Why The SUV Is All The Rage

It's important not to make too much of market research. Bradsher's book boldly says industry data have shown that SUV buyers "tend to be more restless, more sybaritic and less social than most Americans. They tend to like fine restaurants a lot more than off-road driving, seldom go to church and have limited interest in volunteer work." But Bradsher admits SUV buyers don't necessarily have all those traits; they are just more likely to have them than minivan owners. Last week Kelley Blue Book, an auto-information company, released a survey of new-vehicle buyers who had visited its website; respondents said the No. 1 attribute of SUV drivers is that they are "family oriented," not self-oriented.

Automakers say most people have practical grounds for buying SUVs. GM research says that among the top reasons consumers give for picking a full-size SUV are that it seats more people and that the size makes them feel safe (a misperception that SUV manufacturers aren't eager to correct). Similarly, the switch among a minority of SUV buyers to crossovers probably reflects a simple shift in priorities during lean, uncertain times: we want fuel economy and safety wrapped in SUV trimmings. Says Shosteck: "The market is showing that consumers want more of the attributes of an SUV, with the handling and ride and the comfort of a passenger sedan."

There's much dispute in Detroit about whether the trend toward crossovers will last. Some are urging us to write an obituary for the big SUV. But anyone who has ever driven one of these towering carriages knows it should be more of an elegy: halflings like the crossovers will never tickle the desire to pilot something enormous and fearless. Maybe it's only a matter of time before the massive SUV rigs go the way of three-martini lunches, cigarettes and, one fears, Big Macs. But it's been a glorious ride. --With reporting by Melissa August and Eric Roston/Washington, Sean Gregory/New York, Alison Onianwa/Fort Lauderdale, Adam Pitluk/Dallas, Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles and Joseph R. Szczesny/Detroit