Cars.com Survey: Interest In SUVs, Crossovers On the Rise

February 21, 2007

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CHICAGO — Survey results released Wednesday by Cars.com show a reversal of a recent trend by consumers concerning the purchase of SUVs and crossover vehicles.

Those survey results said 21 percent of consumers who anticipate a vehicle purchase in 2007 intend to buy an SUV or crossover vehicle, potentially showing the change in mood about those vehicles as a result of concern about higher gas prices.

Cars.com also explained that its survey revealed 24 percent of its total respondents said they plan on buying a new or used car this year, with SUV and crossover vehicles being the top choice of body style. Company officials continued by stating small sedans were desired most after SUVs and crossovers, coming in at 19 percent, followed by large sedans (11 percent), compact cars (8 percent), pickup trucks (7 percent), and hybrids (6 percent).

"Manufacturers are doing a good job of making SUVs and crossover vehicles more fuel-efficient, which will be more attractive to consumers," noted Patrick Olsen, managing editor of Cars.com.

"However, high gas prices will still be a deciding factor for many undecided shoppers, especially if prices climb again as they typically do in the summer months," Olsen pointed out.

Furthermore, the survey revealed that 28 percent of respondents remain undecided about a vehicle purchase in 2007.

Following vehicle price, company officials said fuel efficiency was the next most important factor considered by consumers when deciding what kind of vehicle to purchase. Other vehicle attributes customers noted in the survey were safety, size and body style.

Impulse Research conducted the survey for Cars.com, company officials explained, using a random sample of 1,011 men and women. They also disclosed the overall sampling error for this survey was plus or minus 3 percent at a 95 percent level of confidence.

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