Suvs People Gas Car Types Vehicles Popular Higher

SUVs and other large cars were very popular among American "consumers" (buyers; shoppers) in the 1990s and early 2000s. Most people believed that SUVs were safer, because they had a larger, "sturdier" (stronger) "frame" (the main structural pieces) and would "fare better" (not be damaged as much) in "collisions" (hits; accidents) with other cars. Many drivers also liked the "ride height" of the SUVs, which let them feel higher up than other cars and, in some ways, safer.

In addition, many people liked the "rugged" (rough; outdoor-like) "styling" (the way something looks) of most SUVs. Even if they drove the SUVs "primarily" (mostly) in the city, they liked having the image of someone who enjoys the outdoors. People who needed a "higher-performance" (capable of doing more things better) vehicle liked the "four-wheel drive" (ability to control all four wheels) offered in most SUVs, especially in areas where the roads are often covered in snow and ice.

As long as gas prices were "relatively" (comparatively) low, people could drive their SUVs without worrying about their lower "gas mileage" (the number of miles that can be driven with one gallon of gasoline). In the mid-2000s, however, economic conditions changed and SUVs began to "lose ground" (become less competitive or less attractive) in the "automobile market" (sales of vehicles). Gas prices "rose" (increased) and suddenly it became "prohibitively" (making something impossible) expensive to "fill the tank" (fill a car with gasoline) of an SUV. People began selling their SUVs, "opting" (choosing) to replace them with smaller, more "fuel-efficient" (with higher gas mileage) cars and even "hybrids" (cars that get very good gas mileage because they use an electric system). Today, Americans still drive many SUVs, but they are not as popular as they were 10 years ago.