Report: 30% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2015 will be AWD

2011 Lincoln MKX
2011 Lincoln MKX

All-wheel-drive vehicles are becoming more and more popular – so much so that Ford and General Motors have turned to all-wheel-drive models to boost the appeal of their Lincoln and Cadillac brands respectively.

GM says that about 50% of the CTS models Cadillac sells have AWD. Lincoln offers all-wheel-drive on every model it sells – about a quarter of all MKZ sedans drive off the dealer lots with AWD.

“All-wheel drive will take on an even bigger role as we introduce new models,” said Jim Vurpillat, Cadillac global marketing director. “It will probably exceed 50% of our total model line.”

“AWD is a core part of what we offer,” said Lincoln director of product development Scott Tobin. “People see value in the option, both for its benefits in adverse weather and because it provides better performance and handling in normal conditions.”

According to Paul Lacy, a consultant at IHS Automotive, about 30 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States by 2015 will be all-wheel-drive. “The trend is driven by the growth in all-wheel drive cars and crossovers,” Lacy said.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Free Press