HYBRIDS DOWN, SUV SALES UP — but what’s interesting is that lots of hybrid owners own SUVs, too.
That’s not really a surprise. People like SUVs because they’re good at carrying kids and stuff over distances and in bad weather. People like hybrids because they’re efficient at commuting and they’re cool. Commuting in your hybrid, while using an SUV for family trips or to take kids to football practice, makes sense. (Of course, my own compromise was to buy a hybrid SUV, but . . . ). I notice more and more people have multiple cars, a trend that’s likely to expand as Americans get richer. Perhaps the notion of a one-size-fits-all car will become passe as a result.