Crossover Car Owners: 87 Demographic Facts & Numbers [2023]

Who exactly is driving crossover SUVs?

We’ve taken a closer look at the demographics of crossover SUV owners to help you get a better understanding of who is behind the wheel.

From age and gender to education and income, let’s explore who’s driving this popular type of vehicle.

Quick Demographic Facts About Crossover Car Owners

crossover SUV owners are predominantly white (70%) and male (60%). They are typically aged between 35-54 (55%) and have completed a Bachelor’s degree (35%). The majority of owners earn between $50,000-$75,000 annually (30%) and reside in suburban areas (60%)

Additional quick facts:

• The significant group of new SUV buyers falls within the age range of 24 to 54 years old.
• New SUV buyers’ age breakdown: less than 1% are 24 and younger, 43% are 25-54, 26% are 55-64, and 31% are 65 and older.
• Crossovers have grown in market share from under 4% in 2000 to nearly 40% in 2018.
• The growth in popularity of crossovers has taken market share nearly equally from both cars and larger SUVs.
• Kelley Blue Book reports that people who bought a new vehicle in June paid an average of $38,530 for it, with light trucks and SUVs being popular choices.

The trends in these demographics show that crossover SUVs have gained immense popularity over the years, appealing more strongly to buyers in the 25-54 age range.

Read Also: How are Crossover cars defined?

Age Demographics For Crossover Car Owners

• Around half of all car owners in the U.S. are over the age of 60 years old.
• The significant group of new SUV buyers falls within the age range of 24 to 54 years old.

Buyers of new SUVs fall look a bit different:

• Less than 1% are 24 and younger
• 43% are 25-54
• 26% are 55-64
• 31% are 65 and older

In 2021, the distribution of car buyers in the United States was as follows:

• Baby Boomers represented around 36 percent of new car sales.
• Generation X made up the majority of used car buyers.

The average age of cars on the road in 2020 was 11.9 years old, according to an analytics firm.

These numbers indicate a diverse range of ages among crossover SUV buyers, with a skew towards older buyers. Understanding these demographics helps automotive manufacturers and marketers tailor their offerings to better suit the preferences of each age group.

Gender Demographics For Crossover Car Owners

• Around 86% of new TRUCK buyers are male, while SUV buyers are more evenly distributed in terms of gender.
• Men are more likely to own cars than women in the United States, as evident from data published in 2021.
• Despite more women holding a valid driver’s license in 2019, the gap in car ownership between the genders is slowly decreasing.

The available data demonstrates a difference in car ownership between men and women, with men primarily dominating the new truck buyer demographic. However, the gap is gradually closing as more women become car owners, leading to a more balanced distribution among SUV buyers.

Ethnicity Demographics For Crossover Car Owners

When examining crossover SUV ownership among various ethnic groups, it should be noted that demographic data specifically for crossover SUV is limited. However, there is pertinent information available on general SUV ownership trends, which can be reasonably applied to the crossover SUV market.

Following are some facts about the ethnicity of SUV owners with a focus on numbers:

• According to data, 67% of non-Hispanic white households owned an SUV in 2020, which is a 6% increase compared to the ownership rate in 2010.
• In comparison, SUV ownership among black households increased by 8% over the same period – from 48% in 2010 to 56% in 2020.
• Hispanic households saw a substantial 12% increase in SUV ownership between 2010 and 2020, growing from 40% to 52%.
• Asian households also witnessed an 8% increase in SUV ownership during the same timeframe, with ownership rates rising from 42% to 50%.

The above statistics demonstrate a growing trend among various ethnic groups towards SUV ownership, with Hispanic and Asian households experiencing a relatively higher rate of increase. This preference for SUVs, including crossovers, reflects the increasing popularity of these vehicles among diverse demographic groups.

Education Level Demographics For Crossover Car Owners

• A majority of crossover SUV buyers have completed higher education, with a significant percentage holding bachelor’s degrees or higher.
• Buyers with a high school diploma or equivalent also make up a notable proportion of crossover SUV owners.

This distribution of education levels among crossover SUV buyers may indicate a correlation between higher education and the purchase of this vehicle type. Further studies may help confirm this relationship and shed light on potential drivers behind the trend.

Average Income Level For Crossover Car Owners

It looks a bit different for sedan buyers:

• 39% of new sedan buyers have a household income under $50,000
• 18% have a household income between $50,000 and $74,000
• 9% have a household income between $75,000 and $99,000
• 35% have a household income of $100,000 and up

The data shows that crossover car owners come from a diverse range of income levels, with a significant percentage coming from both the lower and higher income brackets.

Other Interesting Facts About Crossover Car Owners

These numbers highlight the growing popularity of crossovers in the automotive market and their impact on both traditional cars and larger SUVs.

Sources

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