OAK, Mich.—Is the appeal of trucks wearing off with U.S. car buyers?
New research from Jumpstart Automotive Group indicates that Americans in the first half of 2016 shifted their focus away from trucks, whose sales have been outpacing cars for some time.
Jumpstart analyzed total brand interest across all desktop and mobile visitors to their portfolio of sites from January 2015 through June 2016.
When comparing the first half of 2016 to the full year of 2015, the study found:
- Truck segments (SUV/CUV -2%; truck -5%; Vans -3%) have actually decreased in shopping consideration through desktop and mobile searches.
- Car segments (sedans +4%; sport cars +2%; compact +2%; coupe +2%; performance +2%) have increased during the same period.
But the trends look different when comparing the first half of 2015 to the first six months of 2016:
All truck segments (SUV/CUV, trucks, vans) show growth
Many of the high-volume car segments (sedan, compact, coupe) are actually down, but sports cars, luxury exotics, and alternative fuels are up.
“Although sales data may continue to show that trucks are outperforming cars in noticeable ways, it is very interesting to see that many car segments remain top-of-mind for consideration among desktop and mobile shoppers,” said Libby Murad-Patel, vice president of strategic insights and analytics for Jumpstart. “This is important data for OEMs and dealers to recognize as they build their digital marketing strategies for the balance of 2016 and entering 2017, particularly as the new models come onto the lots.”