SUVs are very popular in the USA, as they account for 15 of the top 25 best-selling vehicles in 2023¹. According to some statistics, the USA had the largest SUV market in the world in the first half of 2019, with over 4.2 million units sold². The most popular SUV models in the USA in 2021 were the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Nissan Rogue³.
In contrast, SUVs are less popular in the UK and Japan, as they face more competition from other types of vehicles, such as hatchbacks, sedans, and minivans. In the UK, SUVs accounted for about 21% of the new car market in 2020, compared to 39% in the USA⁴. The best-selling SUV models in the UK in 2020 were the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Ford Kuga, and the Nissan Qashqai. In Japan, SUVs accounted for about 14% of the new car market in 2020, compared to 31% for minivans. The best-selling SUV models in Japan in 2020 were the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Nissan X-Trail.
Therefore, the popularity of SUVs in the USA is much higher than in the UK and Japan, as SUVs appeal to American consumers more than to British and Japanese consumers. Some possible reasons for this difference are the larger size, lower fuel efficiency, higher price, and lower environmental impact of SUVs, which may affect the preferences and needs of consumers in different markets. I hope this answer was helpful and informative. 😊
¹: [The 25 Most Popular SUVs in 2023 - Kelley Blue Book](^4^)
²: [Sport utility vehicles worldwide - Statistics & Facts | Statista](^2^)
³: [United States - best-selling SUV/crossover models 2021 | Statista](^3^)
⁴: [UK car market share by brand 2020 | Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/299890/car-market-share-in-the-united-kingdom-by-brand/)
: [Best-selling SUVs in the UK 2020 | Auto Express](https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/best-cars/352508/best-selling-suvs-uk-2020)
: [Japan - passenger car sales by type 2020 | Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/279869/japan-passenger-car-sales-by-type/)
: [Japan - best-selling SUV models 2020 | Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/279870/japan-best-selling-suv-models/).
Source: Conversation with Bing, 2/6/2024
(1) SUV Car Demographics: 64 Trends, Facts & Numbers [2023] - Motor and Wheels. https://motorandwheels.com/suv-demographics/.
(2) Sport utility vehicles worldwide - Statistics & Facts | Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/6185/suv-market-worldwide/.
(3) United States - best-selling SUV/crossover models 2021 | Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/343193/best-selling-suv-and-crossover-models-in-the-united-states/.
(4) The 25 Most Popular SUVs in 2023 - Kelley Blue Book. https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/most-popular-suvs/.
(5) The 25 Most Popular SUVs in 2023 - Kelley Blue Book. https://www.kbb.com/best-cars/most-popular-suvs/.
(6) Sport utility vehicles worldwide - Statistics & Facts | Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/6185/suv-market-worldwide/.
(7) United States - best-selling SUV/crossover models 2021 | Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/343193/best-selling-suv-and-crossover-models-in-the-united-states/.
(8) en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUV.
