It is no secret that SUVs have become increasingly popular in the Nigerian auto market. However, as sales for SUVs rise, sales for other segments begin to go down. One of the vehicle segments that has greatly been impacted by the rise of SUVs is Minivans.
Many Nigerians today will prefer an SUV over a Minivan. This includes families with children. But, what could also be the reasons behind this? Today we’re looking at some of the reasons why buyers are repeatedly choosing to buy SUVs over minivans.
The Rise of SUVs and the Fall of Minivans
According to CarSalesBase, in 2019, there were just six minivan models available for sale. In terms of total sales, 408,987 minivans found new homes in 2019 globally. Those sales figures mark a 15 per cent decrease in sales compared to the 482,182 sold in 2018. In contrast, 2016 saw 553,913 minivans find new homes.
To put the 2019 sales figure into perspective, Toyota sold 448,068 RAV4s globally in the same year, more than all of the minivans combined.
There are Safer SUVs Than Minivans
Despite there being a handful of minivans currently on sale, only a few models have received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. The 2021 Honda Odyssey is the safest of all the new minivans, according to the IIHS ratings. In contrast, midsized SUVs like the Ford Explorer, and the Mazda CX-9 managed to receive the same award.
If we look at luxury midsized SUVs, there are six winners in that separate category alone. Since both SUVs and minivans are almost exclusively purchased as family vehicles, it makes sense why buyers would opt for the safer available options.
SUVs are More Versatile Than Minivans
Of the few minivans currently available for sale, 100 per cent of them are good at basically one thing, transporting families around. SUVs, on the other hand, offer greater versatility. While minivans are stuck being just that, SUVs can wear several different hats.
For example, three-row SUVs like the Mazda CX-9 allow buyers to have the extra seats they want while retaining a relatively luxurious interior. Since the SUV’s interior is not focused on maximizing space, buyers often get nicer layouts and higher-quality materials.
On the other hand, third-row SUVs such as the Toyota 4Runner carry similar seating capacity to a minivan while offering buyers plenty of off-roading capabilities. It seems as though the added versatility of the SUV could be a major deciding factor.
Conclusion
As the SUV market continues to grow, and even greater options become available for less money, it seems likely that the minivan market will continue to shrink. And, this is one important reason many people are going after SUVs today.
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