• New Cars
    • First Impressions
    • Road Tests
  • Classics
    • Classic Profiles
    • Classic Driving Impressions
    • Classics Information
    • Events and Days Out
  • Motoring For Fun
  • News & Views
  • Bookshelf
  • Technical
    • Grumpy Old Mechanic
    • Kim’s Tips
  • Features
    • Visits
    • Track Days
  • Contributors
    • About our contributors
    • Kim Henson
    • Chris Adamson
    • Kieron Fennelly
    • Ant Henson
    • Rachel Henson
    • David Miles
    • Gerald Morgan
    • Dave Moss
    • Dave Randle
    • Robin Roberts
    • Tom Scanlan
    • Glen Smale
    • Jeremy Walton
    • Keith Ward
    • John Price Williams
  • More…
    • About Wheels Alive
    • Tips for using this website
    • Useful Links

Wheels Alive

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

SUVs increasingly popular around the world…

Author/Source: Robin Roberts

4th January 2019

Toyota’s RAV4 – The world’s best-selling SUV in 2018.

THE RISE AND RISE OF SUV SALES…

By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency).

Global sales of SUVs rose 6% in 2018 to a hit a staggering 60% increase over the last five years.

The Global Auto Database analysis shows the Toyota RAV4 as the world’s best selling SUV with 830,928 registrations, a 3.7% improvement and the second year in a row it has taken the top spot.

Toyota dominated the SUV sector with 2.35M registrations, Nissan recorded 2.24M and they were well ahead of a shrinking Honda share of 1.84M caused in part by the run-out of their CR-V range. Despite its expansion in the sector, Ford sold just under 1.6M SUVs, 3.5% down on the 2017 total.

Hyundai recorded a near 19% rise in registrations over 12 months but the really impressive improver was Volkswagen which saw its share accelerate nearly 29% with 1.22M SUVs sold in 2018.

Group-wise, the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi amassed 4.29M SUV sales, a 7.2% increase in 12 months and well ahead of Toyota/Lexus, while the VW subsidiaries of Audi, SEAT and Skoda pushed up to 2.53M registrations, a 22% improvement.

The gradual amalgamation of PSA’s brands meant it finished 2018 with 1.12M SUV registrations, a 19.4% increase.

The most improved brand however was the Chinese Geely Group, including Volvo, which soared 37% in 12 months to 1.23M SUV sales.

Volvo’s popular XC40.
Save Post as PDF

Categories: News & Views, Robin Roberts Tags: SUV

Tip: For improved search accuracy, enclose search terms for multiple words in quotation marks. For example:
"Land Rover".

Advertise with us

Recent Posts

A summer of fun at Beaulieu

Lakeland Motor Museum kicks off the start of The Club Triumph Coast 2 Coast Run

The Motor Ombudsman marks nearly one million contacts as ADR Regulations reach a decade of service

INEOS Grenadier ups its game with portal axle collaboration

New Chief Executive Officer for The British Motor Museum

Legacy of Austin pedal cars honoured with Blue Plaque at original factory site in Bargoed

Kia EV3 GT Line S – Road Test

National Motor Museum to take Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird to Wales for the World Land Speed Record centenary

Contributors

contributors

Our well-respected contributors live and breathe motor cars; aren’t we lucky?

Contributors to the site include talented, highly-respected people (so they tell me) on the hallowed membership list of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and from the similarly well thought-of Western Group of Motoring Writers. In addition there are valued contributions from other knowledgeable and capable motoring writers who have something useful to say about all aspects of driving and running vehicles in the 21st Century. All of our team are passionate about motor cars!


Read about our contributors  ››

Tags

all-electric PHEV SUV plug-in hybrid British Motor Museum Compact SUV National Motor Museum MPV large SUV Hybrid First Impressions City car The Motor Ombudsman saloon Suzuki Coupé Electric Beaulieu hatchback Estate car estate crossover five door hatchback Tyres road test luxury SUV Kia Seven seater SUV 4x4 EV

All Tags ››

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Wheels Alive Social

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Please share our website

Contact us

We welcome your questions, comments and feedback. Please click here to contact us.

Advertising Opportunities

Please contact us if you would like to discuss advertising opportunities on Wheels Alive.

Copyright © 2025 Kim Henson, Wheels Alive