I can't vouch for the current Pathfinder demographics, but I will guess the median income of all the other premium SUVs mentioned is well above $100K. My wife and I certainly make more than $100K combined, but I don't see us as rich (comfortable, yes). And I would have a tough time dropping $50K+ on an SUV (in fact it wouldn't be tough, it would be impossible). For that reason, I think top-line Japanese SUVs (4Runner Limited, Pathfinder LE, Pilot EXL) have median incomes at $100K or even more.
For the Pathfinder we have (2003 Pathy LE) :
Uh... yeah it's true. I have the NPLS Nissan Product Guide for the 4th gen. Maxima (1995-1999) and the NPLS for the Pathfinder (2001-2003). Both were given to me when the vehicles were purchased new. I guess sales people used these to reference every aspect of the vehicles they sell and how and help them to push the right buttons of each potential customer. When I saw them on their desks, I asked for a copy and they gladly provided it. They are actually very interesting... every aspect of the cars are described. I still have them.
I have the Maxima guide in front of me (the Pathy book is somewhere). In 1999 the median income of the Maxima buyer was $80,000... that's in 1999. It then goes on to describe the typical Maxima buyer (age: 45, 1/3 with kids, 85% college grad, 36% graduate degree, yadda yadda). When you compare that buyer to say an Altima buyer, the income numbers certainly skew much lower for the Altima.
Same thing with the previous gen. Pathfinder we have. The Xterra had a demographic that was totally different from the Pathy. If I remember correctly, the Xterra buyer made in the $30's and the Pathy buyer was much more affluent (about $100K). Xterra buyers were much younger and education levels were not even close. I cannot vouch for the current generation (it may have changed but I doubt it).
Also don't forget, when we bought our Pathy, it was the most expensive Nissan on the lot ($33K+). And if you were well served by Nissan in the past and had the means, the Pathfinder actually carried some cachet (so did top-line 4Runner Limiteds at the time).
This shouldn't be difficult to understand. I'll betcha a million bucks that if you looked at the demographics of an Accord owner and lets say an Impala or even Sonata owner, you would see a marked difference in income, education levels and lifestyles. You may even see a difference in IQ levels .
Needless to say, the Accord buyer is typically better educated, makes alot more money and is probably alot more active than say a Sonata or Impala owner. Hell, the Accord buyer is surely more focused on quality and the other two focused on value (prices and rebates!).
Well... gotta run. My realtor just called and we finally (6 grueling months) sold our vacation rental property in Orlando!
Wait... I do remember the X-11 (parents were strictly GM until 1986). Too bad they had that gross hunchback hatchback... the notchback 2dr was actually decent looking. And about resale values, I agree. Mostly. But quality and reliability don't always translate (or vice versa). Lots of GM big SUVs have good resale, but I don't think they deserve it based on quality or reliability.
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