As gas prices have recently jumped by $0.15 to rest at an average of $3.64 per gallon — $0.21 per gallon higher than the year ago level — the environment in the lanes is showing a reaction to increasing fuel rates.

Black Book’s Ricky Beggs said increased activity and interest in fuel-efficient cars and smaller utilities were evident in the lanes this past week — “a reaction to the recent increase of $0.15 per gallon of gas at the pump with even more increase expected when the next national average prices are released.”

In his latest “Beggs on the Used Car Market” video report, the senior vice president and editorial director at Black Book said that if gas prices keep increasing, “expect the fuel-efficient models, the entry-level cars, the compact cars and even the entry mid-size cars to react with price increases.”

In fact, the trend is already evident.

Just last week, Beggs reported that as the overall car segments average change level improved slightly to -$41; the more fuel-efficient models were experiencing much better retention levels.

The compact cars only fell by an average of $9, while the entry level cars saw priced slide by $14.

And as fuel-efficient models hold their value as gas prices rise, Beggs shared that the pickups will most likely not be adversely affected with the “construction and service industries that a require a pickup” performing well.

This past week, the average truck segment change of -$35 was the lowest level seen over the past 10 weeks, Beggs reported.

In fact, the compact SUVs actually increased by $62. And though the compact crossovers had a decline of $46, “it was a smaller decline than the previous week and the secon- lowest level change of the previous six weeks,” Beggs said.

The compact pickups saw a slight decline of $18, bringing the average five week change for this segment to -$13.

“Even though the overall market is declining, compared to year ago segment changes both the cars and trucks are faring better, and by significantly better levels,” Beggs said. “Only four of the total 24 segments broken out and tracked by Black Book had smaller segment-to-segment change differences when compared to year ago changes.”

To view the latest "Beggs on the Used Car Market" video report, see below:

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