YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Auto dealers in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania say that consumers are firmly sold on crossovers, sport utility vehicles and hybrids as business in these market segments accelerates far ahead of traditional passenger sedans.
Major automakers across the board report that sales of SUVs have dethroned the traditional sedan as the preferred passenger vehicle – a trend that’s been evident for years. Many point to the spacious interiors and the bold styling of some recent models, plus advanced technology that has improved fuel efficiency and safety.
Hybrids Make Their Case
The region’s auto dealers also observe a trend toward hybrid vehicles – SUVs in particular – that have served as a viable option for those who have shied away from all-electric options but still crave a larger model with less fuel dependency.
“The hybrids are now an attractive part of this market,” says Jess Briganti, marketing director for Apostolakis Honda in Cortland and Shenango Honda in Hermitage, Pa. “Our most popular is the 2026 CR-V Hybrid. Honda has been putting out the CR-V for several years now, but it keeps getting better and better.”
Honda’s CR-V brings together all the attributes of what consumers value in a vehicle, Berganti says. As a compact crossover, it appeals to a wide range of buyers. As a hybrid, it presents a fuel-sipping alternative to those who aren’t quite sold on the small car or EV markets.
“There is a play for some EV shoppers,” Briganti says. “But for the majority around here, hybrid is the way to go.”
Hybrid technology combines an internal combustion engine with battery power to reduce fuel consumption. The difference between a Honda hybrid and an all-electric model is that drivers do not need to plug into a charging station to replenish the battery.
“There is no plug-in with a Honda hybrid,” Briganti says. Instead, the battery recharges as you drive, eliminating any sense of “range anxiety” that is a major concern during EV trips. “You get a little more bang for your buck at the gas station, but you still have the feeling of some electrification,” she says.
What is interesting about hybrid models, Briganti says, is that these vehicles often achieve better gas mileage in the city than on the highway. An all-wheel drive CR-V, for example, averages approximately 40 miles per gallon in the city compared to 34 miles per gallon on the highway for a combined 37 miles per gallon rating, according to Honda. Aside from the CR-V, Honda also sells a hybrid version of its Civic sedan and hatchback, and a hybrid option of the Accord sedan, she says.
“I think the CR-V hybrid will always be the mainstay,” Briganti notes. “Everybody loves that sweet spot that the CR-V has.”
Other SUVs in Honda’s lineup have also gained traction, Briganti says. The Honda Passport – a midsize SUV that is larger than the CR-V – recently underwent a refresh for the 2026 model year. “It’s impressive,” she says. Another refresh is planned in March of April of next year for the larger three-row Pilot SUV, she adds.
Business at the dealerships has been strong overall, but not without its share of challenges, Briganti says. “It’s had its ups and downs in this economy, but it’s been a good year.”
Other dealers as well say that consumer tastes have wholly embraced the SUV as the preferred passenger vehicle.
Mazda Standouts
“SUVs are where it’s at,” says Michelle Primm, managing partner at Cascade Auto Group in Cuyahoga Falls. The auto group owns Mazda, Subaru and Audi franchises. “All three of our brands still have some version of a sedan, but people like SUVs.”
She says Mazda’s CX 70 and CX 90 sport utilities are standouts for that automaker. “It’s their biggest SUV and it stands up every day against some of the more expensive luxury SUVs,” she says. The CX 70 and CX 90 is essentially the same vehicle, but the CX 90 includes a third row of seats.
Primm says the three automakers have proven successful with a strategy that cultivates loyalty among consumers rather than spending resources to conquer new buyers.
“All three of our manufacturers are pretty focused on loyalty,” Primm says. “They’re trying to incentivize people to stay with a brand, and I think that’s a pretty good strategy.”
While technology has improved measures such as safety features and fuel efficiency across the industry, Primm says many customers say they are growing weary of the tech-heavy content found in most vehicles today. “One trend I see bubbling is that a lot of people are saying to me, ‘why do cars have to be so complicated?’,” she says.
Many consumers have expressed that newer dashboards and display screens represent a sense of overkill when it comes to electronic content, and fewer are using many of the functions. “I’m hearing it from younger buyers, too,” she says, adding that new vehicles could become more affordable if manufacturers would reduce costs by removing some of the high-end technical features. “I’m anxious to watch all the OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] recognize and listen to customers who say that ‘I don’t use half of this stuff, why should I be paying for it?’”
The Sedan’s Future
Consumers’ dedication to the SUV and truck market has only increased over the last decade, and it’s unlikely this trend will shift. According to JATO Dynamics, combined sales of SUVs and trucks accounted for 75% of all vehicle registrations in 2024. Ten years earlier, this segment consisted of approximately 50% of total sales in the U.S. market.
Driving sales that year were SUVs, consisting of 9.17 million units sold, a 5% increase from the previous year. Trucks witnessed a 4% increase from year-over-year, with models such as the Ford F-150 pickup maintaining the distinction as the best-selling vehicle of any kind in the country. In 2024, Ford sold 460,915 units of the F-150 in 2024, while the entire F-series trucks accounted for 765,649 vehicles.
The second-best seller is General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Silverado series, which sold 542,517 units in 2024. During the third quarter of 2025, the Silverado LD proved to be the best-selling vehicle in GM’s entire portfolio with sales of 88,460 units, a 3.8% improvement over the same period in 2024. Total sales of all Silverado versions, including the EV, stood at 142,813 units, an 8.8% improvement from a year ago.
“Our most exciting thing for next year will be the next generation of the Silverado,” says Jim Conlin, new car manager at Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown. The vehicle will be designed on the same platform, but with a redesigned interior, exterior and all new engines. “It will be a 2027 model year, so we should start seeing it sometime early next year,” he says.
GM has yet to release any images or teasers of the new Silverado, Conlin says, but anticipation is building for the model. “It’s going to be like a whole redesign,” he says. There are no changes planned, however, for the Silverado EV version, he says.
Yet the biggest seller at the dealership – and the second-best seller in the entire GM lineup – is the internal combustion Chevrolet Equinox SUV, Conlin says. Demand for the Equinox exploded during the third quarter, according to GM’s most recent sales report. Equinox deliveries across the U.S. hit 73,694 vehicles during the three months ended Sept. 30, a whopping 98% increase from the same period the previous year.
“It’s usually our No. 1 seller at the store,” Conlin says. “The Equinox is selling very well.” Other SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban received a slight remodel for 2025, as did the Chevy Traverse in 2024. “Most of our lineup is very refreshed,” he says.
Pictured at top: Honda’s CR-V Hybrid remains a top seller among area dealerships, offering the space and versatility of an SUV with the fuel efficiency of hybrid technology.