Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevrolet Most Favored Brands for CUVs, According to a Study by The Planning Edge

    FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Feb. 6 -- When asked which brands
were best positioned to sell Crossover Utility Vehicles (CUVs), respondents in
a study from The Planning Edge (TPE) indicated Toyota, Ford, Honda and
Chevrolet.  Lexus, Jeep, GMC, Nissan, and BMW (some of these brands do not
currently offer CUVs) followed this group.
    TPE forecasts strong growth in the CUV market from the current level of
1.4 million to 2.9 million units by 2007.  In addition, while the CUV products
offered by some companies will be limited, future sales are critical to such
brands as Subaru, Mercury, Saturn and Buick whose products are more niche-
oriented or whose product lines are being redefined.
    Although consumers do not specifically choose vehicles on the basis of a
drivetrain, a significant group of consumers prefer the attributes of a front-
wheel-drive vehicle (e.g., better maneuverability, improved fuel economy,
etc.).  According to consumers, brands perceived as offering good fuel economy
include Saturn, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Volvo.  Brands that provide products
that consumers believe handle well on the road include Nissan, Mitsubishi,
Mazda, Acura and BMW.
    TPE defines CUVs as front-wheel-drive vehicles that combine the attributes
of both cars and trucks.  TPE divides CUVs into five sub-segments:

    *  Hatch
    *  Wagon
    *  Small
    *  Mid-Size
    *  Luxury

    TPE's two studies (The Future Of Crossover Utility Vehicles and Brand
Positioning Of Crossover Utility Vehicles) include both industry analysis from
the company's extensive expertise on the topic and quantitative analysis,
which was derived from the responses of over 3,500 consumer participants.  The
studies also contain a detailed five year forecast for current and future CUVs
for all OEMs and their brands.
    The Planning Edge is an analysis and consulting firm located in Farmington
Hills, Michigan.  The organization specializes in automotive related work with
a strong emphasis on proprietary projects that focus on automotive branding
and segmentation, new system technologies, advanced business practices and
consumer attitudes.