Sedan sales drop, while dual cab utes and SUVs climb.

Historically, family sedans and simple passenger cars swarmed Australian roads. However, over the past decade the automotive industry has been making an irrevocable shift towards a spike in popularity of dual cab pickups/utes and SUVs. There are no signs of this trend decreasing as these larger car designs are becoming safer, faster and more comfortable than ever before. Due to this heightened demand, all major car manufacturers are following the trend and capitalising on what the consumer wants. This means more major corporations are investing in innovative technology advances, sustainability, and larger, more practical designs for the modern world.

Does bigger really mean safer?

Physics has shown that the lighter vehicle in a crash is the one which will ultimately take the brunt of the impact. Many people around the world are opting for an SUV or ute due to the increased level of safety and peace of mind that comes with purchasing a vehicle that is obviously much larger than your typical sedan. An SUV, ute or pickup truck driver and passenger are at least 50 percent more likely to survive a car crash without suffering serious injuries in comparison to an individual riding in a sedan. Larger vehicles like utes offer a cabin that is far more well-equipped to protect child passengers when compared to lighter vehicles like minivans or sedans. This is because they are higher up from the road and are reinforced to be able to better handle impact. MRT has a range of highly durable and reinforced 2.5mm aluminium checker plate ute canopies; which will not only increase the size and weight of your existing ute but will make them more practical for commercial and everyday use.

Our roads have never been safer.

It’s important to note that smaller vehicles are not deemed unsafe in any sense just because they are lighter. However, in rare incidents of a head on collision between the heavier and lighter vehicle, science has proven that the SUV or ute drivers are likely to better prevail. In saying this, road fatalities are much lower today than they have been in the past because car manufacturers prioritise innovative safety technology in all their vehicles. There is a huge demand in the car industry for new vehicles to remain up-to-date with safety features such as anti-lock brakes, curtain airbags and stability control to ensure passengers are safer than ever.

The market calls for more space.

Dual cab utes and SUVs generally have far larger internal cabins than traditional sedans. The roofs are higher, the floors are lower, and the wagon shape makes these larger vehicles incomparable to sedans when it comes to comfort and storage. They are more comfortable and easier to manoeuvre in for larger people and older drivers and passengers—while they are ideal for child safety seats and for those who just generally value more legroom. The driver and passengers in dual cab utes and SUVs are always higher off the ground, with heightened doors and shorter sills which allows for less unnecessary effort spent bending and stooping when utilising the vehicle on a daily basis.

If you’ve recently purchased the popular Toyota HiLux and you’re looking for a robust storage solution to increase practicality measures for both work and play—MRT ute canopies have the highest-quality and most cost-effective ute canopy solutions available for all popular ute brands.