In Spite Of Onerous Gas Prices What Vehicles Are Still Selling in North America?

Honda Fit Sales Up 64%

• SEE ALSO: Vehicle Specs, Pics and Prices - New Car Buyers Guide
• SEE ALSO: A More Perfect Fit

Washington DC June 25, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that the latest auto-sales data, released earlier this month, show a glum market – sales of cars and light trucks were down 11 percent in May from a year earlier.

But a few cars have bucked the downward trend.

A number of them are small: Sales of the tiny Fit from Honda have risen 64 percent since the beginning of the year. Toyota's Scion xB, another recently redesigned compact, is up 59 percent.

But there are also some surprising winners – including a handful of gas guzzlers.

The Wall Street Journal reports that sales of the Toyota Sequoia, a large SUV, rose 29 percent to 14,100 in May from a year earlier.

The Lexus LX, which averages 14 mpg, saw sales more than double for the first five months of the year.

The market for large vehicles is being supported not only by high-income consumers but also by families. Crossovers with three rows of seats, like the Mazda CX-9, have also sold well, appealing to people who want a big vehicle that's more efficient than a traditional SUV.

CLICK HERE for a complete overview of what's still selling in this down market.