SAN FRANCISCO—While vehicle sales overall are down this year over 2016, sales of one category of cars—subcompact SUVs and CUVs—are on their way up.
Jumpstart Automotive Media’s monthly shopper interest data report reveals that subcompact SUVs and CUVs saw a 37% increase in interest across Jumpstart’s portfolio of sites in the first half of 2017 when compared to the first half of 2016.
Additionally, the subcompact SUV/CUV segment ranked as the 11th most-shopped vehicle category in the first half of 2017, jumping from 22nd in the first six months of 2016.
“No other vehicle segment saw that much of a lift in this timeframe. Consumers researching and shopping for models, such as the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and the newly launched Toyota C-HR—a top 10 most-shopped model on Jumpstart sites during June—drove much of this increase,” Jumpstart said.
In addition to the HR-V and C-HR, the Kia Stonic, Hyundai Kona, Ford’s upcoming Eco Sport, which join already established models such as the Kia Soul, are among the hottest vehicles, the company stated.