Rise of Chelsea Tractors: Here’s what number of completely different SUVs are on sale
- At the flip of the century, simply 30 completely different SUV fashions have been out there within the UK
- Fast ahead to immediately and the key manufacturers now supply 159 completely different variations
- Study says change to EVs is accelerating the rise in demand for SUVs and killing off extra conventional automobile varieties – campaigners warn some are too large for UK roads
It’s an age outdated debate: What got here first, the hen or the egg?
Now an analogous query is being requested in regards to the shift within the forms of vehicles on sale in Britain immediately and the rise in recognition of SUVs.
That’s as a result of market evaluation has revealed that the variety of ‘sport utility automobiles’ – typically dubbed Chelsea Tractors by those that despise them – out there in showrooms immediately has grown by a staggering 430 per cent for the reason that flip of the century.
The SUV takeover: A market assessment reveals simply 30 completely different SUVs have been provided by main automobile manufacturers again in 2000. Fast ahead to immediately and there are 159 to select from. Alfa Romeo, as an illustration, at the moment sells simply three automobile fashions – two are SUVs (together with the Stelvio pictured)
In 2000, simply 30 completely different fashions have been out there in Britain. Today, that quantity has grown exponentially to 159 variations throughout the key producers.
The large query is: have producers began to make extra of them out of alternative or as a result of there was a surge in demand from motorists?
It comes after inexperienced transport campaigners warned SUVs at the moment are taking up the highway and changing into too large for parking areas in Britain.
The speedy rise of the SUV has been revealed by on-line automotive market CarGurus.
It analysed 35 of the UK’s hottest automobile manufacturers to trace the rise and fall of physique types provided to clients since 2000.
And it reveals that the selection of SUVs available on the market has hit report ranges now that 159 completely different fashions are on sale on this phase.
It’s but extra proof that Britain’s are turning to high-riding, boxier automobiles with improved visibility over the remainder of the site visitors and an elevated sense of safety.
Yet the expansion in numerous fashions out there can also be an indication of fixing SUV class, which now incorporates ‘crossovers’.
These are sometimes smaller fashions with solely two-wheel drive and generally primarily based on an current hatchback or coupe mannequin mannequin. For occasion, the Ford Puma crossover is underpinned by the identical platform because the Fiesta supermini.
Every model reviewed presents not less than one SUV of their vary, with a median of 5 fashions per model, the research discovered.
Two makes – BMW and Audi – characteristic 15 completely different SUVs inside every of their ranges.
By comparability, lower than half of the producers scrutinised bought an SUV mannequin in the course of the interval between 2000 and 2004.
Even sports activities automobile makers, together with Aston Martin (DBX), Bentley (Bentayga), Ferrari (Purosangue), Lamborghini (Urus) and Porsche (Macan and Cayenne) have not less than one SUV of their ranks immediately.
SUVs have develop into such large enterprise lately that even Ferrari has one (although it nonetheless will not acknowledge the Purosangue is an SUV)
Bentley now has the Bentayga SUV and even Lamborghini launched its Urus again in 2018 – the latter is the Italian model’s best-selling mannequin by far
| BRAND | NUMBER OF SUV MODELS IN 2000-2004 | NUMBER OF SUV MODELS IN 2005-2010 | NUMBER OF SUV MODELS IN 2011-2015 | NUMBER OF SUV MODELS IN 2016-2022 | NUMBER OF SUV MODELS END OF 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfa Romeo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Audi | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 15 |
| BMW | 2 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 15 |
| Citroen | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Cupra | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2 |
| Dacia | n/a | n/a | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DS | n/a | n/a | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Fiat | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Ford | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Honda | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Hyundai | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Jaguar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Jeep | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Kia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Land Rover | 4 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Lexus | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 |
| Mazda | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 2 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 12 |
| MG Motor UK | n/a | n/a | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Mini | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Nissan | 3 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Peugeot | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Polestar | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 | 1 |
| Porsche | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Renault | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Seat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Skoda | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| SsangYong | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Subaru | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Suzuki | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Tesla | n/a | n/a | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Toyota | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Vauxhall | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Volkswagen | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Volvo | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 30 | 75 | 85 | 149 | 159 |
| Source: CarGurus | |||||
CarGurus says Volkswagen – the UK’s hottest new automobile model – provided only one SUV mannequin between 2000 and 2004. But the top of 2023, it had eight SUVs throughout its automobile vary
The report comes sizzling on the heels of recent warnings from campaigners in regards to the sheer measurement of automobiles being bought in Britain, claiming many vehicles are just too large for our roads.
Separate evaluation by Transport and Environment printed final month reveals that the typical width of vehicles bought within the UK is rising by 1cm each two years, pointing the finger squarely on the enhance in availability of sports activities utility automobiles.
The research discovered that greater than half of motors in showrooms immediately are wider than a normal 180cm on-street parking bay.
And whereas the typical new automobile has swollen to 180.3cm – or 200cm with its wing mirrors out – the campaigners fired a broadside at a breed it dubs ‘mega SUVs’, that are 200cm broad on common, or 220cm with wing mirrors.
Transport & Environment says the broader vehicles are leaving much less room for different highway customers
The increasing availability of SUVs can also be being pushed by the change to electrification, CarGurus stated.
Of the 159 completely different SUVs in dealerships in 2024, 41 are electrical automobiles (EVs).
In truth, greater than half (54 per cent) of all battery-powered fashions bought in showrooms immediately are SUVs, simply eclipsing the supply of electrical superminis, estates and MPVs.
This has resulted in warnings of a distinct nature from structural engineers.
Chris Whapples, knowledgeable who marketing consultant on the development of automobile parks, stated final yr that new steerage is being developed recommending larger load bearing weights for multistorey automobile parks to accommodate heavier EVs.
Most of the nation’s 6,000 multistorey and underground services have been constructed based on steerage from the Seventies, when the burden of the typical automobile – similar to a Mk3 Ford Cortina, was 1.5 tonnes.
Most combustion vehicles are far heavier than that immediately, although among the largest EV fashions – such because the Mercedes EQS SUV – tip the size at over 2.8 tonnes.
Whapples stated in April: ‘Operators want to pay attention to electrical automobile weights, and get their automobile parks assessed from a power perspective, and determine if they should restrict weight.’
The Mercedes EQS SUV is likely one of the newest breed of huge electrical fashions. It suggestions the scales at over 2.8 tonnes
SUVs may quickly be the most well-liked new automobile sort
The recognition of SUVs has sky-rocketed within the final decade specifically, as highlighted in an unique report by This is Money in January.
It confirmed that whereas small vehicles stay the most well-liked throughout all automobile varieties within the UK, SUVs are progressively closing the hole as extra drivers change to bigger, high-riding fashions.
In 2013, ‘twin goal’ sports activities utility automobiles represented solely 11 per cent of the market.
But a increase in demand lately has seen SUVs overtake household hatches to develop into the nation’s second hottest automobile sort, making up 28.6 per cent of all registrations (solely small metropolis vehicles and superminis promote in better volumes).
In 2013, SUVs represented simply over one in ten (11%) of all new vehicles. Fast ahead a decade and so they now account for nearly three in ten (28.6%). In phrases of passenger automobile sort, solely metropolis vehicles/superminis promote in better numbers
| CAR TYPE | 2013 MARKET SHARE | 2023 MARKET SHARE |
|---|---|---|
| Mini/Supermini | 39.5% | 30.4% |
| Lower medium (medium household hatch/saloon) | 26.0% | 28.2% |
| Upper medium (giant household hatch/saloon) | 9.1% | 6.1% |
| Dual goal (SUVs) | 11.0% | 28.6% |
| Multi goal (MPVs) | 6.7% | 3.6% |
| Other (luxurious saloon, govt saloon, sports activities vehicles) | 7.7% | 3.1% |
| Source: SMMT |
According to official registration information printed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, seven of the nation’s 10 finest promoting vehicles in 2023 have been SUVs, with the Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai topping the chart.
And the rising urge for food for SUV is being mirrored in showrooms.
The rising demand for SUVs, coupled with the necessity for producers to speculate closely in EVs, has additionally resulted in a lower in availability of different physique types.
The CarGurus evaluation discovered that the variety of new convertibles provided within the UK immediately has halved since 2005 (down 56 per cent), whereas there was a 70 per cent decline in MPVs (to simply 29 fashions) and 42 per cent drop in hatchbacks (solely 67 now out there).
Chris Knapman, editorial director at CarGurus, stated shoppers at the moment are ‘spoilt for alternative’ in terms of SUVs, and says the research is additional proof that British drivers are ‘more and more turning away from different automobile physique varieties that after dominated the roads’.
He added: ‘There is sort of sure to be a mannequin to swimsuit particular person wants and budgets, but there are a selection of issues to think about when buying this automobile physique sort.
‘Key issues embrace automobile dimensions, boot house, towing capability, powertrain sort, and the choice of two- or four-wheel-drive.’
