Compact SUVs are getting smaller as our appetites get bigger for the Mini Sports Utility Vehicle
In recent years, we have seen the car market change; some would say that it has changed almost past the point of recognition (see our previous blog on The Changing Car Buying patterns of us Brits ).
Traditional D-Sector cars are now a rare mode of transport for most families - who are buying a car from new, at least - and this category is now largely associated with the company car driver. Even C-Sector cars (medium size family hatchbacks) seem to get bigger with every incarnation in a bid to keep up with the Joneses.
Every aspirational family car is now highly practical and ideally, fashionable. The Compact SUV ticks both of these boxes, whereas the Compact MPV only really ticks one.
Prestige Marque Compact SUV Wars
Audi have been one of the frontrunners in the executive Compact SUV market bringing us the Audi Q3 and also the Audi Q5. Both dinky and dinkier versions of the ginormous Q7. BMW have also bought us the X1 and the X3 that are the mini-me versions of the full size BMW X5 SUV.
With Mercedes only recently announcing their arrival to the party with the pending Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class (but this Compact SUV is based on the A-Class rather than resembling a smaller ML-Class) and BMW seemingly closing the doors to their range (with the X1 being the lowest number possible), we thought that was it.
But we were wrong.
Audi Q1
Audi have just announced plans for the Audi Q1, which will start production in 2016. It is not an idea; it is a definite model and it is coming our way soon. Audi have said that the Q1 is the last in their SUV series - for now, anyway.
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said "the Q1 is a key component of our growth strategy" and he's not wrong. Audi are fully intending to stay ahead of the game.
So Mercedes better get back in the race and fast.
Because they have a good bit of Compact and Mini SUV ground to make up.
Written by @MotorMistress
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