Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Prefer SUVs Over Cars, Trucks: Report

Gas and diesel SUVs outpaced electric and hybrid SUVs nearly 3-to-1, accounting for 72.3 percent of new retail registrations.

A long row of unsold 2021 X3 sports-utility vehicles sits at a BMW dealership in Loveland, Colo., on March 28, 2021. David Zalubowski/AP Photo

Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) again proved to be America’s most popular vehicle type, accounting for 63.4 percent of new retail registrations for the rolling 12-month period ending March 31, a new report from credit-monitoring agency Experian stated.

The 0.64 percentage point increase year over year in SUV registrations to more than 7.8 million vehicles registered in the last year represents about 117 million sport utility vehicles in operation through the first quarter of the year, Experian said in its Automotive Consumer Trends & Analysis report. SUVs account for about 42 percent of the 298 million vehicles traveling U.S. roadways.