Full-Size/Luxury Sport Utilities: SLX, Hummer, Escalade, Tahoe/Yukon/Denali, Suburban, Expedition, QX4, Trooper, VehiCross, Grand Cherokee, LX470, Navigator, Montero, Range Rover, Land Cruiser
By Bob Storck
Land Rover created the awareness that Utility could be upscale. This
end of the market is blooming. There used to be few full size SUVs, but
the success of luxury badged LX470s, Expeditions and Navigators are
making the beasts more prominent. In this segment some vehicles are
large, and some expensive, but most are both - at least when the high
option models are considered.
The big advantage of the largest SUVs is their size and power, as most
of these come with eight cylinder engines, with a few V10s and diesels.
At least two-thirds of SUV manufacturers offer models that top $35,000,
so it is obvious that these emphasize style and comfort, with utility a
secondary capability.
More entries are starting to compete at the upper limits, but the top
of the mountain is very narrow so these are not volume products. Still
they represent good profits and enhance the image of the brand so there
will be more of these luxo-barges on the road, at least until
legislation, gas prices or the general economy changes.
Volvo and Jaguar initially opted out of the market after floating
design studies to gauge interest. Now their dealers are clamoring some
sort of AWD model, since many of their traditional buyers defected to
other brand's utes.
GMC and Chevrolet use their new truck components to modernize their
Yukon and Tahoe as well as their even larger Suburbans, although GMC now
calls their version the Yukon XL. Ford was in danger of stealing GM's
bragging rights with the even larger Excursion, but then GM trumped them
by buying the rights to the Hummer. Toyota customers have cherished the
Land Cruiser, and now they have a more comfortable and spacious vehicle
to love, the Indiana built Sequoia based on the Tundra architecture.
Full-Size Luxury/Sports Utility Vehicles
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