The 2022 AutoTrader Annual Car Industry report offers some incredible insights into automobile industry trends across the world.
SUV has been reported as the fastest-growing and the most popular body type in the global automobile industry as per the 2022 AutoTrader Annual Car Industry Report. You might have noticed all around you that people are buying SUVs left and right. A few years ago, the sign of success and luxury was the sedan body type. They are also inherently better handlers due to the low centre of gravity. However, over time, the SUVs started getting smaller and more compact and offered a larger car at a relatively more affordable price compared to a few years ago. That trend has taken over the global car market.
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SUV is the Most Popular Body Type
The report has been derived from 653 million searches on the internet from Jan-Dec 2022 in South Africa. This, in itself, is a surge of 94% compared to 2019, which was the normal year before the pandemic ruined everything. Out of these, over 86 million searches were aimed at SUVs. Also, the number of advert views on SUVs suggests that South Africans are following the trend of SUVs. Traditionally, the SA car customers had been interested in single and double-cab bakkies for years now.
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But the SUVs are taking over and this trend is universal. In fact, in most markets, the SUVs have eaten into a large share of sedans and even some premium hatchbacks. The reason is quite straightforward. SUVs offer a great road presence, a bit more practicality with high ground clearance to glide over rough patches of roads, and a bigger boot compartment to fit in a lot more luggage compared to hatchbacks and even some sedans.
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Moreover, with monocoque construction, SUVs have become a lot more compact, agile and affordable. They offer car-like driving mannerisms which make the customers get attracted toward them more naturally. Apart from that, the Audi RS e-tron was the most searched EV, VW was the most searched brand, Toyota Hilux was the most searched model, and VW Golf GTI was the most searched hatchback in South Africa in 2022. What are your thoughts on the SUV becoming the most popular body type in the world?