January 21, 2022 - Years ago when I was a young lad my hobby was keeping up with the new automobiles that were introduced each fall. The various automobile makers always brought out their new models in October. At that time San Augustine had five car dealers. I would go to the show rooms and ogle the fancy new cars in all their manufactured splendor. I still like to do that, but many of those car dealers have disappeared.
I still keep up with all the new models and have noticed something that alarms me greatly. It seems that the four-door sedan is rapidly disappearing. The SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) is outselling the four-door sedan in large numbers. The question is, why is that happening?
The first four-door sedan was made by Studebaker in 1912. Ford Motor Company introduced their sedan in 1919. Since then, the four-door sedan has outsold all other models to around 2015. From the small towns to the big cities, SUV s have become as ubiquitous as smartphones and chain coffee shops. The question is, what is it about the SUV that makes it the most popular automobile these days? There appear to be several reasons for this, including the following:
It is stronger, larger, and more powerful than a sedan. Imagine that you are driving a small hatchback on the road, and you get into an unfortunate accident with an extensive and bulky SUV. The person in the SUV is more likely to shrug off any damage that might occur. In addition, is the ride height that the SUV provides, which gives the driver a commanding view of the road ahead, making it easy to move around traffic.
Many SUV s provide inflatable rear seat belts that offer even more shielding with driver assist features making it a much viable and safer choice. Talking about space, the SUV does it better in almost anything, keeping everyone you love in one place with all the stuff you own. A high roof, low floor, and comparatively larger storage space make it comfortable with everyone and everything on board.
But, four-door sedans are not quite dead yet. Consider the following before you buy:
Lower cost as compared to the SUV. With a sedan one might be surprised at how much you can save compared to the SUV. Because many components are smaller, one can expect to spend less money on basic maintenance and repair. Comparable performance and features is another reason. Because sedans weigh less, they may offer improved performance and efficiency compared to their SUV counterparts.
Further, sedans are easier to park due to their smaller size. Many say that their sedan is more efficient than the SUV in mileage and routine maintenance. These savings can add up over time, even without considering the cost of fuel.
Currently, pick-up-trucks and SUV s together form 70% of the auto market. Back in 2012, one out of five cars sold was a sedan. Today, it is hardly even one out of ten. On the flip side, , sales of SUV s are zooming up, touching on all-time high of 29.77 million worldwide in 2018. So, it appears that the four-door sedan is on it's way out of market.
General Motors recently announced that they are stopping six of their sedan production models and were planning to focus on the new pickup trucks and the SUV. It caused them to shut down three of their assembly lines, leaving many jobless. Ford saw a dip in sales in 2017, forcing them to focus more on their SUV s and crossovers. Ford planned that by 2020 nearly 90% of its vehicles made in North America would be the SUV.
So, there you have it. As they say, “statistics don't lie.” It would appear that my favorite car is truly on it's death bed. I take note of all the new cars I see, and most of them are new SUV s. It appears that all the features of the SUV has become the perfect vehicle among people who deal with daily commutes and need a ready machine for outdoor activity, making this an attractive choice for off-road enthusiasts. May the four-door sedan automobile rest in peace.
