SUV Sales Begin To Fall In Texas

As the cost to gas up a full-size SUV nears $100, even Texans are beginning to rethink purchasing the 'National Car of Texas'.

May 9, 2005, 9am PDT | Chris Steins | @urbaninsight

"For years, Texas has been one of the country's strongest markets for large pickups and SUVs. According to R. L. Polk & Co., 57% of new-car registrations in Texas last year were pickups and SUVs, 10 percentage points higher than in the nation overall. The huge Chevy Suburban SUV had been considered by many residents to be the "National Car of Texas" years before sales took off in other parts of the country.

...But now, sales of large SUVs are falling in the Lone Star state. In January and February, registrations of two big General Motors Corp. SUVs, the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, slumped 18% and 22% respectively, compared with the same months a year ago, Polk says. Registrations of Ford Motor Co.'s Expedition and Toyota Motor Corp.'s big Sequoia also declined from year-earlier levels by double-digit rates."

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Thanks to Chris Steins

Full Story:

Texans Think Smaller

Published on Monday, May 2, 2005 in Wall St. Journal