But it's a phenomenon that may well be hitting a red light. According to TIME business writer Daniel Kadlec, the five-year numbers reported by the Census Bureau ignore one important trend. "Whats important is how fast SUVs are selling today," he says, "and how fast they will sell in the future." There is every indication, says Kadlec, that SUVs popularity has peaked. "Growth has slowed in the last year, and lets face it: Fads are fads, and these cars have run their course."
The sales slowdown may also, at least in part, be due to growing concerns about SUV safety. Because they are mostly built on truck chassis, SUVs have a high center of gravity, which makes them more likely to roll over than a car. In addition, the chassis-type construction, which is not designed with the energy-absorbing crumple zones now included in most cars and minivans, offers less protection to SUV occupants, especially if they are in collision with a similar vehicle. And perhaps the scariest is yet to come, Kadlec cautions. "The next big thing is an SUV hybrid, like the Lexus RX 300. Theyre part car, part minivan and part SUV." And they outweigh the average sedan by roughly a half ton.