It seems that over the last few months, the rise in auto sales has been driven mostly by the demand for small and midsize SUVs, according to a recent article at michiganradio.org.

In the month of April, crossover SUVs were the big sellers as consumers flocked to buy vehicles that sit up higher, but offer the handling of a car. Companies who reported sales gains in the U.S. included Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, and Toyota. However, dealers say the gains in sales of the crossover SUVs came at the expense of small and midsize cars.

According to the article, sales of the Chevrolet Equinox midsize SUV jumped a roaring 42%, sending GMs sales up by 5.9% for the month of April. For Ford, the Edge midsize SUV sales soared 78% from one year ago, after the Edge was revamped. This resulted in Ford gaining 5%, its best April in nine years.

Fiat Chrysler’s sales in the U.S. were up approximately 6%, with a 20% increase in sales of the Jeep. Sales of the Nissan Rogue SUV rose by about 45%, sending Nissan’s sales up 5.7%. While most auto makers saw increases in sales for April, Volkswagen lagged behind due to the fact the company lacks strong SUVs.

What is a crossover SUV, exactly? Essentially, traditional SUVs are based on the chassis of a truck and use a ‘body on frame’ design, while crossovers are based on the platform of a car, and have a body/frame that is one piece. The result is a vehicle with features of both a passenger vehicle (particularly hatchback/station wagons) and an SUV.

At CarMark Hawaii, we know that consumers’ preferences in automobiles change over the years; not too many years ago, big SUVs were all the rage. Today, consumers seem to favor smaller, more eco-friendly choices.

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