Sales of premium large SUVs has risen sharply in 2015 at +27% to 242,863 sales, the best figure since 2008 and only the sixth time this segment tops 200,000 units, after the 2004-2008 stint. For the sixth time in the eight years the BMW X5 is the leader of the segment, although it loses 4,3 percentage points of share as it is up by just a single unit last year. However, the X5 was so dominant in 2014 that it still has an advantage of almost 10,000 units to the #2 in 2015. The Range Rover Sport in up 10% and holds on to its second place, while the Volkswagen Touareg benefits from an increase of 24% and the name change of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class to GLE, and climbs onto the segment podium. When calculated together, the GLE and M-Class would still be ahead of the Touareg.
The X5 isn’t likely to hold on to its top spot for another year, as two newcomers are storming the charts. The Audi Q7 is up from 9th in 2014 to 4th in 2015 and the Volvo XC90 is up from 10th to 5th and brilliantly took the crown of the segment in the fourth quarter. Both are available with hybrid electric drive trains are are expected to take first and second place of the segment in 2016. The new Mercedes-Benz GLE is not far behind as well, but hasn’t been able to outsell the X5 yet. Then again, it is merely a name change and a minor facelift to the M-Class, not an entirely new model.
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