Car-based SUVs gaining on truck-based SUVs

DETROIT, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Car industry officials in Detroit say sport utility vehicles based on car frames are becoming more popular than SUVs built on truck frames.

"The handwriting is on the wall, and 2003 is the first year there is a noticeable decline in sales of traditional SUVs," said George Pipas, Ford Motor Co.'s sales analyst.

"They won't go away overnight, but, by the end of the decade, the crossovers will probably outsell the traditional sport utility vehicles."

SUV sales grew to a record 4.5 million in 2003, about 300,000 more than in 2002 and were 27 percent of the 16.7 million new vehicles purchased, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

That was despite a 4 percent sales decline, to 2.8 million, in truck-based models like the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Tahoe and Mitsubishi Montero.

Meanwhile, sales of car-based "crossover" SUVs such as the Ford Escape, Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander rose 35 percent, to nearly 1.7 million vehicles.

Sales of crossovers, which tend to be smaller, lighter and somewhat more fuel efficient, have increased more than 500 percent since 1999.