One clear trend emerged from Europe’s six-month vehicle sales: Torrid demand for SUVs and crossovers is putting increased pressure on minivans.
Meanwhile, combined sales of SUVs and crossovers ranging from the Renault Captur to the Nissan Qashqai to the Audi Q3 increased 18 percent in the first half to almost 1.6 million units (see table, below).
That means more than 21 percent of car buyers in Europe chose an SUV or crossover in the first half, up from 20 percent last year and 17 percent in 2013.
BEIJING (AP) — China's auto sales grew at this year's fastest rate in November as Chinese manufacturers took market share from global rivals, helped by the popularity of their lower-priced SUVs, an industry group reported Thursday.
Sales of cars, SUVs and minivans in the world's biggest auto market rose 23.7 percent over a year earlier to 2.2 million vehicles, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. That was an improvement over October's 13.3 percent rise.
WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) -- Surging demand for trucks and SUVs fueled by cheap gasoline is holding back improvements in U.S. fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions, a government report said today.
The disconnect between consumer demand for larger, less efficient vehicles and the Obama administration's climate goals sets up a clash between the auto industry and federal regulators.
Just over 56 percent of U.S. vehicle sales this year -- 8.9 million vehicles -- have been of SUVs, crossovers, pickup trucks or other larger vehicles, up from 53 percent during the same 11 months of last year, according to the Automotive News data center.
