Detroit - Small lux SUVs, the next big thing?

The question of "What's the next big thing?" often hovers at every auto show and is the topic of every chat during press days. After attending endless press conferences and walking the floor until my feet ached in Detroit, I came away with this: upscale SUVs are getting smaller. The new ones certainly gave me a "Honey, I shrunk the SUV" impression.

Small SUVs are not a new thing. In fact, it's a category that's now quite saturated in the $20,000 to $30,000 price bracket - playgrounds of the successful Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. But not just "affordable models, but also compact, sporty, upscale versions, such as the BMW X3 and to some extent the Land Rover LR2. Now, an entire wave of these versatile lux-boxes is coming. The Acura RDX arrived in 2006 and the Infiniti EX35 is just hitting the streets. In Detroit, the Cadillac Provoq, Mercedes-Benz GLK, and Saab 9-4X were shown in concept form, and provided the decor for the obligatory token green power of hydrogen, diesel, or ethanol powertrain. Tucked in a corner, was a production version of the Volkswagen Tiguan. The list grows with the imminent Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60. (The latter will be unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March.)

Some say that this is too small a niche, but with the current aura of guilt surrounding SUVs, this move makes a lot of sense. I don't know anyone who has owned an SUV in the last decade who wants to give up the versatility, raised stance, and AWD in their next vehicle. But virtually all of these owners are eager to get better fuel economy and a more manageable SUV that is easier to park and more maneuverable. I'm also hearing a lot of owners asking that their next vehicles have high levels of luxury amenities and sporty on-road dynamics. Models in this emerging sub-category might fulfill these demands.

This year's Detroit auto show theme was in stark contrast to years past, where bigger was most certainly better. But now, instead of high-horsepower V8s, big performance and size, there was more greenness and downsizing in the air. The "next big thing" seems to actually be downsizing, which might be the right thing for many consumers.

—Gabe Shenhar

See our complete coverage of the 2008 Detroit auto show. And discuss the event in our auto show forum.

                                                                                                           

                   

 

Comments

[Cale]

Downsized but very expensive. At this rate the depreciation of automotive "assets" will reach an all time high when you look at the cost per pound.