Though SUVs have been growing in popularity for years now, OE fitments and a wide variety of consumer expectations have caused more SUV-specific tires to come to market. In this video from the Tire Review Continental Tire Garage Studio, we will discuss the growth of SUV tires and why this trend is happening.
When it comes to luxury SUVs, larger rim diameters all have had double-digit growth since 2015 at the cost of 15- and 16-in. diameters, which lost almost 60% market share in that time. With that being said, different types of SUVs like large luxury or off-road vehicles have created a need for a lot of different types of fitments for SUVs.
On top of that, customer needs for their SUV will likely be very specific. In order to complement the modern SUV, tires require higher levels of grip, improved comfort and driving sophistication – more so than their predecessors.
Because of versatility in the SUV segment, along with varying driver expectations, making a recommendation for replacement tires requires dealers to know their customer’s needs and expectations as well as the various brands and fitments the dealership can provide.
When serving customers in this segment, one key takeaway is to remember that these are, in fact, utility vehicles and daily drivers at the same time. In many cases, they will be driven hard and carry cargo. In other cases, they may be an upgrade from a van and carry multiple people at a time or be driven for aesthetic purposes.
No matter the case, it is key to know which fitments and tire technology are best suited for your customer when they are trying to find the right SUV tire.
