European sales 2014 first half Midsized SUV segment

 

The success of small crossovers is not hurting sales of midsized models, as these types of vehicles enjoyed an increase of 10% in the first half of 2014, exactly the same growth rate of compact cars, the segment most buyers of these vehicles are expected to switch away from.

The new generation Nissan Qashqai, the traditional leader of the segment, has helped the model reduce its sales decline to just 3%, which will undoubtedly be turned into a sales increase by the next quarter, let alone by the end of the year. The Qashqai is on its way to a record year, breaking the 208.649 units it sold in 2011, the second of four consecutive years (and counting) above the 200.000 mark.

The Volkswagen Tiguan continues to impress and is enjoying its best first half ever, which means 2014 could be a record year for the already 7-year-old model. The rest of the top-5 ranking remains unchanged, with the South-Korean Hyundai-Kia models each up just 3%. Both have recently been updated slightly, but considering the exterior changes are only minor, I’m afraid it won’t be enough to keep them ahead of the increased competition from crossovers like the new Qashqai, Ford Kuga, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4. These last three each showed increases of more than 30% on last year and have pushed the Honda CR-V down from 7^th place to 9^th.

The redesigned Skoda Yeti has improved from 9^th position in the first quarter to 6^th for the first half of 2014, the same position it held in 2012 and all of last year. The new Suzuki S-Cross continues its impressive performance to hold on to a top-10 position ahead of both Mitsubishi’s. The Outlander was actually in the top-10 ahead of the S-Cross and ASX for the second quarter and is on track to improve even further on its impressive performance last year, thanks to its PHEV Plug-in Hybrid version.

The new Jeep Cherokee, which has shrunk from a large body-on-frame SUV to a more car-like unibody crossover in the midsized segment, was already the American brand’s best selling model in June, just ahead of the Grand Cherokee and even the Compass and Wrangler combined. It has its eyes set on a top-15 position for the end of the year and maybe even better next year. Adding that to its success in the US and Canada already, that would silence those who criticized the Cherokee’s styling without having seen the model in real life.

 

	MID-SIZED SUV
		2014-H1	2013-H1	Change
1.	Nissan Qashqai	110.125	113.335	-3%
2.	Volkswagen Tiguan	83.013	73.586	13%
3.	Kia Sportage	48.820	47.406	3%
4.	Hyundai ix35	47.394	46.096	3%
5.	Ford Kuga	41.757	31.771	31%
6.	Skoda Yeti	32.236	30.098	7%
7.	Mazda CX-5	30.536	22.978	33%
8.	Toyota RAV4	28.566	22.031	30%
9.	Honda CR-V	27.109	25.436	7%
10.	Suzuki S-Cross	18.984	0	new
11.	Mitsubishi ASX	17.283	12.653	37%
12.	Mitsubishi Outlander	15.958	9.603	66%
13.	Fiat Freemont	8.927	10.926	-18%
14.	Subaru Forester	7.322	7.736	-5%
15.	Citroën C4 Aircross	6.240	6.871	-9%
16.	Subaru XV	5.598	6.484	-14%
17.	Opel/Vauxhall Antara	4.580	9.203	-50%
18.	Renault Koleos	3.972	4.506	-12%
19.	Suzuki Grand Vitara	3.685	5.149	-28%
20.	Jeep Compass	3.428	3.426	0%
21.	Nissan X-Trail	2.970	2.894	3%
22.	Chevrolet Captiva	2.751	7.148	-62%
23.	Jeep Cherokee	2.617	235	1014%
24.	Jeep Wrangler	2.597	3.005	-14%
25.	SsangYong Korando	2.172	1.610	35%
26.	Peugeot 4008	1.350	2.369	-43%
27.	DR5	30	115	-74%
28.	Dodge Journey	2	13	-85%
29.	Peugeot 4007	2	252	-99%
30.	Jeep Patriot	1	11	-91%
31.	Citroën C-Crosser	1	92	-99%
	Segment total	560.026	507.038	10%

Click on any model to see its annual sales from 1997-2013 and monthly sales in 2012, 2013 and 2014, or use the dropdown menu in the top right of this site. Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.