Sales of premium midsized SUVs in Europe have continued their steady decline in the first three months of 2014, down another 6% after sales already declined 3% over the full year 2013. Major changes in the ranking, as the top 4 is completely shuffled.
The Range Rover Evoque has surprisingly moved up from third place in 2013 to take the segment lead in the first quarter of 2014, despite completely flat sales, down just 3 units on the same period last year.
A 40% increase in sales thanks to a model update has helped the Volvo XC60 propel itself from a distant fourth place straight into the number two spot, less than 300 units from the pole position.
As a result, the Audi Q5 is pushed down one spot, as the model suffers from a 9% decline in sales. But that is not as bad the BMW X3, the instigator of the segment and the leader of the segment in 2012 by a large margin and also in 2013, is down 19% and has fallen to fourth position.
The Mercedes-Benz GLK and Land Rover Freelander, both due to be replaced soon, are down even more, unsurprisingly. But the big news of the segment is the silent arrival of the Porsche Macan, a model that should be able to fight for a podium position in the segment in its first full year of sales. Keep an eye on this model for the next couple of months, as it’s expected to storm up the charts as soon as customer deliveries gain traction.
Other new entrants into the segment this year will be the Lexus NX and BMW X4.
| PREMIUM MIDSIZED SUV | 2014-Q1 | 2013-Q1 | Change | |
| 1. | Range Rover Evoque | 14.709 | 14.712 | 0% |
| 2. | Volvo XC60 | 14.466 | 10.356 | 40% |
| 3. | Audi Q5 | 13.630 | 14.971 | -9% |
| 4. | BMW X3 | 12.039 | 14.874 | -19% |
| 5. | Mercedes-Benz GLK | 5.840 | 7.704 | -24% |
| 6. | Land Rover Freelander | 5.682 | 8.057 | -29% |
| 7. | Porsche Macan | 335 | 0 | |
| 8. | Infiniti QX50/EX | 27 | 39 | -31% |
| Segment total | 66.701 | 70.674 | -6% | |
Premium Compact Crossover segment
One step down in size, sales of premium compact SUVs in Europe have bounced up an impressive 22% in the first quarter of 2014, as all three existing models have increased sales with double digits and a new entrant has entered the segment.
The Audi Q3 has kept its lead over the BMW X1 and Mini Countryman/Paceman, although the latter is getting dangerously close to its BMW-group internal rival, selling within 200 units of the X1 in March. As soon as deliveries of the Mercedes-Benz GLA start to gain traction, it will be a four-horse race, as the GLA should be able to match the sales pace of the established players within a few months. The segment should be able to grow to 250.000 units this year, which would mean it could become amost as large in volume as the compact premium SUV segment above.
| PREMIUM COMPACT SUV | 2014-Q1 | 2013-Q1 | Change | |
| 1. | Audi Q3 | 20.669 | 18.447 | 12% |
| 2. | BMW X1 | 17.552 | 15.441 | 14% |
| 3. | Mini Countryman/Paceman | 16.156 | 13.991 | 15% |
| 4. | Mercedes-Benz GLA | 3.992 | 0 | |
| Segment total | 58.369 | 47.879 | 22% | |
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