Willing to Downsize? - Understanding Consumer Demand for SUVs in Metro Vancouver

Major categories include: • Safety: SUV drivers are significantly more likely to perceive that SUVs improve “the safety of the transportation system” (49% of SUV drivers compared to 30% of car drivers and 21% of non-drivers) and “safety for pedestrians and cyclists” (29%, compared to 19% of car drivers and 14% of non-drivers). [...] From 1990 to 2018 in Canada, the number of cars on the road went up by 10%, while the number of light- duty trucks went up by a factor of three (from 3.4 million to 13 million).11 Although policy (notably the national vehicle emissions standard) is driving continual improvement in the fuel efficiency of light-duty cars and trucks in Canada,8 the increasing number of light-duty vehicles and the inc. [...] The exception is that SUV drivers are significantly more likely to associate an SUV with the image of being “reliable” and “sensible,” while car drivers are more likely to associate SUVs with the image of being “unattractive” and “conceited.” Non-drivers generally made fewer associations between SUVs with the images presented in the survey. [...] Matching with our survey findings, non-drivers were more likely to live in the City of Vancouver, while SUV drivers and car drivers were more likely to live in “near” suburbs (outside the City of Vancouver but north of the Fraser River), or “far” suburbs (south of the Fraser River). [...] As examples: “It would have to be comparably priced, you know, I don't want to spend a lot more for an SUV if I can get a car that would do the trick.” (Tanya, car driver) “I want to have something where I fill it up at the beginning of the month and I don't have to worry about until the end of the month.” (Stan, car driver) Feeling safe: SUV drivers were especially likely to mention the importanc.