[TrainTrax]

It seems like the common thought that millennials (people born between 1980-2000) don't like cars and aren't going to buy them is simply not true. Car companies have been chasing after millennials and their money for a while now, and it seems like their pursuit is finally paying off. It seems that the recent CUV boom in both production and sales is just the thing that solved this problem.

Car companies have been producing CUVs like crazy recently. Cars like the Chevy Trax, Jeep Renegade and Honda HR-V are coming out soon, and even on the luxury side we have cars like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Lexus NX and Mercedes-Benz GLA are being produced as entry-level luxury vehicles. So why are all these vehicles being built? Well, its because of the data!

Generally, CUV popularity has been on the rise with millennials. In 2008, 13.2% of millennials said that they were considering a compact car. That number has dropped to 9.7% in the current year. On the other hand, CUVs in 2008 were being considered by 6.4% of Millennials. Now that number has increased to 7.5%. So CUVs aren't quite as popular as sedans, but they are gaining quick.

When you consider that Gen Y (millennials) buys 26% of cars compared to Gen X which buys 24% of cars, you can see why companies have been focusing on CUVs.

Why do millennials like CUVs? Well the thought is that millennials are more active, so they like to be able to fit things like a bike into the back trunk. They are also getting to the age that they may want to start families, which a CUV would be well-suited for.

Are you a millennial? Why do you want a CUV? Do you think the CUV trend will continue to grow stronger?

 

[James]

I just like them for the fact that I can have all the fuel efficiency of a regular entry-level sedan and the space of a bigger vehicle.

 

[TrainTrax]

What are you going to use all that extra space for? What makes you need a CUV instead of a sedan?

 

[James]

I go camping often and then during the winter months i go skii's and snowboarding, along with road trips with friends, so for those situations it helps a lot.

Why are you buying the Trax, why do you need the space it has?

 

[rmouthaan]

I am not the generation Y. I am from before that. My reason for buying a CUV is the high step in. I have driven for 12 years a sedan. Although I still do sports, my joins are not that flexible anymore so getting into a sedan takes more effort than getting in a CUV. Space wise the trax has similar space as my old Grand Am without folding seats. But the fifth door in a SUV makes the space easier accessible than the trunk of a Sedan.

I don't drive long distances anymore, I just do city driving. So I needed a car that: can theoretically "start the engine 80 times a day without draining the battery", can be easily parked at different parking stalls, need to acommodate four or five people with easy getting in and out at different locations, does not guzzle gas while doing this, needs to hold five to eight grocery shopping bags. (I did not think of these requirements 12 years ago when purchasing the Grand Am but they accumulated through these 12 years). Yes, the Trax fulfills these requirements.

 

[TrainTrax]

I want the extra space because I have been annoyed on more than one occasion with moving or going to IKEA and not having a big enough vehicle to actually transport stuff. It also helps when packing to go up to the cottage.

 

[James]

I am not the generation Y. I am from before that. My reason for buying a CUV is the high step in. I have driven for 12 years a sedan. Although I still do sports, my joins are not that flexible anymore so getting into a sedan takes more effort than getting in a CUV. Space wise the trax has similar space as my old Grand Am without folding seats. But the fifth door in a SUV makes the space easier accessible than the trunk of a Sedan.

I don't drive long distances anymore, I just do city driving. So I needed a car that: can theoretically "start the engine 80 times a day without draining the battery", can be easily parked at different parking stalls, need to acommodate four or five people with easy getting in and out at different locations, does not guzzle gas while doing this, needs to hold five to eight grocery shopping bags. (I did not think of these requirements 12 years ago when purchasing the Grand Am but they accumulated through these 12 years). Yes, the Trax fulfills these requirements.

Those are some very good reasons for getting one.

 

[TrainTrax]

Does the Trax have any off-road capability since it is a CUV, or is that just wishful thinking?

 

[rmouthaan]

Does the Trax have any off-road capability since it is a CUV, or is that just wishful thinking?

It is, as the australian press calls it, a soft-roader. You don't get stuck easily with the AWD, you can get through rough off roads, sand, and other non-paved roads, BUT it is not designed for off-roading. The Jeeps are more suitable for that. The system uses two wheel drive by default and when you lose grip, the four wheel drive system comes in action.
This is ideal here in Yellowknife because we don't have much paved roads outside the city.

 

[James]

I'd say it would be just as good off road as a full size sedan, which is minimal.

 

[rmouthaan]

I'd say it would be just as good off road as a full size sedan, which is minimal.

No, i meant to say that with the trax you dare to go where you don't dare to go with a sedan. It's not a 4x4, it is an AWD. You can for example drive it onto the beach and won't get stuck, while a sedan will dig itself in. But you don't want to enter 4x4 off road challenges because it is not made for very rough terrain.

 

[chevyfan]

Oh i see what you mean. With that being said, yes the trax is perfect, maybe chevy should focus some of their marketing on this

 

[TrainTrax]

Why would you drive the Trax on a beach? Especially considering you live in the Northwest Territories.

 

[J.G]

It seems like the common thought that millennials (people born between 1980-2000) don't like cars and aren't going to buy them is simply not true. Car companies have been chasing after millennials and their money for a while now, and it seems like their pursuit is finally paying off. It seems that the recent CUV boom in both production and sales is just the thing that solved this problem.

Car companies have been producing CUVs like crazy recently. Cars like the Chevy Trax, Jeep Renegade and Honda HR-V are coming out soon, and even on the luxury side we have cars like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Lexus NX and Mercedes-Benz GLA are being produced as entry-level luxury vehicles. So why are all these vehicles being built? Well, its because of the data!

Generally, CUV popularity has been on the rise with millennials. In 2008, 13.2% of millennials said that they were considering a compact car. That number has dropped to 9.7% in the current year. On the other hand, CUVs in 2008 were being considered by 6.4% of Millennials. Now that number has increased to 7.5%. So CUVs aren't quite as popular as sedans, but they are gaining quick.

When you consider that Gen Y (millennials) buys 26% of cars compared to Gen X which buys 24% of cars, you can see why companies have been focusing on CUVs.

Why do millennials like CUVs? Well the thought is that millennials are more active, so they like to be able to fit things like a bike into the back trunk. They are also getting to the age that they may want to start families, which a CUV would be well-suited for.

Are you a millennial? Why do you want a CUV? Do you think the CUV trend will continue to grow stronger?

Ok few issues here. Do you have actual purchase data? Because I'm perpetually considering buying a F-16 Tomcat Point being is indication of interest is not a conversion. So they cant be driving the boom unless they are the leading volume buyers, plain and simple.

Second Gen Y has a much larger bracket than Gen X is typically given. Gen X is seen to span a decade, while millennials are said to be spread out over 2 decades.

What makes Gen Y thought of as more active? Because what I see are screens screens and more screens, oh they ride their bikes to work?

Again I want to see conversion data because Gen Y is notoriously unemployed and Gen X have money, so they can say Millennial all they want, but what they really want are DOLLARS.

Lastly its no demographic that is driving the CUV boom, its the manufacturers. They benefit from selling light trucks over sedans, its plain and simple mercantilism...

 

[TrainTrax]

It can't all be manufacturers. I mean if you are building vehicles people don't want, then you will just be over supplied.

Also remember that Gen Y goes all the way up to people who are like 34. Those people have money and aren't under employed.

I'd also like better data, but I don['t think that the lack of data disproves what I wrote before.

 

[James]

Why would you drive the Trax on a beach? Especially considering you live in the Northwest Territories.

also have to keep in mind what other people can do with these, those in the southern states will have beaches they will frequent with this

 

[rmouthaan]

Why would you drive the Trax on a beach? Especially considering you live in the Northwest Territories.

I was using it as just an example.
We have a large area outside town that is nothing but sand. The army is using it for their exercises, we use it for motor cross and other off roading. It is not rough, it is just a wide area of sand. There I test drove my Trax as well.
But we do have a small beach area at Long Lake lake. The first 20 meters is just knee deep so it warms up in summer. For the rest of the lakes in the NWT you should be aware of hyperthermia. These lakes do not really warm up.

 

[James]

how did your trax perform while on that terrain?

 

[TrainTrax]

I was using it as just an example.
We have a large area outside town that is nothing but sand. The army is using it for their exercises, we use it for motor cross and other off roading. It is not rough, it is just a wide area of sand. There I test drove my Trax as well.
But we do have a small beach area at Long Lake lake. The first 20 meters is just knee deep so it warms up in summer. For the rest of the lakes in the NWT you should be aware of hyperthermia. These lakes do not really warm up.

Yea I'd imagine it stays pretty cold there for most of the year. Must be beautiful for the short time of year that the weather gets nicer though. Here's what I found.

 

[rmouthaan]

We don't have mountains around Yellowknife,though.
Yes, three months summer, we have to make the most out of it.
September is already around zero, here.