Everyone buys SUVs, all manufacturers launch SUVs. In this rat race, some models miss the mark and fail at the bottom of the sales ranking, far behind their competitors. For various reasons, these models were quickly forgotten.
Starting in the United States in the 1990s, the commercial boom in SUVs quickly spread to Europe, thanks to the launch of certain models such as the Mercedes M-Class. The success of these raised vehicles seems unstoppable. This market has therefore been developing for more than two decades, with almost all manufacturers multiplying models of this type. But in every war there are “deaths”, and some SUVs on which their manufacturers placed great hopes have not never met with the expected success.
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Difficult beginnings for French SUVs
French manufacturers are now abandoning almost all traditional body types in favor of crossovers, but their beginnings in SUVs have proved difficult. The PSA group could however count on the technical bases of the Mitsubishi specialist for his Peugeot 4007 and Citroën C-Crosser, then his Peugeot 4008 and Citroën C4 Aircross between the mid-2000s and the mid-2010s. But the recipe did not take.
Renault did no better at the same time with the first Koleos. It must be said that the name of the latter comes from an ancient Greek word that can mean shell, in the protective sense, but also shell by extension (like the Latin word coleus), and that its Modern Greek version translates to vagina. This name has however been retained for the second and current generation of the model, and it is not much more successful than its predecessor.
Missteps of the Giants
Even some of the manufacturers who have participated in the rise of SUVs with iconic models with dazzling success are not spared failures. Toyota, wanting to repeat the success of the first RAV4 in the late 2000s, launched the Urban Cruiser. This urban model had everything to succeed, but it was produced in Japan at a time when the exchange rate between the euro and the yen made it very expensive on the Old Continent. Too much for him to achieve Toyota’s business goals. It took until 2021 for the Japanese manufacturer to attempt a new breakthrough in this segment with the Yaris Cross.
With the GLK launched in 2008, Mercedes intended to repeat the success of the M-Class. But the sales figures never reached the brand’s goals. The starred manufacturer has since caught up well, the GLC currently being its best-seller. Another giant, Ford has never been able to impose its small EcoSport or its large Edge in Europe despite the success of its other SUVs. Let’s also mention the Mini Paceman, Nissan Murano, Opel Antara, Jeep Patriot and other Seat Altea Freetrack “mishaps” to remain among the manufacturers very present in our regions.
expected failures
The commercial failures of certain SUVs are due to the confidentiality or difficulties of their manufacturers more generally, particularly in Europe, not to mention the tightening of regulations and taxation related to CO2. Most SsangYong models thus remain “under the radar”, the Infiniti QX30 was quickly forgotten, the Saab 9-7X did not last long, and Subaru struggled to sell its Tribeca here like its Forester today. . Another Japanese, Mazda had not met with the expected success with the CX-7, but it is catching up today with the CX-5 and CX-30. The American models Chevrolet Trax and Captiva have never won over here, nor has their compatriot the Dodge Nitro. Same rebadged with European brands like the Fiat Freemont, SUVs initially designed for the American market have not broken through elsewhere.
Even today, some SUVs do not meet with the expected success despite a favorable market. This is particularly the case of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, very far behind its competitors in terms of sales. The builder at biscione will he do better with the brand new Tonale? Answer in the years to come.
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