Why Is Australia Falling Out Of Love With Sedans?

By Author: Ben Sporn
Total Articles: 19
Comment this article

Many people are buying SUVs such as the 2016 Subaru Forester or hatch models rather than sedans. This has been an ongoing trend for quite a few years in Australia, and manufacturers are nonplussed. Of course, everyone loves the idea of owning and using an SUV on a regular basis, but Australia has gone SUV crazy. The sales of hatch models have also accelerated leaving the sedan in the dust. Is there a particular reason for this trend, why has Australia fallen out of love with sedans?

The Main Culprits:

The main three reasons for the decline in sedan sales are the hatch, SUV, and the ute. In the passenger carrying segment, one can easily see that hatchbacks are dominating sedans to a ridiculous degree. At one point in our history (not too long ago) the sedan carried a lot of prestige in business circles, but one cannot argue that a hatch is much more versatile for daily use. A separate boot seems to be a poor substitute for a proper cargo area that can carry all your stuff for the beach and/or a couple of bikes.

The SUV is the New Luxury Car:

The loss of prestige and cachet associated with sedan driving ...
... has fallen in step with the rise of the SUV. It is not unusual these days to see executives driving to work in an SUV, and they are now a luxury car. There have been high end SUV options available for quite some time now, but we are entering a new phase. Now, we see Lamborghini launching an SUV named the Urus, whilst Porsche launch the Panamera sedan in Australia that sells only 52 units, compared to their Macan SUV which sells over 1800 units. Even Porsche’s other SUV the aging Cayenne has sold in excess of 1100 units this year. Make no mistake, in Australia everyone that is anyone, is now driving an SUV.

The Safety Issue:

Many people, definitely choose larger SUV vehicles for their safety benefits. A larger well built car with a 5 star ANCAP safety rating provides a greater degree of protection for the occupants. There is also a better more elevated driving position that allows you to see danger earlier. However, all of this comes at a price as SUVs are definitely more dangerous for any pedestrians that are unlucky enough to encounter them in a collision. They also reduce visibility for drivers of smaller cars around you and if everyone is driving larger cars your height advantage disappears. In the immediate future, it is unlikely that this trend will be sustainable, as autonomous cars enter the market, road safety in cars of all sizes will increase, and the SUV craze may end.

If you’re searching for a Subaru Forester for sale, contact us here at City Subaru. We have a wide variety of both new and used cars available including the 2016 Subaru Forester. We would like to invite you to come and join us for a no obligation test drive at your earliest convenience. Our sales team would be happy to advise you on the latest Subaru Forester price and answer any other questions you may have.

City Subaru is your number one local, family owned Subaru dealership in Perth, providing great service, and quality vehicles across 2 locations in Vic Park, and Maddington, so you’ll be able to start your next adventure in a brand-new City Subaru.