The Not-So-Slow Death of the SUV

  

The Not-So-Slow Death of the SUV

Not too long ago, the vehicle of choice for many Americans was the SUV. However, soaring gas prices have resulted in a tremendous shift in consumer purchasing. The SUV is no longer the king of America’s roads. Families, couples and even single people are now opting for smaller, lighter vehicles that don’t guzzle gas.

Have high gas prices sounded the death knell for the SUV? Take a look at the average car dealership today. While you will still find SUVs for sale, chances are they are outnumbered by crossover vehicles, slimmer sedans, sport coupes and, of course, hybrid vehicles. Even hybrid SUVs haven’t been able to make a dent in the new pattern of consumer spending.

So, the American auto market has changed. Has the global economy undergone a similar dramatic shift? Since the rest of the world does not drive SUVs, as a rule, the spending patterns of global citizens remain largely unchanged. Small cars, motorcycles and mopeds still rule the streets of London and Paris, Milan and Rome.

However, in America, the change has been drastic and left the Big 3 scrambling to find products on which the public is willing to spend money. While GM’s much-hyped line of hybrid SUVs is a fine introduction, it does not seem enough to turn the troubled automaker’s fortunes around. Instead, consumer focus seems to be on the Volt, coming out in 2011. The Volt will be a new breed of car, at least for Americans. Technically a hybrid, it does not use an internal combustion engine to propel the vehicle. Rather, it uses it to charge the battery packs that power the electric motor.

With consumer interest geared towards vehicles that run on alternative fuels, use cutting edge technology to reduce emissions and save big dollars at the pump, it is very possible that the SUV’s days are numbered. A quick glance at your local Auto Trader magazine will show you the truth.

While small compact cars like the Civic and the Cobalt seem to be retaining their value, you can get an SUV in excellent shape for fire sale prices. This is the best indicator that the SUV will soon go the way of the dodo. Unless the Big 3 are able to step up to the plate with innovative new technologies that offer more than the 20% fuel savings touted by today’s hybrid SUVs, the breeds time may have just run out.