 Sedan options. By 2022, the unique Crossover/SUV count had jumped to 880 (growth of 66%), whilst Sedan alternatives had declined to 160 (-64%).

The rise of the Crossover/SUV bodyshape in the Passenger market has been accompanied by the Double-Cab’s emergence as the favourite in the Light Commercial Market, replacing the One-Ton Single and Extended Cabs. Both the Crossover/SUV and the Double Cab were

beneficiaries of growing consumer preferences for greater ride height to get a better driving perspective and additional safety.

The post Trendy today, gone tomorrow Nothing is forever…including vehicle bodyshapes! appeared first on CAR Magazine.


The Car Guide

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Topical tips on buying used – Chapter 1

Image
Buying a used car can be harrowing, whether privately or from a dealer. Here are some tips, as well as some things to watch out for. Beware of low mileages, especially on smaller or cheaper cars. It is always possible that the odometer has been turned back. Some things to bear in mind are:- diesels are often bought because they the driver needs to undertake long trips without consuming vast amounts of fuel. This could be a sales rep, or someone travelling large distances to work, lots of lengthy trip for family holidays, etc. So, usually higher mileages than normal. An expensive or luxury car may not see much time on the road, but very seldom a “workhorse”. This makes the executive cars likely to have a lot more life left than the overworked and abused hatchback. These also spend most of their life in a home garage or undercover parking lot at work. Related: Someone paid more for a mint BMW 325iS Evo 2 than a used M4 A vehicle without any service history is a serious disadvantage
Read more

Like Lego? Then the R8-engined Rhino RR01 Kit Car From Lithuania is For You

Image
The Rhino RR01 is presented as an affordable Audi R8-engined supercar that’s both street-legal and geared for the track, here’s all you need to know about the new model.  Image: Rhino Looking for your next sportscar? Find it here with CARmag.  This groundbreaking vehicle is the inaugural supercar hailing from the Baltic state of Lithuania, born and crafted in Kaunas, 100 km away from the capital city of Vilnius. Surprisingly, it was conceived by yacht engineers who had minimal experience in the automotive world by painstakingly developing the car from scratch. All monocoque design, chassis, bodywork, interior, and electronics were done by themselves. While the prototype borrowed the engine from an ‘Audi R8’, the ‘Kit Car’ model offers the freedom to install various engines, allowing drivers to experience the thrill of a racing car on both roads and tracks. Image: Rhino Lithuania has contributed individual components to major car manufacturers, but until now, the country had ne
Read more

Could this teased Lancia sports car be a reborn Stratos?

Image
Lancia recently teased a coupe-looking model, waiting to be unveiled in their Multiverse. Could this then, signify the return of a historic moniker like the Stratos to the struggling automaker? Image: Lancia #MakeLanciaGreatAgain – a social media phrase that has been making the rounds for the better part of a decade. World Rally Championship titles, Formula 1 single-seat winners and some other gems in between. The Italian automaker litters dates in history and motorsport, with some truly revolutionary ideas and models that aided their bid to become one of the most successful motorsport manufacturers of all time. But that is all in the past. Lancia now contends sole markets with a platform-shared model but there have been ambitious plans under Stellantis ownership to kick-start the automaker and make them great again… words that delight so many enthusiasts and aficionados. Related: Automobili Amos debut Martini Racing Livery Lancia Delta and Safarista What better way to do this th
Read more