CUV Interest Grows as SUV Interest Declines

NADAguides.com says Interest in CUVs Outpaces SUVs in April, Interest in Hybrid CUVs Grows

COSTA MESA, Calif., May 20 -- The gap in consumer interest between crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) continues to widen, according to a report released today by NADAguides.com. The company, a vehicle pricing and information website, says consumer interest in crossovers increased 14.8 percent in April 2008 compared to April 2007, while SUV interest was down at almost the same rate of 15.9 percent during that same timeframe.

The company defines "consumer interest" as the number of in-market vehicle shoppers at its website, http://www.nadaguides.com/, who accessed pricing information for a specific vehicle. Crossover utility vehicles are defined as vehicles that have characteristics of both SUVs and cars.

Three out of the top ten CUVs showing the greatest increase in consumer interest last month compared to April of last year were hybrids, with interest in the Mercury Mariner Hybrid growing 165.3 percent and interest in the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid increasing 73.8 percent and 50.9 percent respectively.

"The fact that three of the top ten CUVs showing the greatest increase in interest were hybrids demonstrates that fuel efficiency is a serious concern," said Tara Baukus Mello, senior writer and lead market analyst at NADAguides.com. "Consumers are not only interested in the styling and handling characteristics of a CUV, they're also interested in saving money at the gas pump."