Learning about cars: the ‘C-SUV’ Segment

Jeep Compass. In 2011 was number 7 in the ranking of best selling C-SUV. Will be replaced soon by a model shared with Fiat. Photo by http://www.netcarshow.com

It’s time for larger SUVs. After the smallest ones the ‘C’ SUVs are much more popular and therefore there are more options worldwide. Some of them are based on ‘C’ segment cars, like the BMW X1 and 1 Series. As in the ‘B-SUV’ segment, there are a lot of kinds, some of them luxury and some larger or shorter. At the end, these SUVs are world’s most popular because they have the right size and are not expensive as larger ones. That’s why most of all car makers have developed their own SUV in this segment, well in some markets people are changing their regular passenger cars for a ‘C-SUV’. Last year around 3.7 million units were sold worldwide and this time is not China but the USA the largest market. Americans love them: almost 1.1 million units were sold no matter the high prices of oil and gas. China follows with 830.000 cars, and then comes Germany 220.000, Canada, 175.000, and the UK with 135.000 units. By makers more or less all of them have a model in this segment. Japanese are very strong with Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda. But they are not alone. Germans have also developed their cars but more expensive. French have some offer but all of it is based on Asian models. Americans began to produced C-SUVs when they saw they were so popular and people wanted them. And of course Koreans have their offer with very competitive prices and products.

The Jeep Patriot is basically the same Compass but with more classic design. It is a bit more popular than the Compass. Photo by http://www.netcarshow.com

Fiat Group has never had a car in this segment. Only after the acquisition of Chrysler, there are 2 models offered: the Jeep Compass and Patriot. They were developed to compete with Toyota Rav4, Honda CR-V and some other Asians but they are not popular. Even though the first one got a deep facelift some months ago but has not been able to rise its sales figures. In 2011 almost 70.000 Compass and 80.000 Patriot were sold world-wide. The US market represented the largest market by far: 48.000 Compass and 55.000 Patriot. But the group wants more because they see this is an important segment with high growth rates in developing countries. That’s why Fiat is working on a new car to be presented in 2013 and will be a SUV under Jeep and Fiat brands. Here there are the ‘C-SUV’ cars: