DETROIT — For the 2021 model year, two of the largest SUVs – the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe – will grow in size. Because large SUVs are among the industry’s biggest moneymakers, that means more profits for automakers and more space for consumers. Toyota and Ford have also been increasing the size of their SUVs.
“When you go out and do clinics on almost any vehicle and you ask what people want, they almost always say they want more space,” said IHS Markit’s principle automotive analyst Stephanie Brinley.
“When you go out and do clinics on almost any vehicle and you ask what people want, they almost always say they want more space."
Low gas prices are providing U.S. consumers with more confidence as they shed the fear of getting stuck with high gas costs in the event of a fuel price spike. It also helps sales that SUV gas mileage continues to improve, making the large vehicles a possibility for more drivers.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 28 vehicles in the 2020 SUV model year get at least 30 miles to the gallon, compared to just one model in 2000.
Based on projections released by Edmunds, at the end of 2019, about half of new-vehicle sales in the U.S. will have been SUVs, with passenger cars making up one-third of sales and pickups comprising the rest.
Capitalizing on the boom of large vehicle sales, GM announced in December that the 2021 Tahoe is 6.7 inches longer than its 2020 counterpart and a newly designed wheelbase adds 4.9 inches. These additions result in an increased maximum cargo room of 29.8%.
