Truck and SUV sales rising, hybrid sales fall as gas prices drop

[jeffrey]

After nearly a year of flagging sales, low gas prices and fat incentives are reigniting America's taste for big vehicles.

Trucks and SUVs will outsell cars in December, according to researchers at the automotive Website Edmunds.com, something that hasn't happened since February.

Meanwhile the forecast finds that sales of hybrid vehicles are expected to be way down.

"Despite all the public discussion of fuel efficiency, SUVs and trucks are the industry's biggest sellers right now as a remarkable number of buyers seem to be compelled by three factors: great deals, low gas prices and winter weather," commented Michelle Krebs, Senior Editor of Edmunds' AutoObserver.com...

Truck and SUV sales rising as gas prices drop - Dec. 22, 2008

[asmom]

Geesh, we never learn anything!

[disneysteve]

Sadly, I'm not the least bit surprised. People do what affects their wallets most and they have a very short memory. Prices up = conserve. Prices down = waste.

[Gjowers]

most people, it seems, look at the way things are right now and expect it to stay that way. I was so glad to shed myself of a gas guzzling SUV and take my wife's accord. My gas mileage doubled.

[jordanzmom]

Food for thought.......I think it's ironic the way people look down their noses at those who drive suvs. I happen to drive one out of necessity: I live in an area that requires 4 wheel drive because of the weather and my son plays sports that have a lot of gear that would not even attempt to fit into a smart car. How one person saves money or the environment should really be up to them without someone telling us we have to do it a certain way. My point is, please be kind to those when you don't know their circumstances. BTW, yesterday I saw someone in a fuel efficient car smoking, I'm happy to say that I didn't run them off the road for polluting.

[Bimmer]

Originally Posted by jordanzmom

Food for thought.......I think it's ironic the way people look down their noses at those who drive suvs. I happen to drive one out of necessity: I live in an area that requires 4 wheel drive because of the weather and my son plays sports that have a lot of gear that would not even attempt to fit into a smart car. How one person saves money or the environment should really be up to them without someone telling us we have to do it a certain way. My point is, please be kind to those when you don't know their circumstances. BTW, yesterday I saw someone in a fuel efficient car smoking, I'm happy to say that I didn't run them off the road for polluting.

Around here, for everyone like you (who actually utilizes an SUV), there are probably 7-8 SUV drivers who clearly do not need one. Heck, I just look at my neighbors and all the full-size trucks and SUV's they rarely or never use for their intended purpose. It is probably like that in many, many places.

It is the latter types that drive the discussion/finger pointing.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I understand there are some smaller cars than SUVs that have all wheel drive. And they have trunks for sports equipment, too. I only have a Kia Spectra, but we seem to fit a lot in the trunk or back seat. Our biggest item, the canoe, goes on top with a rack. We brought home a 38 inch, round, pedestal coffee table in it Sunday. Bigger would be nice, but we get along just fine. Oh, the car is covered in mud because two days ago we did have to drive some wash-boarded, pot-holed, gravel roads right after a thawed freeze with snow. The roads were rough, but we only need to do that on weekends, so a small car and slower, vigilant driving is sufficient. Oh yeah, we used to tow our 27 foot boat when we had a Hyundai Sonata, so you see small cars sometimes have surprising capability. The even smaller Spectra is not up to that, I admit. But we can rent a truck on the occasions we need to tow.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by jordanzmom

Food for thought.......I think it's ironic the way people look down their noses at those who drive suvs. I happen to drive one out of necessity

Sorry, but I don't buy it.

Years ago, it still snowed. Kids played sports. People had multiple kids and pets. And SUVs were rare if they were around at all. People somehow managed with their cars. It is true that car seats take up a lot of space, but minivans are bigger, cheaper and more fuel efficient than most SUVs. I don't think there was a single SUV in my neighborhood when I was growing up.

[wincrasher]

I took this opportunity of low gas prices to unload a Ford Expedition that got lousy mileage, didn't handle especially well and was hard to park.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the thing. You sit up high, it had all the gadgets and had a lot of power. It cost $80 to fill it up each time last summer. Ouch.

The love affair was soon over.

I bought a mini-van. Not very cool, but it's easier to drive, more fits in it, it fits in my garage, I can tow the boat on occasion and it gets 27 mpg on the highway. Last week I filled it up for about $23.

I can't image anywhere I'd need 4 wheel drive. I've been deep in the woods on logging roads and up snow covered mountain passes in front wheel drive cars. Camping trips to state parks? No problem in the mini-van.

People have too much of their self image tied to their cars. It's a want, not a need that you see these huge SUV's cruising down the highway. You are not a manly man driving your big SUV if you come up short of money to do things with or buy things for your kids. Your kids don't care what you drive - you do.

Now is the time to get your house in order - $4 gas is coming back before you know it. Be ready.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

My DH and I snowboard all the time and we go in a 2000 Ford Focus. It's how you drive. We don't even need AWD, which would be sweet. We don't even have snowtires. And where we live everyone else on the street does. What do we do? Park at the bottom of our dead end and walk up the street. Big deal.

My DH was raised in Canada in the northern most city, right now it's -40C there so it's cold. Your eyelids would freeze if you blink outside. And there is lots of snow. His family has never owned AWD, only front wheel drive. A jetta was their family car. I doubt it's necessary for most people to have an SUV. But it is nice "luxury."