There are market trends,and then there are megatrends.The shift from passenger cars to sport utility vehicles(SUV)and crossover utility vehicles(CUV)falls into the latter category.A shift to larger rim diameters in recent years,combined with a wide variety of consumer expectations for these versatile vehicles,results in a tire segment that's a bit more complicated from the dealer perspective.When it comes to SUVs,larger rim diameters-17-,19-,21-and 22-in.sizes-all have had double-digit growth since 2015 at the expense of 16-in.diameters,which lost almost 60% [market share] in that time,according to Bob Abram,Yokohama Tire senior manager of product planning,who adds that the 17-and 22-in.rim diameters provided the bulk of the volume for that growth."This is unsurprising,as SUV models have more recently tried to set themselves apart in the market with two different strategies,"he says."The first is with aggressive off-road packages which will feature 17-in.rims and taller tires,like the new Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.The second is going upscale and stylized,which will often feature 21-or 22-in.rims like the Chevrolet Tahoe Premier or Lincoln Navigator."
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