17.3 How many car models have been evaluated over the years?

Figure 17.6: Numbers of models per year

Figure 17.6 shows a sharp decline in the number of Subcompact Cars, and an increase in the number of Large Cars. The patterns amongst Station Wagons and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) need a closer look.

17.3.1 Station wagons and SUVs

There are three categories for station wagons and six for SUVs. Nobody talks much about station wagons these days and the term SUV is relatively new. Figure 17.7 displays barcharts of the numbers of each type for each year.

Figure 17.7: Numbers of station wagon and SUV models by year with categories arranged by station wagons and SUVs and within those groupings by year and size

The patterns are clear. The ‘Large’ in the category Midsize-Large Station Wagons was dropped after 1998. SUV classifications were introduced in 1999 and further split in 2013. The numbers of station wagon models were declining before SUVs were introduced. After 2007 it appears that mainly small station wagons were produced. Numbers of SUV models for 2WD (two-wheel-drive) and 4WD (four-wheel-drive) followed similar patterns initially. After the split into Small and Standard SUVs, only the number of 4WD ones increased.