It’s all about fashion.

In the past few years, both consumers and automakers have been drawn to trucks and crossovers. This has led to a decline in sedan sales. Ford stopped making the Focus, Taurus, and Fiesta. The Chevy Cruze was also affected. However, don’t think sedans will disappear completely. GM Authority heard another tidbit from Michael Simcoe, GM design chief, and Dan Sandberg (Brembo North America’s President-CEO) on Brembo’s podcast. Simcoe said that the industry would eventually return to sedans.

Simcoe said that people want vehicles that “their neighbours admire.” As automakers continue to create new SUV and crossover models, rugged SUV styling is gaining popularity.

A few data points suggest that sedan owners aren’t jumping on to the high-riding wagon. According to a new study, 42 per cent of Focus and Cruze owners didn’t upgrade to an SUV or crossover. They instead went to another automaker, Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. They are two of the top 10 most popular models in America.

Although there has been much written about the future of sedans, they still make up a large portion of current car sales. Consumers have purchased 4.5 million sedans so far in the U.S. this year. This is a large number and more than one automaker would like to see those sales.

Simcoe is correct. Simcoe is right. The debate isn’t about SUVs versus sedans, but about people who want well-designed vehicles. At the moment, crossovers and SUVs are hot-ticket products. We could find ourselves in a sea of hatchbacks and sedans within five to ten years. We will only know the truth over time.