The SUV Is Making a Comeback

&&&&&EMBEDDED_ELEMENT_START&&&&& {“id”:1420668676439,”originalName”:”2015_03_04_17_02_45_114_http___blogs_cars_com__a_6a00d83451b3c669e2013487fdb343970c_800wi”,”name”:”MMS ID 49615 (created by CM Utility)”,”URI”:”/75/2089482038-1425510165775.”,”createDate”:”2015-03-04 05:02:45″,”metadata”:{“AUTHOR”:”automatic-content-migration”,”KEYWORDS”:””},”href”:”https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/1170×1170/75/2089482038-1425510165775.”,”description”:”Came from http://blogs.cars.com/.a/6a00d83451b3c669e2013487fdb343970c-800wi”,”externalid”:”49615″,”updatedby”:”cmuadmin”,”updateddate”:1425511485942,”associations”:{}} &&&&&EMBEDDED_ELEMENT_END&&&&&

Jeep’s redesignd Grand Cherokee’s best mileage is 18 mpg combined for the V-6, two-wheel-drive model, and sales rose 95% to an impressive 10,915 units.

Other automakers saw this trend. Sales of Nissan’s excellent Murano midsize crossover were up just 6.4%, and it hasn’t been as popular as the previous generation. Yet, larger SUVs from the manufacturer are up by a bigger margin despite smaller sales overall. The Xterra was up 12%, the Pathfinder up 23.5% and the largest, the Armada, was up 70%. Its average mileage: 14 mpg.

The same happened with Toyota’s Venza crossover, whose sales dropped a significant 25.2%, moving just 3,546 units. That makes it the second-biggest dip of any Toyota-branded model besides the Land Cruiser, which is the company’s least efficient SUV but sells to far fewer people, moving a grand total of 109 units in September. The still rather huge Sequoia was up 5%, while more niche off-road SUVs the FJ Cruiser and 4Runner were up 244.8% and 437.8%, respectively.
 
However, in terms of sales volume, those three models still tally less combined than the Highlander. With a total of 7,824 units sold, the Highlander’s numbers were up 50%. Combined mileage of the four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive Highlander is 22 mpg while a V-6, all-wheel-drive model is 19 mpg. A V-6 Camry sedan is 23 mpg combined. The Camry saw sales increase 19.5% in comparison.

How well did other non-thrifty SUVs do? The Honda Pilot (19 mpg combined) saw sales rise 48.2% with 8,059 units. The Honda Accord sedan, one of the most popular cars in the country, saw sales up 15.9%. A good amount, but not as high as the more-expensive and thirstier Pilot.

The less-expensive 2011 Kia Sorento, which sold more than 10,000 units in September (its 2009 figures were nearly non-existent as the brand phased out the old generation), is the company’s best-seller but gets up to 24 mpg combined.

We’re not even taking into account small crossovers like the Nissan Rogue (sales up 63.5%), Toyota RAV4 (up 41.2%) and Honda CR-V (up 23%).

All of these larger SUV models could theoretically be replaced by more fuel-efficient sedans and wagons of equal interior volume and seating capacities. Or — gasp — minivans for the largest among them.

Yet, that isn’t stopping American car buyers from picking SUVs and crossovers instead.