Chevrolet TrailBlazer passes Ford Explorer

[espo19047]

Ford Explorer lost its 14-year claim as the best-selling sport utility vehicle in the United States last year to the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, figures released yesterday show.

Last year, Ford sold 29 percent fewer Explorers, most of which are built at its Louisville plant on Fern Valley Road. High-gas prices and new vehicles drew customers away from traditional sport utility vehicles.



The TrailBlazer also had a tough year with sales dropping 14 percent to 244,150, just beating Explorer's sales of 239,788.

Michael Robinet, an analyst with CSM Worldwide in Detroit, said the Explorer should retake its sales crown this year as GM is expected to cut several TrailBlazer versions while Ford plans to reintroduce its Explorer Sport Trac pickup.

But neither Robinet nor Ford sales analyst George Pipas are expecting gains in SUV sales.

"The world is moving on. There are still customers for these kinds of vehicles, but not as many as a few years ago," Robinet said. He added that many former SUV customers are choosing sedans or crossover, SUV-like vehicles built on car frames instead of truck frames.

Pipas said if gas prices stay stable, he expects the Explorer to see about the same number of sales this year as it did last year. If gas prices climb back above $2.50, double-digit sales declines are possible, he said.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...601050338/1003

[JVal14]

How is this possible given the TB's aging platform and sub-standard performance. I think it's a solid truck, but I understand that it's weight gives it bad mileage and performance. Not to mention that it's safety and quality ratings have been pretty poor. It can't be all incentives. Oh well, power to GM on this one. Hopefully they can take the foothold, make the next gen. more advanced, and stay ahead.

[tgagneguam]

There was a day when the Explorer's annual sales almost matched this year's sales pace of the TB and Explorer combined.

In some ways, I'm surprised by how much the Explorer has fallen.

[kool_zx3]

Explorer sales are up for december by 4000 units over november i believe.

[moman]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

There was a day when the Explorer's annual sales almost matched this year's sales pace of the TB and Explorer combined.

In some ways, I'm surprised by how much the Explorer has fallen.

The fall for the Explorer will become a case study for brand mismanagement.

In 1998/99 Ford could have sold a million Explorers a year if they had the capacity to build them. Just 6 years later they aren't able to sell 240,000. Why the dramatic decline? (listed in order of importance)

1. Colossal failure to prompty address the Firestone tire fiasco, instead pointing fingers and insisting the vehicle was safe while miraculously having a redesigned Explorer that fixed the defect ready to go in a matter of months (this has also cost the Mitsubish Montero sales)

2. Boring design from 2002 forward. The 95-01 models were smaller & narrower but with the 02 redesign, the Explorer became a larger SUV and lost many advantages. If people needed bigger, they bought the Expedition.

3. Poor engines. The 4.0 V6 produced 160 hp & 200 hp in different variants (IIRC). This engine is decent but a buzzy under load with marginal gas mileage. The 302 V8 option was an absolute gas guzzler. (Gm was only slighty better with the 4.3 though it was peppier).

Contributing factors include the slackening desire for truck based SUVs that was bound to come with time as the fad moved on.

The Explorer will probably sell 200k this year. Even with the redesign it's still a 1995 vehicle in a 2006 world.

[1BadPig]

Not to mention the latest refresh doesn't have the look of last year's Exploder.

[Buick61]

Why are there several threads about this? It's been mentioned ad nauseum, and the news is only three days old!

Anyway, I don't know if this will continue through 2006. The Explorer was refreshed, the Trailblazer only receieved a new engine and performance package; ultra-minor styling change on the front (and only on certain models); and a bump in output of the I6.

It's nice to see the Explorer get bumped by a Chevy (mainly so they can't keep advertising it as America's favorite for the past X years), but--as I said a few times now--it would have been nicer to see the Trailblazer prevail because it gained sales, not because it lost less than the Explorer did.

[atomicshark]

Originally Posted by Buick61

Why are there several threads about this? It's been mentioned ad nauseum, and the news is only three days old!

Anyway, I don't know if this will continue through 2006. The Explorer was refreshed, the Trailblazer only receieved a new engine and performance package; ultra-minor styling change on the front (and only on certain models); and a bump in output of the I6.

It's nice to see the Explorer get bumped by a Chevy (mainly so they can't keep advertising it as America's favorite for the past X years), but--as I said a few times now--it would have been nicer to see the Trailblazer prevail because it gained sales, not because it lost less than the Explorer did.

What would be even better than what you mentioned is if GM gave the Trailblazer a proper refresh with a new interior high on the list of changes.

[b4z]

All Chevy has to do is make the 5.3L optional in the SWB Trailblazer and traditional V8 guys will buy them. Problem is that GM is scared of stepping on the toes of the
Tahoe group.
What they don't understand is that a customer who wants to tow heavy stuff will buy the larger vehicle.
A 5.3L in the regular Trailblazer will not cannibalize sales from the Tahoe. It will steal sales away from the Explorer.
And a 295-320hp Trailblazer would run rings around a V8 powered Explorer.

[chev454ls]

Originally Posted by b4z

All Chevy has to do is make the 5.3L optional in the SWB Trailblazer and traditional V8 guys will buy them. Problem is that GM is scared of stepping on the toes of the
Tahoe group.
What they don't understand is that a customer who wants to tow heavy stuff will buy the larger vehicle.
A 5.3L in the regular Trailblazer will not cannibalize sales from the Tahoe. It will steal sales away from the Explorer.
And a 295-320hp Trailblazer would run rings around a V8 powered Explorer.

You can already get the Trailblazer with a 300 hp 5.3L V8, not to mention the 395 hp SS version with the 6.0L.

[63GrandSport001]

B4z as pointed out earlier the 5.3L V-8 is already in the TB and you can even get the 395BHP SS model too.

the TB offered more horsepower in standard trim then the Explorer did in standard V-6 and optional V-8 form. It wasnt until this redesign of the Explorer does the V-8 offer more horsepower then the TB. However you can get the TB in 395BHP SS form so the TB is the king in output.

With sales going away from truck based SUVs and to crossovers are big cars its smart that GM is scaling back the TB.

[SUPERBADD75]

Originally Posted by Buick61

Why are there several threads about this? It's been mentioned ad nauseum, and the news is only three days old!

Anyway, I don't know if this will continue through 2006. The Explorer was refreshed, the Trailblazer only receieved a new engine and performance package; ultra-minor styling change on the front (and only on certain models); and a bump in output of the I6.

It's nice to see the Explorer get bumped by a Chevy (mainly so they can't keep advertising it as America's favorite for the past X years), but--as I said a few times now--it would have been nicer to see the Trailblazer prevail because it gained sales, not because it lost less than the Explorer did.

i have an '02 with the I6 and don't see any need for more horsepower. i've driven the Explorer V6 and my TB accelerates as well or better, it's not nearly as noisy under full throttle, and i'm much more comfortable in the TB. i've never driven a V8 version of either, so i can't compare, but i can imagine the V8 TB is pretty peppy knowing how well the 5.3 pickups accelerate. the one thing i think that the Explorer has over the TB's powertrain is the 5 speed auto trans.

the Explorer was refreshed, but it's not that big of a deal since it mainly consists of a VW Jetta look-alike grill. the TB has style, the Explorer is just a box with very little style IMO.


maybe i'm biased because i like my TB, but the Explorer also has never felt as solid to me, and doesn't feel as stable. i agree with your statement that it's nothing to celebrate that GM lost less than Ford, however, because the fact is that both are losing sales in this segment. i'm curious about Toyota and Nissan's sales of 4Runners and Pathfinders. i can't imagine them doing much better this year compared to last, but i wonder if they've dropped sales similarly? also, could a reduction in fleet sales have something to do with this?

[vanshmack]

Originally Posted by b4z

All Chevy has to do is make the 5.3L optional in the SWB Trailblazer and traditional V8 guys will buy them. Problem is that GM is scared of stepping on the toes of the
Tahoe group.
What they don't understand is that a customer who wants to tow heavy stuff will buy the larger vehicle.
A 5.3L in the regular Trailblazer will not cannibalize sales from the Tahoe. It will steal sales away from the Explorer.
And a 295-320hp Trailblazer would run rings around a V8 powered Explorer.

The standard Atlas I-6 in the TB now has 291 HP. What more do you want from the standard motor?

[Buick61]

Originally Posted by SUPERBADD75

i have an '02 with the I6 and don't see any need for more horsepower. i've driven the Explorer V6 and my TB accelerates as well or better, it's not nearly as noisy under full throttle, and i'm much more comfortable in the TB. i've never driven a V8 version of either, so i can't compare, but i can imagine the V8 TB is pretty peppy knowing how well the 5.3 pickups accelerate. the one thing i think that the Explorer has over the TB's powertrain is the 5 speed auto trans.

I didn't say that the TB need more power from it's 6 cylinder. I said it GOT more power for 2006. But that change alone won't bring about any hefty sales increases, especially since they've been available for a good number of months now, and TB sales were still down from 2004 (and that's WITH employee discounting all summer).

And I believe the Explorer now has a 6-speed with the V8. GM has to step it up, and soon. I mean, Chrysler and GM have always been a company of engineers. So it's embarrassing when FORD is becoming more advanced in that area (hybrids, 6-speeds are more prevalent, and so on).

[theoldchevykid]

Fellows you know what would be great, if Chevy would build a pickup TrailBlazer to compete against the Sport Trac Offer the same engine options as the TrailBlazer WOW.