GMC Considers Subcompact SUV rather than Wrangler Competitor

With the domestic subcompact SUV market up 13 percent in the past year amid a 2.9 percent decline in overall auto sales, its no small wonder that GMC is making plans to enter the subcompact SUV market with a new model. This possible new addition to the GMC lineup would be smaller than the GMC Terrain, which is currently classified as a compact crossover. Duncan Aldred, the global head of Buick and GMC, has made the viability of a GMC subcompact clear. He recently told Automotive News, “To me, there is more room for SUVs in the GMC stable. An obvious place for GMC to be if it expands is that small SUV segment.”

A new GMC SUV will probably share many features with the Buick Encore and Chevy Trax, which have both sold well in the U.S. market. The Trax, which starts at $21,000, offers consumers an SUV small enough to fit into tight spaces and keep their gas budgets within the range of a sedan. It also offers easy-to-fold-down rear seats for cargo space. The Buick Encore, which starts at around $23,000, offers a luxury compact SUV option. Like Buick’s trademark sedans, the Encore is a quiet, comfortable ride with a well-appointed cabin. It also boasts a 5-star safety rating, thanks in part to its ten airbags.

Considering the features of the Encore and Trax, a new subcompact SUV from GMC will likely be fuel-efficient, easily maneuverable, and comfortable. The Trax and Encore are well-suited for city driving and make excellent family vehicles. They are more practical for everyday use than, for example, the Jeep Wrangler, which may be an off-road king but leaves much to be desired in terms of safety and comfort. Those more interested in using an SUV to haul kids to soccer practice than climb boulders in an off-road vehicle are better served by a Trax or an Encore than something like a Wrangler.

GMC has made it clear that if it introduces a new subcompact SUV, it will not compete with the likes of the Wrangler. The company’s strategy involves competing with vehicles like the popular Kia Soul. In 2010, GMC unveiled a concept small SUV called the Granite, which was designed in a style similar to the boxy Kia Soul. The Granite had a turbo-charged, four-cylinder engine and innovations to create more storage space for items like bicycles and fishing poles. Much to the disappointment of many at GMC, the Granite never got off the ground. With the popularity of the subcompacts, GMC is poised to launch into that market now, and the Granite’s design offers some hints as to where their design engineers may be headed.