Rising demand for mini SUVs
More and more drivers are choosing vehicles with automatic transmissions, according to new sales data from Ford.
With the launch of the Ford Figo Freestyle and EcoSport Ambiente Auto, which went on sale earlier in 2020, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa continues to respond to the undeniable change in buying patterns that has seen volumes of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and small crossovers grow.
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Designed with an active lifestyle in mind, these body styles have risen in demand over the last decade, outnumbering and outperforming the traditional sedan and family hatchback for space, practicality and visual appeal.
Recent research conducted by Ford echoes this trend. The mini SUV segment, which includes the EcoSport, has grown from four percent in 2015 to 10 percent market share of the total industry sales in 2020, with many predicting a similar upwards trajectory beyond 2020.
More and more drivers are choosing vehicles with automatic transmissions, according to new sales data from Ford.
In the last three years alone, the number of passenger cars and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) Ford has sold in Europe with an automatic transmission has more than tripled from 10.4 percent in 2017 to 31.3 percent during the first month of 2020.
From a South African customer perspective, the online searched data is equally compelling. According to George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, SUVs are far more popular than sedans in South Africa.
South Africa’s requirements for SUVs and small crossovers are perhaps even more obvious than in other parts of the world.
The country’s extensive gravel road network can be especially punishing on a car’s suspension and tyres.
SUVs and crossovers can mitigate this harshness through slightly longer suspension travel and bigger 205/60 16-inch tyres, fitted to the EcoSport Ambiente and Trend models.
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