Why was there a movement away from sedans to SUVs?
Lot easier to load groceries etc in a SUV.
Hatchback design is far more useful than the old fashioned trunk.
Average Americans are going to stay loyal to Japanese models like the Camry and Altima because the brand reputation is solid. Luxury sedans are dominated by German manufacturers like BMW.
Station wagons (real ones, not tiny ones) disappeared because of the CAFE standards. They counted as cars whereas SUVs were considered “light trucks” subject to less restrictive fleet mpg limits.
Because they don’t sell!
The main reason the sales dropped is because inventories were very low, the scamdemic closed all the plants for 60 days when they were already low, auto auctions closed so you couldn’t buy any inventory, then when everything started back up, they were higher by thousands of dollars, and when I had econ classes raising prices equals lower volume.
I’ve been a manager in a new car dealership since 1986. We’re still trying to get inventory back to normal.