All those SUVs and crossovers Americans are flocking to buy are providing a nice windfall for automakers.
Not just because they sell so many, but because the sit-high vehicles command dramatically higher prices than cars of similar sizes. And they cost more or less the same to build.
In the subcompact, compact and midsize segments, average transaction prices for SUVs and crossovers in June ranged from 39 to 51 percent higher than sedans and hatchbacks of a corresponding size, an analysis of Kelley Blue Book data shows. Automakers have learned to build roomier vehicles — crossovers and SUVs — that retail for more but with minimal additional manufacturing cost, said Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book.
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