Something Extra: No More Love For Big Cars?

MIAMI (CBS4) - Is America's love affair with huge cars and SUV's dying?

A new study from J.D. Power and Associates says yes, and it's not just because of high gas prices.

It turns out customers who downsize are finding the smaller cars just as appealing as the bigger cars they used to have.

Lots of us are downsizing. In the past year, twenty seven per cent of car buyers chose smaller vehicles, more than twice the number of those who bought bigger.

Most downsizers are happy with the fuel economy but also because smaller cars now have a lot of the comfort and the bells and whistles bigger ones do.

Despite some problems, sales of electric cars and hybrids are up, but still represent less than four percent of the market.

And SUV's are still selling... they're about a third of the market, but ninety per cent of the ones we're taking off the lots are small to mid-sized.

I downsized a couple of years ago, and next time, I'll probably go with all-electric or hybrid if they get all the issues resolved.  Even so, I'm not one of those who's happy.  I miss my bigger SUV. and likely always will.