Younger buyers still into sedans according to survey commissioned by sedan-building automaker

As consumer demand for SUVs and crossovers continues to soar, automakers like Ford and FCA have trimmed their sedan offerings, causing some observers to predict the death of that body style. A survey of American car owners commissioned by Nissan, however, indicates that an overwhelming percentage of  consumers would still consider buying a sedan, with the bulk of interest in sedans coming from younger consumers, Millennials and those in Generations X and Z.

Of course, Nissan has a good reason to say that sedans are still vital. The company just introduced the latest version of the Versa subcompact sedan and last year it launched an all-new Altima, spending $170 million in assembly plant upgrades alone for the midsize family car.

The Nissan survey included both car owners and non-owners between the ages of 18 and 65 and found that nearly four out of five, 78 percent, would consider buying a sedan at some time. The percentages were even higher for younger consumers. Of those age 35 to 50, considered to be older millennials and Generation X, 81-percent wouldn’t reject a sedan out of hand, and younger millennials and Generation Z, the critical 18-34 demographic, are even more favorably inclined to sedans, with 86% of that cohort survey saying they would consider buying a sedan.

As for those who have already bought a sedan, they’re actually a tiny bit more satisfied with their vehicles, 89%, than those who own SUVs and crossovers, 88%. That small margin surprisingly also shows up when owners are asked about utility, with 95% of sedan owners listing functionality as the number one thing they love about their cars, while the folks who own actual utility vehicles find them just slightly less functional, 94%.

To paraphrase Sam Clemens, the demise of the sedan may have been exaggerated.