The mid-size SUV segment is one of the fastest growing classes in Europe, but General Motors is largely missing out on the recent boom. GM offers the Opel/Vauxhall Antara (Saturn Vue in the U.S.) and Chevrolet Captiva in the mid-size SUV segment in Europe, but those vehicles have been lagging against the competition.
In Opel’s home country of Germany, the Antara is trailingother SUVs in the segment by a wide margin. According to Automotive News, Opel only manged to move 7,051 Antaras while the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 tallied 16,179 sales. Moreover, Opel’s offering even lagged behind automakers with fewer dealers and a smaller market share. During 2007, Suzuki sold 7,249 Grand Vitaras in Germany and Honda sold 9,789 CR-Vs.
That trend also holds true for Europe as a whole. GM sold 29,235 Captivas and 23,879 Antaras in 2007 — according to JATO Dynamics — while Honda sold 68,562 CR-Vs and Toyota sold 90,329 RAV4s.
The bad news for GM is that help is not on the way. Because the Captiva and Antara just received an overhaul in late 2006, an update isn’t scheduled until at least mid-2009. GM also had problems delivering diesel versions of the SUVs in early 2007, which hurt sales. The Opel Antara is probably in the worst shape of the trio as Opel will be concentrating its marketing efforts on the launch of the upcoming Insignia sedan.
05/12, 4:53 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Are the RAV4s and CRVs not smaller than the Vue and Captiva? Anyways, I’m surprised Chevy sold that many to begin with.
05/12, 5:01 PM
posted by:
LaCaLover
And now the Tiguan and Q5 are out the crappy Korean built GM offerings will falter further
05/12, 5:27 PM
posted by:
C6Racer
Those won’t even be in the the competition. VW products fall apart as soon as they leave the assembly line.
05/12, 5:27 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Opel is build in Europe. CR-V and RAV-4 maybe smaller on outside, but since those are realistically 5 passengers vehicles they all will accommodate 5 (Europeans) comfortably. On the downside Vue is over 4000 lbs and Honda and Toyota are about 3500 lbs. Even diesel will spend more fuel lugging over 500 lbs of dead weight. Japanese and PSA CUV mileage is much better (Peugeot & Citroen are selling re-badged Mitsubishi Outlander with Peugeot diesel).
05/12, 5:54 PM
posted by:
Dindel
Weight is the main problem with the Opel Antara and Chevrolet Captiva. From a European perspective, GM made a wrong call selling Korean built and engineered utes. The Renault Koleos (made by Samsung) won’t sell either, I predict.
Manufacturing locally is still the best way to succes -in any market.
05/12, 6:16 PM
posted by:
LaCaLover
Xyunya it may have opel or vauxhall or chevrolet badges but it is made in Korea
05/12, 6:18 PM
posted by:
LaCaLover
grow up c6 racer, VWs will last longer than your POS Corvette
05/12, 7:21 PM
posted by:
cookie4me
500 lbs is a huge penalty for this vehicle. I’m surprised GM didn’t take note of that.
05/12, 7:40 PM
posted by:
olds307
A Corvette will last longer than any VW.
05/12, 8:45 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Ignore ‘CaCaLover’, an ignorant monkey rattling the cage, nothing more.
05/12, 8:49 PM
posted by:
Commodore
“GM also had problems delivering diesel versions of the SUVs in early 2007, which hurt sales.”
That fact makes the article pointless. No diesel, no sales. It’s as simple as that in Europe. It’s not like there is anything wrong with the Antara or Captiva and its not like the CR-V or RAV4 are significantly better. They are not
05/13, 1:27 AM
posted by:
steve333
The Antara is not Korean based.
Its a CUV that rides better than the Rav4 and CR-V, but gets worse MPG. In Europe that hurts sales. GM needs to find a way to take the bloat out of their vehicles, even at the expence of a little ride comfort.
05/13, 7:00 AM
posted by:
fan
antara may look nice, but qualitywise, the ones ive seen are SAD. (thats new cars on the parking lot of dealerships)
anyway, the dealerships are the only places where you DO see them, anyways… the antara was released more than a year ago… i think i havent seen anymore than, say, ten on the road…
no wonder gm is falling back with products like that. no wonder their products are like that, when they always cheapen out to badge-engineering in korea…
05/13, 9:16 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Commodore, even Vue with 6 cylinders does not compare very well in US with 4 cylinder CR-V & RAV-4. It just doesn’t in my opinion (and probably all people who bought a lot of RAV-4s and CR-Vs and walked pass Saturn). It’s hefty, bulky, corner poorly and not as well executed: quality of materials and overall feel. In Europe, where diesel is the market requirement for a CUV, 500 lbs of heft for identical characteristics diesel engines translates into 20% fuel consumption penalty (and the same lousy handling compare to Honda & Toyota). Furthermore, in countries like Spain & Greece Toyota and Honda have a better cache perception. This is not scientific fact, but merely my observation that I saw those vehicles in ritzier parts of Madrid, Barcelona, Athens. Europeans can correct me, if I am wrong.
05/14, 7:01 PM
posted by:
El Aleman
True words, no diesel, no sales, especially for SUVs, some of which are only sold as diesels, such as the Peugeot 4008 or the Citroen C-Crosser.
Also the VW Tiguan is out now, so at least in Germany EVERYBODY is gonna buy one. Seriously, VW is like Microsoft in Germany.
VW always comes last to the party, but leaves with all the hoes, figuratively speaking.