The SUV coupe segment – you know, those high-riding crossovers with a chopped roofline to resemble a coupe – has been increasing in numbers. That's a fact. This design execution is definitely not everybody's cup of tea, and you can probably blame BMW for popularizing this segment in the first place with the X6.
Despite their polarizing looks, SUV coupes are still selling, which explains why more and more brands are entering the segment as well. Mercedes-Benz is one of the most recent to join the fray with the AMG-GLE 63S Coupe that followed the AMG-GLE 53 Coupe from last year.
BMW, of course, has added the X4 and X2 into the mix to follow the X6's lead, while the Volkswagen group has the Audi Q8, Porsche Cayenne Coupe, and VW Atlas Cross Sport to contend with the segment.
Strategic Vision, an automotive research and consulting company that collects data from new car buyers every year, has an insight as to why people are buying SUV coupes, as reported by Autoblog. According to the firm, buyers of SUV coupes or Sport Utility Coupes (SUCs), particularly those from Mercedes, are four-to-five years younger than the usual buyer of typical SUVs. This brings down a car brand's average age, which, in turn, increases the brand's desirability.
Strategic Vision also added that buyers of SUV coupes are less price-sensitive, which means brands can increase the price tag on these vehicles and that won't affect the sales. But, more importantly, the SUC buyers in this age group are more conscious of their image.
"More than anything, buyers of these Mercedes SUCs want to look good while in their vehicle, and have it stand out from others," says Alexander Edwards, the president of Strategic Vision, in Autoblog's report.
"They even see the vehicle as an extension of themselves, sort of like a gamer who sees their online avatar as an extension of who they are. So, in addition to representing themselves, they want the vehicle to represent their success."
