We are living in the ‘Age of the SUV’. These high-riding crossovers have dominated the sales charts for years, squeezing out other options, especially sedans.
Indeed, a few years ago it seemed the days of the sedan were numbered, with SUVS likely to replace any alternative. Look no further than the once globally-popular Ford Mondeo evolving into an SUV-alternative to maintain its existence.
Sedans are dead… or are they?
Looking at the latest sales data in Australia, that accounts for the first seven months of 2022, and there’s a surprising trend. Sales of sedans are on the rise in certain parts of the market thanks to a new twist on the old bodystyle – electrification.
Sales of ‘medium cars over $60,000’ (an official category from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries that tracks the data) are up more than 50 per cent to the end of July.
Why? Well, it’s no thanks to the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class, because they’re all in sales decline. No, the increase is coming from the arrival of the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2.
The Model 3 has been on sale for sometime, but only began officially reporting numbers earlier this year. But even so, the trend is obvious, with the Model 3 clearly the best-seller in the segment, ahead of the German trio of more famous nameplates.
Perhaps more pertinent to this discussion is the performance of the Polestar 2, which lacks the brand-awareness of the Tesla. Despite this, it’s the fifth best-selling model in the segment, behind the Model 3, C-Class, 3 Series and Mercedes CLA.
There have been 656 Polestars sold so far this year, which is impressive for what is in many respects a start-up brand. Even more so when you compare it to the far more established Volvo S60, which is in the same market segment but has only sold 153 examples, or even the Audi A4 that has amassed just 304 new registrations in seven months this year.
It’s a similar story in the next market segment up, where the Porsche Taycan is the best-selling ‘large car over $70,000’, outperforming the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Obviously SUVs will play a major role in the future too, with customer demand for high-riders unlikely to change anytime soon. But there’s no question car companies see a demand for electric sedans, otherwise why would they be making so many.
In addition to the Model 3, Polestar 2 and Taycan we already have the Tesla Model S, Audi e-tron GT, BMW i4 and Mercedes-Benz EQS on the market. Plus we also know there’s more coming in, including but not limited to, the Audi A6 e-tron, BMW i7, Cadillac Celestiq, Genesis G80 Electrified, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Lotus Type 133, Mercedes-Benz EQE and Polestar 5.
Why so many sedans in an era where SUVs are the more popular choice? The most likely answer is the aerodynamic benefits a sedan has over an SUV, which is crucial when it comes to extracting as much driving range as possible.
The Mercedes EQXX demonstrates the aerodynamic superiority of sedans and the obvious benefits for range, setting a new world record for an electric vehicle by driving 1200km on a single charge.
The lower, sleeker shape of a sedan allows for an electric car to drive further, which should help reduce range anxiety and win over more first-time EV buyers. Or, at least that seems to be the theory behind it.
Having said all that, there’s also an element of customer choice too. Because none of those electric sedans are being released in isolation. Each brand will have one (or more) electric SUVs coming before and/or after, so the ‘Age of the SUV’ looks set to continue into the future.
But if these early days are a true indication of what’s to come, the sedan may have a longer life than many predicted.
Keyword: Can the electric car save the sedan? Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and other new models that could fend off the rise of SUVs