Question of the Night: What car segment is next to be endangered?

"boxrocket" (boxrocket) 10/03/2015 at 23:57 • Filed to: question of the night, qotn, endangered species, car sales

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As !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I went car shopping today. One thing my wife and I noticed was that the rows for minivans, sports cars, and larger cars were at most half the size of the other rows on the lot, which stretched out quite a bit. There were probably more Chevy Crudest and Ford Foci combined on the lot than there were all of the full-size cars. In contrast, there were two full rows each of crossovers/SUVs, midsize cars, and compacts. There was one actual car-based wagon - a VW Jetta, I believe - if one considers the Ford Freestyle to be a crossover, despite its lower ground clearance and roofline, as well as a BMW 3-series Grand Tourer (which is ugly), and while the Ford Transit Connect is Focus-based, it’s still a van. Sadly the wagon is already mostly dead already, but perhaps the European holdouts - Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo, at least in the US - can keep the flame alive.

The sports car seems safe. They’re well-known, and while not necessarily high-volume, they’re “halo cars”, iconic magnets to draw shoppers into showrooms.

Full-size non-luxury cars are a potential candidate. Folks who want more room lean towards crossovers, rather than the impalas, Tauruses (Taurii?), Chargers/300s, Avalons, etc.,

Midsize cars still sell in large volumes, albeit to fleet customers, but overall sales are apparently decreasing.

Diesel cars - while not exactly a segment in and of itself, it is a unique segment - may certainly in danger, as they had just begin to catch a foothold and the VW debacle has likely helped to loosen that hold.

How about it, Oppo? I won’t submit my own idea tonight, so it’s up to you to state your case.

Nibby > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:01

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In the US, possibly wagons. Not hatchbacks, but wagons.

Sam > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:02

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I think large luxury sedans are going to hurt. Why buy an XJL when you could buy a Range Rover for the same price?

TheHondaBro > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:05

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Minivans.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:06

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Midsize BOF SUV’s :(

This is all that’s left, unless you consider the Wrangler a midsize SUV which I don’t, I think it has it’s own little class:

mazda616 > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:07

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I think full-size body-on-frame SUVs will someday go bye bye. People are gravitating more towards crossovers. I’m sure gas will get expensive again and the soccer moms will be all too eager to dump their Yukon XLs and Suburbans and snatch up a Ford Edge or Chevy Traverse.

ranwhenparked > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:09

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Full-size cars are already a dying segment. Besides the relentless, all-conquering assault of the crossovers; they’re also getting hurt by midsize sedans getting larger and the full-size cars themselves having gotten smaller, so that there’s less and less distinction between the two.

Why get a cramped, 5-passenger interior in a Taurus when you can get the same passenger count and roughly the same space in a Fusion for less money? Same with Impala vs. Malibu or Azera vs. Sonata or Avalon vs. Camry. If full-size cars were usefully larger in interior space and trunk room, and if they maybe sat more people (eg, 6), there would be more of a demonstrable benefit to picking one over a midsize.

So, they’re getting killed from two sides - crossovers and intermediates - and just haven’t been given the ammunition to fight back.

TheHondaBro > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/04/2015 at 00:10

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Isn’t the Sequoia a body-on-frame SUV?

EDIT: Didn’t see the “midsize” part.

ly2v8-Brian > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/04/2015 at 00:12

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Might have company, in the trailblazer if the rumors lead to anything

ly2v8-Brian > TheHondaBro 10/04/2015 at 00:13

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One can hope

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > TheHondaBro 10/04/2015 at 00:13

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Yeah, but it’s fullsize. In a class that used to be huge(Passport/Rodeo, Trooper, Xterra, Montero/Sport, Blazer/Jimmy, GMT360, Pathfinder/Infiniti Version, Explorer/Mountaineer, Durango, etc.), it’s sad to see one left.

boxrocket > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/04/2015 at 00:13

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Xterra (while it exists), but I get your point. Pathfinder and Explorer have both switched to unibody platforms, and have grown larger and more bloated than their predecessors.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > ly2v8-Brian 10/04/2015 at 00:14

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And the Everest, but I don’t see those coming to these shores, though I’d be glad to be wrong. The 4Runner needs some competition.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:15

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I didn’t forget the Xterra, but since it’s been confirmed as dead, I didn’t include it.

boxrocket > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/04/2015 at 00:16

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Fair enough. It’s in the same place as the FJ Cruiser.

I like the 4Runner/GX, but they are definitely showing their age, and Toyota isn’t doing either any favors with their highly questionable styling efforts of late.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:18

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I actually like the new 4Runner, just not in white, because it looks like a Juggalo.

not for canada - australian in disguise > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:20

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Fullsizers, like you said. Especially in Canada, other than the Charger, 300, and Maxima, I rarely ever see them.

boxrocket > not for canada - australian in disguise 10/04/2015 at 00:23

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An odd thing I noticed was that CarMax lumped the Maxima in with the Altima. I was curious as to why, and the window sticker actually said “Midsize”, and it’s actually about the same length as the Altima. I’m not really sure if it’s any more or less roomy overall, but the Maxima feels better setup inside for possibly more room overall. The Impala, Lacrosse, Lucerne, and Taurus they had in the full-size row barely fit in their spaces but the Transit Connect and Town & Country were slightly shorter. They also had a Grand Marquis which I was surprised to see, and it stuck out past the lines they had on the ground for the parking space.

TheHondaBro > ly2v8-Brian 10/04/2015 at 00:25

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Trust me, y’all will miss the minivan.

El Rivinado > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:29

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I think the full-size Luxury SUV segment is going the way of the dodo. I never see any full-size luxury SUV on the road anymore, they’ve all been wiped out by crossovers *shudder*. Nobody is buying any large SUV anymore, even Range Rovers are selling more Sports and Evoques than full-sizers in my area, Navigators and Escalades are non-existent, and even if I see them, they’re older, the only one that’s popular is the G-Class but even that’s a niche item.

The Full-size Luxury SUV is dying, much like the full-size luxury cars and coupes that they replaced back in the 90s and 2000s. Kind of makes me a bit sad.

Sam > mazda616 10/04/2015 at 00:40

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Yes, except for the luxury SUVs, i.e. Range Rovers and Land Cruisers.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 00:53

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Hopefully sub-compact sedans. Not based on anything real, just hatred. The pure hatred. Sub-compact cars should be hatchbacks.

not for canada - australian in disguise > TheHondaBro 10/04/2015 at 00:55

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Vans are still relatively popular in Canada, although full size crossovers are eating into sales. But if it’s dwindling faster in the States, then more people there need to realize that minivans are fucking awesome. Plus the Grand Caravan is one of the cheapest ways to get more than 270 HP.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 01:15

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Why mini vans are not dead yet is beyond me, but either them, diesels, or the Taurus(just the Taurus) are next to go.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Nibby 10/04/2015 at 01:19

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Impossible!!

ranwhenparked > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 01:25

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The Maxima often gets lumped in with full-size cars because its Nissan’s flagship sedan, but it really always has been a midsize. I think the last generation was actually slightly shorter than the Altima.

orcim > boxrocket 10/04/2015 at 04:13

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In my opinion, you’ve got two principles interacting.

1) Form Follows Function. If I don’t need a Hummer to go to grocery store, then unless the aesthetics overrule reason, I’m getting something smaller.

2) The aesthetics of *needing* a larger vehicle are aging, and dying. These folk that have convinced themselves that “big is better” aren’t using reason, just some established belief system before buying age and now are expressing it. All to our detriment in my opinion, but that’s just me going off.

You’ll note that “aesthetics” and not reason, true rational thought, or deep analysis, etc. are mentioned above. Because I don’t believe they play a predominate role in vehicle selection for the masses.

But I will say this: What is perceived as appropriate and beautiful has power. Power like Conan’s Sword, power like a light saber today, power like a Blue Light Special in a Kmart.

Also: I’ve been drinking. So there’s that.

LongbowMkII > mazda616 10/04/2015 at 06:57

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no they wont. most new tahoes/yukons/suburbans appear to be owned by the upper middle class who can afford the gas fluxuations but will still be the loudest about it. their boats/horses etc... (that may or may not exist) wont be hauled by no sissy crossover.

LongbowMkII > ranwhenparked 10/04/2015 at 07:00

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Considering they now share most parts but the new malibu has a smaller rear passenger area, it now appears that the Impala is the Malibu XL.

ly2v8-Brian > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/04/2015 at 09:49

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They've at least been seen testing the trailblazer. Haven't heard similar out of ford.

ly2v8-Brian > TheHondaBro 10/04/2015 at 09:50

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Not at all

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > ly2v8-Brian 10/04/2015 at 10:27

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IIRC the Everest has been spotted multiple times.

ly2v8-Brian > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/04/2015 at 10:37

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Ok then. Both are a solid maybe.

dogisbadob > boxrocket 10/05/2015 at 22:16

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Nope, not going anywhere. As long as police and taxi fleets exist, full-size non-luxury cars are safe.