Wannalook different baby gridlockers, many attracted by the commanding position of the high driving seat, have pushed sales of passenger 4x4s (real and mock) through the roof. Well actually from 4,443 units for the first seven months of 2001 to a burgeoning 5,363 units for the same period in 2002.

In an Ireland more liked to a gelded gander than a celtic tiger by virtue of the many recent cutbacks, a 20.7% increase (in anything but price) is a pretty astonishing performance. And well worth further investigation - especially when it's noted that increased 4x4 sales contrast to a 7% drop for passenger car sales as a whole.

What's the 4x4 market's big magnet? A recent poll by Irish Car magazine, suggests vehicle size is a still a major must for today's eager young statement makers: the bigger the better. However, the look - macho or butch (whatever ones' personal preferences) is listed by male buyers just below price and brand as the key influencer behind their SUV buying decision. With women shoppers, price is also the over-riding consideration, followed by the dominant driving position. Then, it's down to size, looks and brand.

That said, neither sex will let a E1,000 to E1,500 price saving differential sway them, if a vehicle lacks appeal in the looks department.

Diesel or petrol considerations, four-wheel-drive and off-road (off-what) capability, now trail in behind colour, number of doors, interior décor, and space in the list of influencers prioritised by those shopping in the 4x4 class for the first time.

Women put colour ahead of space with interior décor and seating ranked third and fourth, economy fifth and equipment levels sixth in a lower list of 'must haves'. Men were more turned on by power performance and specification packages; then colour, economy, space and interior comfort in descending order.

Strangely vehicle reliability, dealer location, ride comfort, handling and residual value all featured well down the lists for men and women - and seventy per cent of respondents actually purchased vehicles they hadn't asked or managed to test drive.

Commercial 4x4 vehicles also bucked market trends. While light commercial vehicle sales (vans in all their shapes and sizes, 2WD and 4WD) fell back from 29,960 units - January to July 2001 inclusive - to just over 26,000 units for the same period this year - commercial 4x4 salesrose from 5,353 units to 5,446 units. Ninety three vehicles extra represents a 1.7% rise that contrasts to a disappointing 13 per cent drop for the sector as a whole.

All 4x4s didn't rise with the same tide. Short wheel based panel-bodied commercials from the Toyota and Isuzu camps (Land Cruiser and Trooper) were singled out for special attention.

Badly wounded by new VRT changes in the 2000 Budget, their tax rating jumped from a mere E50 charge to 13.3% of the Open Market Selling. They took such a savage hammering that panel-bodied 4x4 sales slumped from 4,912 units in the first seven months of 2001 to just 2,996 units in 2002, January to July inclusive. A drop of 31%.

Further showing how price influences the commercial vehicle sector, sales of 4x4 double cab, pick-up rerated from 13.3 of OMSP to the E50 fee, exploded by 455 per cent - from 441 units in 2001 (January to July inclusive to 2,447 unit sales for the first seven months of 2002.

Larger 4x4 passenger and commercial vehicle buyers seemed more in tune with what they want. Diesel engine power were top of the list with men - followed in turn in order of weight by brand, price, 4x4 ability, performance, economy, looks, space, specification, reliability, residual value and durability. Women owners placed price, driving position, looks, economy, brand, interior layout, 4x4 drive, specification, reliability and residuals in descending order of priority.

However, assured attitudes amongst these more seasoned buyers masked many shortcomings. While 4x4 drive seemed important priorities, many didn't actually know much about their vehicle's off-roading or towing capabilities. Nor, for that matter, were they themselves very knowledgeable or experienced in off-roading. Indeed, less than ten percent claimed to have ever ventured off-road. And only 30 percent of those more adventurous souls had ever availed of tuition at an off-road drive centre or from a manufacturer.

Apart from two supply-hit vehicles, Land Rover's Freelander (above) and the smaller Honda HR-V, the smaller contingent 4x4 and pseudo 4x4 players pushed market growth up by a hefty 29%, from 3,022 units over the first seven months of 2001 to 3,891 for the same duration in 2002.

Numerically, Hyundai's Santa Fe which now leads the segment, added 449 extra sales to its 2002 tally, an increase of 103.5 percent on 2001.

Toyota RAV4, second positioned, saw sales increase by 32.1% (+124 units). Nissan's X-Trail, uncharted in same period of 2001 (0 sales) has turned out 204 units for the early part of 2002, and Mazda's Tribute, + 63 units, is up by 300% on the same period for the previous year. Suzuki Vitara, + 41 units; the Honda CR-V, + 40 units and Suzuki Jimny, +22 units also performed well. As a result of its 5.7% market drop, Land Rover's Freelander, relinquishes top spot in the sector for the first time since 1999. Meanwhile, a revamped Honda's HR-V, missing out on early year sales dropped back by 45% to prop up the table.

Though never matching the tremendous performance of the smaller sport utility class, the larger 4x4 passenger fleet also experienced modest sales increases hitting 1472 unit sales - and ending July 4% up on the same period for 2001. Remembering that passenger cars were down 7% ,not a bad scenario at all.

Land Rover's Discovery led the pack here and increased market penetration with a 32.5% growth and 253 units sold. Pretty good for a vehicle which has been updated since the end of our sales performance check.

Mitsubishi's Pajero dropped 16 sales on last year's early season run and slipped back to second spot in this segment. Jeep sent out 115 Cherokees, a growth increase of 69.1%, and Isuzu's Trooper totted up 107 sales (+18.9%).

Other fine feats came from the more prestige model brands - 253 M-Class (left) sales from Mercedes-Benz meant an increase of 12.3%. Range Rover (+20%) knocked out 78 units (most of them before the class-leading new model reached the showrooms). Lexus sold 68 RX300s (+9.7%) and the 88 unit sales by the BMW X5 represented an increase of +63%.

Loss makers in this area included two of the most accomplished and versatile vehicles on the market, Toyota's runout Land Cruiser, which is being replaced in December - and the Nissan Patrol, surely all that's best about the real macho off-roader bunch.

Commercial van-panelled 4x4s, already alluded to earlier, received a real drubbing. Not one of the twelve major players in the class broke even on last year's results.

Mitsubishi Pajero, buoyed by the 0% VRT rerating of its short-whee-based models, came closest to target with a minus 12% result and a sales total of 770 units - good in a van market that recorded losses of 13% in the same period.

Top player, though, remains the Toyota Land Cruiser (-35%) with 1040 units sold during the opening seven-month salvo. Also hit by the redrawing of the VRT rules, Isuzu's Trooper drops back to third spot on 607 units sold for a 53% loss. Nissan, with two players in the segment, Terrano (216 units and minus 29%) and the patrol (113 units sold for a drop of 24%) fill fourth and fifth places. The Land Rover Discovery (88 and -63%), Suzuki Vitara (64 sales and -30% and the Daewoo/SsangYong Musso (63 and -44%) bring up the next three places.

Unquestionably, the star achievers were the 4x4 pick-ups. Tough, durable, designed for work - and bolstered by the zero VRT break - they grew their own segment by a stunning 455% from 441 to 2447 units.

Mitsubishi, who were first to exploit the new double cab niche, finished July on 1007 units, up 1191%. Last year's figure for the same period was just 78 sales. Nissan's Pathfinder was a top performer notching up 516 sales to go to + 382%. A new Navarra version with lots of goodies means it's now better able to compete with the Mitsubishi class-leader, so look out for further Nissan growth from this one.

Mazda's B2500 totalled 355 units (+206%) for the duration, and with the Tribute giving them a stronger 4x4 presence, the future looks especially good for the revitalised brand. The remaining players in the group, will also grown further - if the playing field remains the same. Toyota's Hi-Lux, greatly revamped and kitted out with the D4-D engine, accounted for 341 sales (+173%) - while Isuzu's new TFS with 228 sales from scratch suggests, it too, will be a major force in 2003.



Top Passenger Small SUVs
January to July inclusive 2002

Pos. Make/Model Unit sales
1. Hyundai Santa Fe 981
2. Toyota RAV4 716
3. Land Rover Freelander 709
4. Suzuki Grand Vitara 520
5. Honda CR-V 376
6. Nissan X-Trail 204
7. Suzuki Jimny 201
8. Mazda Tribute 95
9. Honda HR-V 89
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Top Passenger Large SUVs
January to July inclusive 2002
Pos. Make/Model Unit sales
1. Mitsubishi Pajero 261
2. Land Rover Discovery 253
3. Mercedes M-Class 229
4. Jeep Cherokee 115
5. Isuzu Trooper 107
6. BMW X5 88
7. Nissan Terrano 80
8. Range Rover 78
9. Toyota Land Cruiser 71
10. Nissan Patrol 69
11. Lexus RX30 68
12. Opel Frontera 39
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Top commercial panel 4x4s
January to July inclusive 2002
Pos. Make/Model Unit sales
1. Toyota Land Cruiser 1007
2. Mitsubishi Pajero 770
3. Isuzu Trooper 607
4. Nissan Terrano 216
5. Nissan Patrol 113
6. Land Rover Discovery 88
7. Suzuki Grand Vitara 64
8. Daewoo Musso 63
9. Daihatsu Fourtrak 21
10. Daewoo Korando 8
11. Opel Frontera 6

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Top 4x4 Pick-ups
January to July inclusive 2002
Pos. Make/Model Unit sales
1. Mitsubishi L200 1007
2. Nissan Pathfinder 516
3. Mazda B2500 355
4. Toyota Hi-Lux 341
5. Isuzu TFS 228
6. Land Rover Defender 186