Goodbye Family Car...Hello Family Light Truck
20 January 2000
Polk Study Reveals Changing Vehicle Needs for U.S. FamiliesDETROIT -- It appears the family vehicle of choice in the United States has shifted from cars to light trucks, according to an analysis released today by The Polk Company. Minivans and Sport Utility Vehicles have the highest concentration of vehicle owners with children in all automotive categories, findings that vary significantly from the 1960s when families with children preferred large cars and station wagons. More than half of today's new minivan owners (53.6 percent) have at least one child under the age of 18 in their household. The SUV segment follows closely, with more than four in ten SUV owners (44.7 percent) buckling in baby and booster seats, transporting soccer teams and equipment, or dropping children off at the nearby mall or theater multiplex. Polk's analysis also revealed that SUV and Minivan buyers desire very similar characteristics in their new vehicles. Both buyers look mainly for vehicles that can be described as a "family vehicle," "spacious," "reliable" and "functional." The chart below shows the major characteristics sought by these two buyer groups. Characteristic Most Desired in New Vehicles* (Households with children under 18 years of age) Minivan Buyers SUV Buyers Family Vehicle 59.33% 20.42% Spacious 10.41% 9.83% Practical 8.08% 5.94% Reliable 7.73% 14.73% Functional 7.70% 19.61% Rugged .06% 7.54% *Source: Polk's Manufacturer Loyalty Excelerator(TM) Study, 1999 Model Year Polk Report On Family Cars 2/2/2/2 Multi-tasking parents are not only using their vehicles for transportation, but also seizing the opportunity for "quality time" with their kids. As a result, these "dinner tables on wheels," that often roll down the road over 60 miles per hour, have created safety standard and visibility challenges for manufacturers. Minivan owners are duly concerned about safety standards, evidenced by a higher demand for safety information when they shop the Internet. In addition to increasing their use of the Internet when vehicle shopping, minivan buyers were the group most likely to have obtained safety information via the Web. Rebate/incentive offerings were also frequently sought by this group. Type of information obtained BY SHOPPERS VIA Internet Shopper by segment of Safety Incentives/Rebates purchased vehicle Information Offered Total New Minivan owners 56.99% 39.75% Total New Vehicle owners 42.53% 39.05% *Source: Polk's Manufacturer Loyalty Excelerator(TM) Study, 1999 Model Year In fact, six out of every ten new minivan owners with children received a financial incentive when purchasing their vehicle. Karen Piurkowski, Polk's director of loyalty, noted, "the majority of these owners indicated that their incentive strongly influenced their purchase decision. Manufacturers and dealers are not only challenged with offering competitive rebates, they now must make incentive and safety information easy to find on their Web sites." With increased functionality and the evolution of incentives, the minivan and SUV segments have steadily gained in share of vehicles-in-operation since 1985. Responding to consumer needs, there will be 25 new light truck models (and 16 fewer car models) manufactured by the 2002 model year. Segment Share of U.S. Vehicles-In-Operation Segment 1985 1990 1995 1998 Pickup Truck 16.6% 17.5% 18.6% 18.5% Full-Size Van 3.6% 3.2% 2.8% 2.5% Minivan 0.6% 2.7% 4.9% 5.8% SUV 2.7% 4.4% 6.6% 8.6% Luxury car 7.8% 9.0% 9.4% 9.5% Sporty car 8.4% 8.7% 8.0% 7.3% Large car 10.8% 7.9% 6.6% 5.9% Midsize car 34.0% 30.5% 28.3% 27.6% Small car 15.5% 16.0% 14.9% 14.4% Source: Polk Offering high-tech amenities like video entertainment centers and voice technology commands, today's "home away from home" vehicles are designed to make the driving experience a pleasure, regardless of where you are seated. Anticipating movement within vehicle segment requirements (e.g., baby seats may no longer be required), manufacturers expect the mini-SUV segment to experience significant growth within the next few years. Automotive manufacturers continue to position themselves to meet the vehicle needs of today's family. "We're witnessing the influence of children on product design and offerings. It will be interesting to see how Generation X buyers and their buying habits react to the growth of the mini-SUV segment," Piurkowski said. Polk's Manufacturer Loyalty Excelerator(TM) product, which is the basis for the Polk Automotive Household Loyalty Awards, provides the latest insight into this type of consumer behavior. This study was introduced to the automotive industry in 1995 and was created to provide household loyalty information to manufacturers at many different levels. It is also being used to determine the awards; provide loyalty percentages for the entire automotive industry; enable cross-industry comparisons of loyalty behavior; and examine loyalty at various levels -- e.g., from the industry level down to the vehicle line level. The Loyalty Excelerator study measures loyalty throughout the entire model year so that manufacturers may keep abreast of loyalty trends as they occur in the industry. Polk is a global company delivering multi-dimensional intelligence to the auto industry to enhance the relationships consumers have with brands. Through lifetime understanding of individuals, Polk helps clients maintain current customers, win new ones and build their brand loyalty. Based in Southfield, Mich., Polk is a privately held firm currently operating in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Holland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.