It hasn’t been an awful year, certainly not by historical standards.
In the midst of mild disappointment, the halo created by successful products grows brighter. There are some vehicles selling so extremely well that trends are bucked and expectations are realigned. In some instances, these vehicles were already popular, but 2019 opened the door for a tidal wave of new popularity.
That wouldn’t have been such a big story had the Kona arrived half-a-decade ago when there were fewer competitors and the segment had yet to catch on. But subcompact crossovers are quickly becoming the entry-level segment of our time. Kona volume is still soaring, and through the first three-quarters of 2019, Kona volume is selling 36 per cent more often than its nearest rival.
And while the Cayenne remains far outside the mainstream, it’s wildly more popular now than it’s ever been. Cayenne volume is twice as strong this year as it was in 2018, accounting for more than one-third of Porsche’s Canadian sales. Jeep Grand Cherokee: 15,367, up 51 per centIn fourth-generation form, 2019 is the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s ninth model year. That is, by all accounts, too long for virtually any vehicle in the modern automotive industry. Yet Grand Cherokee volume is booming — 2019 volume is on track to be better than double 2012 levels.