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16 May 2018 | AutoData MARKET » TRENDS Spin the wheel The most sold SUVs in Brazil in the first quarter of 2018 – In units sedans and hatches, but we see the SUV market growing. And not only in Brazil, but in the whole world.” Jeep Compass, Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Creta, Honda WR-V and Renault Captur, among others, there were some of the news that the automakers presented to Brazilians in the last two years. They ex- panded the range of offers from a segment that for many years was dominated by the Ford EcoSport, which later had Renault Duster, Honda HR-V and Jeep Renegade as companions. The scenario stimulates a certain di- lemma: are Brazilians buying more SUVs because the range of innovations is now very wide or the range of innovations is now very wide because Brazilians are buying more SUVs? THERE’S ROOM FOR MORE Tania Silvestri, director of Jeep, esti- mates that “in Latin American markets, SUVs represent around 30% of sales and in the United States they reach 40%. We still see opportunities for growth in Brazil and the segment will continue heated”. The brand, which is part of FCA, offers in Brazil themost complete portfolio of sports utility vehicles, its unique specialty: from the small Renegade to the big Grand Che- rokee, through its latest launch, Compass, which quickly, and despite the high price, has become nothing less than the leader in SUV sales in Brazil. For the executive the segment offer everything the local consumer wants: in- terior space, comfort, high driving position and mechanical power. About the Jeep models, they emphasize that all were ori- ginally developed as SUVs, unlike some competitor vehicles, mounted on platforms that allowother variations, such as hatches or pickup trucks. “We are the synonym of the category: it is common for someone to say that they have a ‘jeep’. Our models deliverwhat they promise: they have chassis, transmission and SUV suspension”. Until March, Compass was the ninth best-selling model in the general ranking of the Brazilianmarket with around 13 thou- sand units. It is on the edge of the SUV segment with a tiny margin difference, followed by HR-V and Kicks and helps Jeep lead the segment by brand with ap- proximately 20% share. Silvestri believes that the Brazilian economic recovery will be an important factor to further increase demand for the segment’s vehicles: “The SUV is aspiratio- nal. The desire to buy one of these models has much to do with consumer financial developments, which typically goes from a sedan or a hatch”. Sergio Marchionne, FCA’s Worldwide President, agrees with the local director of Jeep. For no other reason he personally gave permission for the Goiana plant, whe- re Renegade and Compass are produced, to produce almost 24 hours a day thanks to the unprecedented adoption of the third 12 978 12 320 12 832 9 615 8 965 1º Jeep Compass 3º Nissan Kicks 2º Honda HR-V 4º Hyundai Creta 5º Jeep Renegade Disclousure/Jeep Disclousure/Honda Disclousure/Nissan Disclousure/Hyundai