Across the globe from Los Angeles in the rather less glitzy Guangzhou Motor Show in China, SUVs were the most important new models. Indeed the influential China Car Times reported that the country was experiencing an ‘SUV boom’. One of the interesting new models is the Beijing BJ40 SUV, which they reported ‘has more than a casual look of the Jeep Wrangler’. The show also has the new Honda Urban SUV concept and Great Wall’s Havel H2 – the latter is thought to be coming to the UK. Honda’s Urban SUV concept was also shown at the Tokyo Motor Show and will be called the Vezel in the Japanese market. It is likely to be launched in the European market in 2015.

To emphasise this boom, Land Rover reported that October sales in China were 59,000 units, which is an increase of 15 per cent over the same month in 2012. There are currently 130 Land Rover dealers in China, and the company plans to expand this to 223. The scale of this market is hard to fully comprehend, but certainly underlines that it is boom time for SUVs across the globe.

The Ford Edge Concept is the new large SUV due for Europe. We say ‘new’ but it has been available in North America for some time, we drove one through the Canadian Rockies last year (4×4, January 2013). As you would expect, it’s a highly competent SUV, and the model we drove was very highly spec’d. This latest generation model due for Europe will include all the latest technology of self-parking and obstacle avoidance. It is said to have a sleeker and sportier appearance, and will offer improved fuel efficiency. Our drive in the V6-engined model in Canada confirmed that the consumption was OK for the size of vehicle, although you have to balance the fact that we drove it in ‘Sport’ mode most of the time, and that fuel is cheaper even in the Rocky Mountains than back here in Surrey! It is expected that the Edge will be available in Europe towards the latter half of 2014, although whether that includes the UK has not been confirmed. Obviously, no prices have yet been announced.

When Porsche unveiled its Cayenne SUV back in 2002, it was attacked by know-all doomsayers from all sides. Some thought the sports car company was selling its soul to produce an SUV, and those of four-wheel drive persuasion merely shrugged and muttered that it was so ugly, no one would want one. How wrong they all were. In the last 10 years, the Cayenne has become the best-selling model in the entire Porsche range. In the US alone, despite being Porsche’s biggest export market for its sports cars, an amazing 60 per cent of all sales are now for the Cayenne. It’s not surprising, therefore, that at the launch of the new Porsche Macan at the Los Angeles Motor Show last month, USA Today announced that Porsche had become “an SUV factory that happens to also sell sports cars”. How things have changed, and where, we wonder are the ‘it’ll never sell’ critics of the original Cayenne?

Can you believe that Nissan has actually produced two million Qashqais since the models introduction in 2007?! Those sorts of numbers mean that the latest version is obviously a very important launch. The new model is 49mm longer and is also slightly lower and wider. It’s been designed by Nissan Design Europe (based in the UK) with support from Nissan Technical Centre Europe (that’s at Cranfield, UK) and will be built in Sunderland. So, even if we are not that impressed with the model as an off-roader (and memories of the X-Trail and Pathfinder linger) then we are certainly pleased that the model exists and is built in the UK. As far as the numbers go, most Qashqai sales are for the two-wheel drive versions, but the four-wheel drive models are still available using Nissan’s ALL_MODE 4×4-I driveline, which can be matched to either six-speed manual or the all-new Xtronic automatic transmissions. The company also has the belief that owners and potential owners are keen on all the latest hi-tech communications and entertainment systems. The new model also has Front Collision Avoidance, Driver Attention Support, Intelligent Park Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition. Models will be available in the UK from February 2014.