American Dream

Despite rising cost of a fill-up, Americans still love their SUVs
Some find 14 mpg acceptable to get roominess, ride, safety

By Frank D. Roylance and Mariana Minaya
Sun Staff

August 21, 2005

Quotes:

The weekly visit to the gas pump is starting to bite, and bite hard. The fill-up that drivers shrugged off at $25 is suddenly putting a real dent in family budgets at $50 or more.

So, is the pain of $2.70 a gallon enough to end America's love affair with gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles? Not quite yet, industry analysts say. Buyers are beginning to put fuel efficiency higher among their priorities for their next car - but there's no SUV divorce in sight.

"It's not accurate to say SUVs are no longer popular, or are not being sold because of their fuel economy," said Brian Chee, an analyst with Autobytel, one of the most popular Web sites for new car buyers. "Lifestyle and price are still very important, probably more important. Fuel economy is probably No. 3 at this point, where it was 5 or 6."

He might have been talking about Richard Goodale, an adviser at Ameriprise Financial in Owings Mills who thought about mileage but still bought a 14-mpg Toyota Sequoia this year.

"When people need a vehicle, they're going to buy what suits their needs," Goodale said. "I just purchased a big SUV because my family needs one to get everybody to and fro. It's a little bit of a shock to fill your car up for $65, but it's what it takes to do what you have to do."

There's little question that some of the bloom has come off the SUV rose. Surveys by Kelley Blue Book, which tracks car prices and market trends, found that the proportion of buyers looking for SUVs dropped from 40 percent last year to 34 percent in 2005.

Copyright © 2005, The Baltimore Sun

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